Overview
- The House approved H.R. 4776 by a 221–196 vote, with 11 Democrats backing the bill and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick as the lone Republican opposed.
- The measure overhauls environmental reviews by setting firm timelines, expanding actions exempt from review, limiting consideration of some downstream greenhouse‑gas effects, and prohibiting agencies from delaying decisions to await new research.
- NEPA lawsuits would face a 150‑day statute of limitations, stricter court deadlines, and narrower remedies, aligning with recent Supreme Court guidance.
- Late amendments exclude offshore wind authorizations from the bill’s reforms and protect Trump administration actions taken since Jan. 20 until enactment, leading the American Clean Power Association to withdraw support as SEIA and environmental groups voiced opposition.
- The bill now moves to the Senate, where lawmakers are signaling changes that could include transmission policy and elements of a broader permitting package.