DATE INTRODUCED:

03/19/2026

WHAT:

This legislation would expand eligibility for the federal FAST-41 permitting program by lowering the covered project investment threshold from $200 million to $50 million, allowing more energy and infrastructure projects to benefit from more coordinated, transparent and efficient federal permitting.

This bill:

• Lowers the FAST-41 project eligibility threshold by 75%;
• Expands access to the Permitting Council for smaller critical energy and infrastructure projects;
• Enables more projects to benefit from coordinated interagency review, predictable timelines and enhanced transparency through the FAST-41 dashboard; and
• Builds on bipartisan efforts to modernize permitting and accelerate project delivery across the United States.

WHY IT MATTERS:

America’s ability to build energy infrastructure at speed and scale is essential to economic growth, energy security and global competitiveness. While FAST-41 has proven effective at improving permitting coordination and reducing delays for large-scale projects, many critical energy projects fall below the current $200 million threshold to participate and are left navigating a fragmented and uncertain permitting process.

Lowering the threshold will unlock a broader portfolio of projects that support domestic supply chains, strengthen and modernize the grid and deploy next-generation energy technologies. By extending FAST-41 benefits to smaller projects, this bill helps ensure the U.S. can build the infrastructure needed to meet growing energy demand and compete globally.

WHAT'S NEXT:

This bill was introduced with bipartisan support in the House of Representatives. As Congress continues to explore updates to FAST-41 and broader essential permitting reforms — including modernizing NEPA, streamlining judicial review and modernizing transmission reforms — this proposal represents a practical next step to accelerate infrastructure deployment.

ORIGINAL SPONSORS:

Rep. Jeff Crank (R-CO), Rep. Christopher Deluzio (D-PA)

CONGRESS.GOV LINK:

H.R. 8003

PRINTABLE SUMMARY:

Printable summary of H.R. 8003