Rep. Crank Votes to Streamline Permitting; Delist Gray Wolves in a Series of Natural Resources Committee Wins on the House Floor

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Representative Jeff Crank (CO-05) voted in favor of a series of Natural Resources Committee passed bills on the House Floor: the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act and the Pet and Livestock Protection Act.

The SPEED Act restores fairness and accountability to the federal permitting process by simplifying environmental reviews, curbing abuse of the system by radical actors, placing common-sense limits on judicial review, and establishing predictable timelines for critical infrastructure and energy projects.

The Pet and Livestock Protection Act would require the Secretary of Interior to reissue the November 2020 final rule delisting the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a proposal in which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife has tried to finalize under several Administrations.

"Permitting delays hold America back, said Rep. Crank. "Our nation cannot be burdened with never-ending reviews. We must be able to build the projects needed to power our homes and businesses. Until now, we have let onerous permitting regulations handcuff America, allowing other countries to take the lead-offshoring jobs, supply chains, and more. Instead, we let other countries build offshoring jobs, supply chains, and more. The SPEED Act fixes that by streamlining our permitting system and allowing us to deliver on our goal to unleash American energy."

"The Endangered Species Act was created as a tool to recover species, not as a weapon to block project development or advance ideological agendas," said Rep. Crank. "Federal species management should be temporary. Instead, radical environmentalists have hijacked the ESA to ignore the scientific fact that the wolf has met recovery goals. Instead, they would keep the wolf listed forever.That is not the purpose of the Endangered Species Act, and it is why Congress is having to legislate species delisting.

"The continued litigation against the wolf delisting harms our ranches, farmers, and rural communities who have to contend with these predators unchecked in their own backyards. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act affirms U.S. Fish and Wildlife's conclusion that the Gray Wolf is no longer endangered, and management should be returned to the State."

Background:

The SPEED Act:

• Streamlines and expedites environmental reviews to reduce costs and planning times while maintaining environmental standards;
• Creates a clear "green-light"/ "red-light" outcome, so shovel-ready projects aren't trapped in limbo;

• Stops abusive and serial litigation by establishing a reasonable 150-day filing

  deadline and limiting challenges to directly affected parties, ending exploitation by radical activist groups;

• Ensures industry neutrality, allowing all projects to move forward under the same rules;

• Creates predictable timelines that will incentivize projects to build in the U.S.,

  strengthening America's competitiveness;

• Accelerates critical energy, mining, and infrastructure projects that are sorely

  needed, lowering costs for Americans.

The Pet and Livestock Protection Act:

• Rep. Crank is a cosponsor of this bill;
• Requires the Department of the Interior to reissue the final rule entitled "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife;
• In 2020, the Trump administration finalized a rule that delisted the gray wolf, except for the Mexican wolf, and returned management to each of the lower 48 states.