House Concurrent Resolution on Permitting Reform

HCR 5 is a Utah legislative resolution urging Congress to reform federal permitting processes for energy infrastructure. It highlights that current federal reviews under laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) take an average of 4.5 years, delaying over 2,000 gigawatts of energy projects and increasing costs. The resolution specifically calls for streamlining permitting timelines, limiting excessive litigation delays, and ensuring environmental protections remain intact during faster approvals. It directly addresses Congress and federal agencies, seeking action to accelerate domestic energy development without weakening environmental standards. This resolution does not create new laws but formally requests legislative changes to address permitting bottlenecks affecting energy infrastructure deployment.