Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed H.R. 3133, the “Streamlining Environmental Approvals (SEA) Act of 2017.” Introduced by Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), the bill amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to remove duplicative permitting requirements that inhibit economic development and restoration projects.

“Washington bureaucrats should never have the authority to halt coastal initiatives based on their own politically biased agendas. Yet many permit approvals are prolonged, including coastal restoration efforts and critical naval operations, specifically for that reason. The SEA Act takes important steps to implement strict deadlines for agencies while maintaining appropriate permitting standards, allowing projects to move forward only if they meet the highest requirements. I applaud the Natural Resources Committee for recognizing the importance of this commonsense legislation and my colleagues for moving it forward,” Rep. Johnson stated.

“Dogma and outdated federal mandates are stalling beneficial conservation and economic development activities,” Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) said. “This bill establishes accountability within the bureaucracy and reconciles conflicting federal requirements to make the law work better for people and the environment. I thank Rep. Johnson for his work on this important bill and look forward to advancing it through the House.”

Click here to learn more about the bill.  

Background:

Provisions of H.R. 3133 are included in H.R. 4239, the “SECURE American Energy Act,” which passed the Committee in November 2017.