Nov 20, 2025 IPAA: SPEED Act Provides Certainty for Producers, Accelerates Approval Process for Energy Projects
WASHINGTON – Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) President and CEO Edith Naegele issued the following statement on the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act advancing through the House Committee on Natural Resources today with bipartisan support, positioning it for consideration on the House Floor. Committee chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) introduced the legislation this summer.
“IPAA applauds House Natural Resources Chairman Westerman for advancing the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. Improvements made in the SPEED Act would provide greater certainty for energy producers, address delays, and accelerate the approval process for oil and natural gas projects. The current federal permitting process hinders our members’ efforts to find innovative solutions to protect the environment, unlock investment and create jobs. Reforming permitting remains one of IPAA’s highest priorities for the 119th Congress and has been a focus of our advocacy for several years.
“Chairman Westerman’s leadership on this issue continues to stand out, and our association appreciates his bipartisan collaboration with Rep. Jared Golden to tackle regulatory challenges impeding the ability to produce and deliver energy.”
Background:
In July, IPAA and a group of eight oil and natural gas trade associations highlighted their strong support for the bipartisan SPEED Act in a letter to Chairman Westerman. The group’s letter details how the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements and applications have grown since its enactment 50 years ago and the courts, Presidential directives, and agencies’ implementation of NEPA regulations have made NEPA unworkable and far more complicated than its original intent. The federal government’s “paper chase” hinders efforts to find innovative solutions to protect the environment, unlock investment and create jobs. The SPEED Act addresses many of the most pressing issues surrounding NEPA delays and will provide durable solutions to help expedite much needed infrastructure projects across the country.
