Labor and Industry Groups Back Bipartisan Federal Permitting Overhaul

Washington, D.C. – As Congress takes up federal permitting reform, labor unions, building trades, and other organizations that represent people who actually do the work have thrown their support behind the CERTAIN Act, bipartisan legislation led by Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Adam Gray (D-CA), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and Jen Kiggans (R-VA).

The CERTAIN Act would streamline the federal permitting process from when an application is submitted to when agencies reach a final decision. It would provide enforceable accountability measures, stronger coordination between agencies, and ensure agencies are fully staffed. Critically, the bill would protect lawfully issued permits from arbitrary revocation or political interference, giving developers, investors, and workers the certainty they need to build.

The following organizations — made up of the people who build, power, and maintain America's infrastructure — are urging Congress to act:

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU)

"America’s permitting process is broken. Projects our members are eager to build are tangled in a mess of red tape that inhibits their ability to practice their craft and earn a middle-class sustaining wage. The CERTAIN Act will aid in addressing this volatility by inhibiting the ability for this process to be distorted in an attempt to stall or kill fully permitted projects.”— North America’s Building Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey

United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA)

“In our industry, permitting uncertainty goes by another name: unemployment. The entire United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA), with our more than 396,000 members, is proud to support the bipartisan CERTAIN Act and its framework for meaningful change. We look forward to our continued work with Congress to finally enact long overdue permitting reform and ensure the future of American infrastructure is built by the best trained and most highly skilled workforce in the world - the men and women of the UA.” — Mark McManus, General President, United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA)

American Public Works Association

“Communities plan infrastructure projects years in advance—but permitting delays can derail those plans overnight. When projects stall, costs rise and communities are forced to delay or cancel other critical needs. The CERTAIN Act brings much-needed predictability to the process, helping ensure infrastructure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and for the public good.”

National Association of Counties (NACO)

“Counties support the CERTAIN Act’s commonsense permitting reforms, which strengthen county involvement and guarantee counties a seat at the table during federal environmental reviews. The CERTAIN Act allows counties to serve as participating agencies, in recognition of county expertise, and emphasizes intergovernmental coordination. Counties thank Rep. Scott Peters and Rep. Gabe Evans for their bipartisan leadership and urge swift passage.” — National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase.

Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA)

“On behalf of the more than 540,000 members of the Laborers’ International Union of North  America (LIUNA), I write in support of your bill, H.R. 8308, Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act, which will not only help streamline critical energy infrastructure projects through the permitting process, but it will also ensure those same projects can move forward without the threat of termination. LIUNA members’ jobs should not be jeopardized by politicians and interest groups manipulating the project approval process. We are tired of politicians putting their thumb on the scale when it comes to our nation’s energy infrastructure. From pipelines to wind farms, our members’ jobs are uncertain.

“Billions of dollars of private capital are constantly on the line when developers attempt to move large-scale energy projects through the permitting and application process. These projects translate to tens of thousands of union jobs within the construction sector. In fact, our nation’s energy sector is one of the largest employers of LIUNA members across the country.

“There is no question that the permitting process is broken. Projects, particularly energy projects, are taking longer than ever to be approved. And as if earning that approval was not hard enough, developers have to constantly worry about political backlash as their lawfully issued permits can be revoked with the swipe of a pen. This puts our members out of a job, sending them home without a paycheck. Your bill amends this by providing clarity and certainty to all future energy projects.

“The CERTAIN Act does not just mean certainty for projects; it means certainty for LIUNA’s members’ jobs. Thank you for introducing H.R. 8308. We urge fellow Members of Congress to support and pass this long overdue legislation.”

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

“The IBEW's workforce provides certainty on jobs big and small, helping to ensure projects are done on time, on budget, and to the highest standards. Projects that are cut short by politics or delayed because of government red tape hurt skilled workers like those in the IBEW. It is only right for projects directed or supported by the government to be able to count on clear guidelines for review and approval. I applaud Reps. Peters and Evans for their efforts with the CERTAIN Act.” —  Kenneth Cooper, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, International President.

Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA)

“The ‘CERTAIN Act’ brings long overdue predictability and accountability to the federal permitting process while preserving strong environmental protections. By establishing enforceable timelines, improving interagency coordination, and strengthening permitting capacity, this legislation will enable critical infrastructure and energy projects to move forward on time, on budget, and with greater regulatory certainty for employers and workers across the country. MCAA appreciates the leadership of Reps. Peters and Evans and their colleagues for developing this balanced and comprehensive legislation.” — Tim Brink, CEO of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA).

Associated Builders and Contractors

“The CERTAIN Act delivers much-needed reform to the open-ended and unpredictable regulatory process that often plagues U.S. infrastructure projects. By setting firm deadlines for federal permitting decisions and environmental reviews and requiring expedited judicial review, this legislation reduces unnecessary delays that stall construction,” — Kristen Swearingen, vice president of government affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors.

Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON)

“The bipartisan CERTAIN Act provides the stability needed to modernize our grid and support the resurgence of domestic manufacturing. By protecting permits from shifting political winds and establishing clear timelines, this legislation eliminates the regulatory uncertainty that currently drives up costs for large electricity consumers and hinders US economic growth.” — Karen Onaran, President and CEO, Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON)

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)

“ACEC applauds Representatives Scott Peters and Gabe Evans for their bipartisan leadership on permitting reform. The CERTAIN Act will help to provide greater certainty, transparency, and predictability to ensure that good projects get built without unnecessary delay or cancellation. We urge Congress to adopt the common-sense reforms outlined in this legislation and continue to work toward sending comprehensive, bipartisan permitting reform legislation to the president’s desk.”

The CERTAIN Act builds on a discussion draft circulated by Reps. Peters, Evans, Vasquez, and Garbarino in January. See bill text HERE, a one-pager HERE, and a section-by-section HERE. 

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