SPEED Act
- Bill Number
- S. 1894
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T22:55:27Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Small Projects Expedited Execution and Delivery Act (SPEED Act) aims to streamline the environmental review process for certain small-scale highway and infrastructure projects by expanding eligibility for a "categorical exclusion." A categorical exclusion is a regulatory shortcut under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that allows projects with minimal expected environmental impact to bypass more detailed environmental assessments, enabling faster project approval and implementation.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 1317(1) of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which provides categorical exclusions for highway projects receiving limited federal funding.
- Increases the federal funding threshold for eligibility under subparagraph (A) from $6 million to $12 million.
- Increases the threshold for projects in areas with constrained public transportation under subparagraph (B) from $35 million to $70 million.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Doubles the monetary thresholds for federal assistance that qualify projects for categorical exclusions under MAP-21 (23 U.S.C. 109 note).
- These changes build on prior expansions of categorical exclusions but specifically target smaller projects to reduce administrative delays without altering broader NEPA requirements.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state transportation departments may process more projects quickly, reducing paperwork and review times for low-impact initiatives, potentially freeing resources for larger projects.
- On Citizens: Could lead to faster delivery of local infrastructure improvements, such as road repairs or minor expansions, benefiting commuters and communities with urgent needs, though it maintains safeguards for environmental protection.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic highway funding and environmental reviews.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State and Local Governments: Primary beneficiaries, as they can expedite federally assisted projects without lengthy reviews.
- Federal Agencies: FHWA oversees implementation, potentially seeing increased efficiency in grant distribution.
- Infrastructure Contractors and Developers: Gain from shorter timelines, possibly lowering costs and enabling more bids on small projects.
- Environmental Groups and Citizens: May have concerns over slightly broader exclusions, but impacts are limited to projects already deemed low-risk.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces NEPA's flexibility for categorical exclusions, ensuring compliance with environmental laws while promoting efficient use of federal funds; no challenges to constitutional authority, as it operates within Congress's spending powers.
- Constitutional: Aligns with federalism by empowering states in project execution without overriding local environmental protections.
- Political: Supports bipartisan goals of infrastructure modernization and regulatory relief, potentially reducing delays in transportation funding but could spark debate on balancing speed with environmental oversight.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ], Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Recent Actions
- 2025-05-22: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2025-05-22: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Small Projects Expedited Execution and Delivery Act — issued 2025-05-22 — PDF (2 pages)