House Approves Gosar Amendment Preventing EPA Obstruction of Critical Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects

Statement

Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after the House approved his amendment early this morning which will greatly assist with streamlining the federal permitting process for Critical Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects, and attached it to the Senate Amendments to H.R. 22, the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act (DRIVE) Act:

"The EPA's reign of obstruction and incompetence continues to impose costly new regulations that defy commonsense and threaten thousands of good-paying jobs across the country. Despite not being a primary reviewing or permitting agency, intentional actions from the EPA continue to impose unnecessary permitting delays and kill jobs through the country. Our communities can't afford to have critical infrastructure projects sabotaged by an agency that does not share the same values and priorities as the American people.

"If the intent of the Federal Permitting Improvement Council established by this bill is to actually improve the federal permitting process, then the EPA, which is not a principal permitting or reviewing agency, should not be allowed a vote to obstruct the expedited process for projects that already have a $200 million investment. Fortunately, my colleagues in the House agreed and I was pleased to see unanimous support for my amendment that will assist with the creation of thousands of jobs across the country if enacted into law. Today was a win for commonsense and put the EPA on notice that Congress and the people of this great nation will fight back against the agency's continued overreach."

Source