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Nov. 20, 2025 – In response to today’s markup of the SPEED Act by Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), Climate Justice Alliance Executive Director KD Chavez issued the following statement:
“Despite a month-long recess in the House, the SPEED Act shows no meaningful improvements that address frontline communities’ concerns. Instead, it continues to empower corporations over people by weakening cumulative impacts analysis, diminishing our ability to hold polluters accountable in court, and limiting what projects undergo environmental review.
While Republicans and Democrats have claimed industry needs more certainty for their energy projects, they fail to recognize the material reality on the ground. As the Trump Administration escalates its attacks on renewable energy and environmental protections, the only certainty is that our communities will continue to bear the brunt of health and environmental impacts. No permitting reform deal–the SPEED Act included–will lead to the renewable energy our communities desperately need because the Trump Administration refuses to act in good faith.
Today’s markup of the SPEED Act represents yet another dirty permitting deal that sacrifices public health and treaty rights for AI infrastructure and fossil fuel expansion. We urgently need to address solutions for climate, housing, transportation, and energy infrastructure. Repealing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), or stripping communities of legal safeguards is not the answer.
Frontline communities know what works: stronger public engagement tools, robust investments in permitting staff, and protections for our public lands and sacred sites. It’s long overdue that our representatives get serious and bring community-backed solutions to the center of policymaking.”
