House Passes SPEED Act, Failing to Lower Energy Costs or Speed Clean Energy Deployment

Washington, DC - Today, the House of Representatives passed the "Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act," or the SPEED Act. Rather than fixing the real barriers slowing clean energy projects, the SPEED Act weakens the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in ways that would do little to lower costs or accelerate clean energy, while making it easier for polluting projects to move forward without accountability.

This week, more than 150 environmental and community groups sent a letterto Congress recognizing the real urgency to build clean energy and other critical infrastructure at scale. The letter makes clear that cutting corners on planning and public engagement is a false shortcut that leads to more conflict and delays-outcomes that ultimately drive costs up.

Sierra Club and its partners support investing in agency capacity, improving coordination, and prioritizing projects that deliver clean, affordable energy. The SPEED Act takes the opposite approach by favoring fossil fuel infrastructure while failing to remove the barriers blocking wind, solar, and transmission projects that are ready to move forward.

In response, Sierra Club Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy Director Mahyar Sorour issued the following statement:

"At a moment when families are facing rising energy costs and communities urgently need more clean, affordable power, Congress should be focused on speeding the deployment of transmission lines, renewable energy, and grid upgrades. The SPEED Act fails that test. If Congress wants to lower energy bills and build a reliable, affordable power system, it should be focused on getting clean energy and transmission built faster-not giving fossil fuel companies a free pass. By prioritizing oil and gas projects and failing to address the barriers blocking wind, solar, and transmission, the SPEED Act would lock in pollution while increasing the risk of delays, lawsuits, and costly mistakes.

"There is abundant, clean, affordable energy ready to come online today. Real permitting reform means clearing the path for those projects, strengthening the grid, and ensuring infrastructure is built efficiently and responsibly. The Senate should reject the SPEED Act and instead advance common-sense solutions that help us build clean energy faster and deliver lower-cost power to communities across the country."

###

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.