On March 14, 2023, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) introduced H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, along with Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.), to tackle the energy crisis caused by President Biden’s disastrous policies.
The Lower Energy Costs Act restores American energy independence by:
Increasing domestic energy production
Reforming the permitting process for all industries
Reversing anti-energy policies advanced by the Biden Administration
Streamlining energy infrastructure and exports
Boosting the production and processing of critical minerals
H.R.1 includes important language which was passed by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee earlier this year as H.R. 1152, the Water Quality Certification and Energy Projects Improvement Act of 2023. This legislation and critical section of H.R. 1:
prevents the Clean Water Act Section 401 process from being hijacked and weaponized to block important energy projects.
clarifies the scope of Section 401 permitting, keeping its focus limited to Clean Water Act standards.
In recent years, states such as Washington, Oregon, and New York have abused Section 401 to deny certification for reasons outside the scope of protecting water quality to stifle energy projects such as a coal export terminal, a natural gas pipeline, and a liquefied natural gas export facility.
“Addressing America’s ongoing energy crisis is one of the most important actions this Congress can take. The last thing we need is to be dependent on foreign energy, especially when we can produce and distribute energy here in the United States and maintain our environmental standards at the same time. This legislation will prevent federal water regulations from being hijacked and weaponized to block important energy projects. I’m proud to have the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s work included as part of H.R. 1’s commonsense and comprehensive approach to solidifying our energy independence,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves.
More Information:
March 30, 2023: House Republicans Fulfill Promises, Deliver Lower Energy Costs for Every American
March 28, 2023: Chairman Graves Statement on H.R. 1 During House Floor Debate
March 14, 2023: Graves Joins Scalise in Introducing H.R. 1 – The Lower Energy Costs Act
March 9, 2023: Graves, Rodgers, Westerman Statements on H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act
February 28, 2023: Committee Approves Legislation to Reject Biden Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule, Streamline Energy Projects, and Other Measures
February 24, 2023: Rouzer, Graves Introduce Legislation to Improve Water Quality Certifications and American Energy Infrastructure
Section by section summary of H.R. 1
Summary of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee provisions of H.R. 1
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