SPEED Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4059
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-21: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T22:54:32Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "Small Projects Expedited Execution and Delivery Act" (SPEED Act), H.R. 4059, aims to streamline the approval process for smaller transportation projects by raising the financial thresholds for qualifying for a categorical exclusion. A categorical exclusion is a regulatory shortcut under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that allows certain low-impact projects to skip full environmental impact reviews, speeding up project timelines and reducing administrative burdens.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 1317(1) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), a 2012 transportation law.
- Increases the dollar limits for federal assistance that qualify projects for categorical exclusion:
- From $6 million to $12 million for certain types of projects (subparagraph A).
- From $35 million to $70 million for other specified projects (subparagraph B).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Doubles the existing monetary thresholds in MAP-21 for determining eligibility for categorical exclusions.
- This adjustment expands the range of small-scale transportation projects (e.g., road repairs or bridge improvements) that can avoid detailed NEPA reviews, which previously required more extensive documentation and analysis.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and state transportation departments may process more projects faster, reducing paperwork and approval times from months or years to weeks.
- On citizens: Could lead to quicker delivery of local infrastructure improvements, such as safer roads or enhanced transit, benefiting commuters and communities with limited funding.
- On international relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic transportation funding and processes.
- Overall, it promotes efficiency in using federal highway funds but may slightly increase the number of projects exempt from environmental scrutiny.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State and local governments: Primary beneficiaries, as they manage most qualifying projects and gain from expedited federal approvals.
- Federal agencies: DOT oversees implementation and may see reduced workload for environmental reviews.
- Construction and engineering firms: Faster project starts could increase opportunities for contracts on small-scale work.
- Environmental groups and local communities: Potentially affected if more projects proceed without full impact assessments, though exclusions apply only to low-risk activities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Aligns with NEPA's flexibility for categorical exclusions, ensuring compliance while broadening their application; no challenges to constitutional authority, as it builds on established federal transportation powers under the Commerce Clause.
- Constitutional: Maintains federal oversight of interstate highways without infringing on state rights, supporting cooperative federalism in infrastructure.
- Political: Reflects a push for regulatory efficiency in transportation policy, potentially appealing to lawmakers favoring reduced bureaucracy; could spark debate on balancing speed with environmental protections, though the bill limits changes to predefined low-impact categories.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-21: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- 2025-06-20: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-06-20: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-20: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Small Projects Expedited Execution and Delivery Act — issued 2025-06-20 — PDF (2 pages)