January 27, 2026
The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito
Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
United States Senate
The Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse
Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
United States Senate
Dear Chairman Capito and Members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
On behalf of National Taxpayers Union (NTU), America’s oldest national taxpayer advocacy organization, I write to express our views ahead of the Committee’s hearing on permitting and environmental reviews. It’s no secret that America’s permitting system has grown overly complex, duplicative, and unpredictable—creating unnecessary delays that drive up costs, discourage investment, and undermine our ability to build critical infrastructure. We urge this Committee to continue to shine a light on this broken process with the end goal of a bipartisan, bicameral solution to address it.
Lengthy permitting timelines are not the result of strong environmental standards, but of a broken regulatory framework that prioritizes process over results. Projects that meet clear legal requirements are routinely delayed for years due to overlapping agency reviews, unclear timelines, and excessive litigation. These delays ultimately hurt workers, consumers, and taxpayers, while providing little additional environmental benefit.
At a time when the nation faces mounting challenges across energy, transportation, housing, and manufacturing sectors, we simply cannot afford a process that stifles investment and delays progress.
To be clear, permitting reform is not about weakening environmental protections. Instead, it is about making the process more efficient, predictable, and transparent while maintaining rigorous standards. Today’s framework forces developers and communities alike to navigate a maze of overlapping reviews, endless litigation risk, and unclear timelines. The result is fewer projects, higher costs for consumers, and missed opportunities to strengthen American competitiveness.
Today, it takes an average wait time of more than two years just to complete an environmental impact statement (EIS) for major infrastructure projects. For some, it can take even longer. Just look at the SunZia transmission projects going from the Rockies to Southern California which took over 15 years to permit. It took less time to develop technology to put an American on the moon than it has to get governmental approval to build renewable energy projects.
Comprehensive reform would establish clear deadlines for environmental reviews, clamp down on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) “lawfare,” improve coordination among federal agencies, limit duplicative analyses, and more. These changes would provide certainty for project sponsors while preserving meaningful public input. Most importantly, they would help deliver the infrastructure Americans need—whether that is new energy generation, upgraded transmission lines, modern ports, or critical mineral production.
It’s also important to note that the House of Representatives has passed dozens of bills to address these problems. These bills range in size and scope, but they have generally garnered bipartisan support. This includes the SPEED Act (H.R. 4776), which is arguably the most significant permitting overhaul passed in recent memory and serves as a guide toward what should reach President Trump’s desk.
The stakes could not be higher. If the United States fails to reform its permitting process, we risk falling behind global competitors who are moving faster to build the infrastructure of the future. By contrast, a streamlined and accountable system would unlock private investment, create good-paying jobs, and strengthen our national security.
NTU urges you to work across party lines to advance comprehensive permitting reform this Congress and stands ready to be an active partner with you to achieve such an outcome. The American people deserve a government that can say “yes” to responsible development and deliver results on time.
Thank you for your leadership and consideration.
Sincerely,
Thomas Aiello
Senior Director of Government Affairs