Kings County Times

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman David G. Valadao’s bill H.R. 6011, the Right of Way Application and Transparency Accountability Act, has successfully passed the House with widespread bipartisan support. The legislation aims to address a significant bottleneck in the permitting process by introducing a 90-day timeframe for notifying right-of-way applicants about the completeness of their applications.

In a statement, Congressman Valadao emphasized the importance of cutting through bureaucratic red tape, stating, "We cannot continue to let permitting red tape kill critical infrastructure projects." He expressed gratitude towards Chairman Westerman for his assistance in advancing the bill and expressed optimism about its potential impact, saying, "I look forward to working together to get this bill signed into law."

Chairman Bruce Westerman echoed the need for reform, highlighting the adverse effects of government bureaucracy on energy projects and expressing support for H.R. 6011: “This transparency will alleviate bottlenecks for all of the above energy projects, allowing them to move forward and improve America’s energy security.” He commended Valadao for his bipartisan approach to addressing challenges in domestic energy projects.

During the House Floor debate, Congressman Valadao reiterated the necessity of his bill, emphasizing the need for a streamlined federal permitting process: "We cannot continue to let permitting red tape kill these infrastructure projects." He urged his colleagues to support the Right-of-Way Application and Transparency Accountability Act, emphasizing its potential to enhance domestic energy production, rural development, and job creation.

The passage of H.R. 6011 marks a significant step towards improving the efficiency and transparency of the federal permitting process, ultimately aiming to facilitate the development of critical infrastructure projects and bolster the nation's energy security.