The House of Representatives this week passed H.R. 3616, the Reliable Power Act, authored by Representative Troy Balderson (R-OH), by a bipartisan vote of 225 – 203, and the SPEED Act, by a bipartisan vote of 221-196. The American Public Power Association strongly supports both pieces of legislation.
Reliable Power Act
With respect to the Reliable Power Act, seven Democrats, Representatives Luis Correa (CA), Henry Cuellar (TX), Donald G. Davis (NC), Jared Golden (ME), Adam Gray (CA), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA), and Eugene Vindman (VA), voted for the bill along with Republicans.
APPA is a strong supporter of the Reliable Power Act, having supported similar legislation for years and supporting H.R. 3616 through passage at the Energy and Commerce Committee.
“Reliability is a top priority for public power utilities around the country,” said Scott Corwin, President & CEO of the American Public Power Association. “The Reliable Power Act ensures public power can comply with federal rules and regulations without sacrificing the reliable electricity that powers our homes, businesses, and communities. APPA is proud to support H.R. 3616, the Reliable Power Act.”
APPA also supports the Senate companion, S. 3034 and will continue to advocate for its consideration and passage in the Senate.
The Reliable Power Act would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) a formal role in determining, and mitigating, the potential reliability impacts of federal regulations whenever the North American Electric Reliability Corporation finds that the bulk-power system is at risk.
SPEED Act
The House on Dec. 18 passed H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, to reform the permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by a bipartisan vote of 221-196.
Eleven Democrats joined all but one Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), in voting to pass the bill. The following Democratic members voted in favor of the SPEED Act:
• Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) – bill cosponsor
• Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA)
• Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX)
• Rep. Don Davis (D-NC)
• Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA)
• Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX)
• Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX)
• Rep. Adam Gray (D-CA)
• Rep. John Mannion (D-NY)
• Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA)
• Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX)
APPA strongly supports the SPEED Act to narrow the scope of environmental reviews and enable public power utilities to build and maintain infrastructure that ensures reliable, affordable electric service. It establishes judicial review timelines and requirements to prevent frivolous lawsuits that can lengthen the permitting process by years.
The rule for debate on the bill included approval of an amendment offered by Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) that would exempt project authorizations for which a federal agency has filed a motion to remand or otherwise reopened between January 20, 2025, and the date of enactment of this act from the NEPA and judicial review reforms made by the bill. The amendment is written specifically to target permits for offshore wind projects that the Department of the Interior revoked this year following President Trump’s inauguration.
The House considered the following amendments during debate on the bill:
• Amendment #1 by Representative Andrew Clyde (R-GA): would clarify that direct harm does not include emotional, aesthetic, or recreational harm unaccompanied by material or physical property harm. FAILED 205-220.
• Amendment #5 by Representative Chip Roy (R-TX): would revise the scope of review clause to clarify that NEPA review only applies to environmental impacts that the lead agency or cooperating federal agencies have the legal authority to regulate. FAILED 208-214.
• Amendment #6 by Representative Roy: would define further what significant effects trigger an Environmental Impact Statement. FAILED 204-217.
APPA submitted a letter of support to House leadership this week, encouraging all members to support the SPEED Act, and released this statement following the passage of the bill.
APPA said it will remain engaged in the federal permitting reform conversation as legislative activity moves from the House to the Senate.
