Rep. Jill Koford recently published an opinion piece entitled, “What Utah leaders are doing to power the AI race.” Her message about Utah’s energy challenges was spot on, as was her account of how the state of Utah is responding positively.
She also recognized that a big part of the problem can only be resolved at the federal level. As it happens, this is a rare moment in Congress when both sides of the aisle acknowledge the need to fix a slow and uncertain approval process. The U.S. House of Representatives actually passed the SPEED Act, a meaningful regulatory reform package that enjoyed bipartisan support.
The SPEED Act now awaits action in the U.S. Senate, where we hope Utah’s Sen. Mike Lee, a strong voice for regulation reform, can help move it along. These are important reforms for Utah, where we have suffered more than our share of unreasonable delays on vital infrastructure and energy projects.
In my region, the Uinta Basin Railway, an approximately 85-mile rail line connecting northeastern Utah’s energy-rich region to the national rail network, is a prime example. It was approved in 2021 after an exhaustive environmental review process that produced more than 3,600 pages of analysis. Yet, despite meeting all federal requirements, the project became tied up in years of litigation and regulatory uncertainty, halting progress and delaying its economic benefits. Project completion would allow eastern Utah producers to more easily access broader markets and transport energy resources more safely and efficiently, while expanding jobs and revenue.
The broader national problem is rooted in the evolution of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). President Richard Nixon signed NEPA into law in 1970 with the goal of ensuring transparency and better-informed decision making. Sadly, the NEPA process has grown more and more complex and arduous, delaying projects for years and sometimes even ending them completely. Courts have expanded the scope of environmental review, increasing compliance burdens and prolonging timelines. NEPA seems to have evolved from a disclosure statute into a weapon used to block even the most vital projects.
That is why we hope Lee, who has long raised concerns about regulatory overreach, can play a leading role in restoring NEPA to its original intent.
Other Utah projects have suffered similar regulatory hurdles. Water infrastructure plans tied to the Central Utah Project were held up by years of environmental assessments and federal coordination before construction could proceed.
The Northern Corridor in Washington County is even worse. Following years of delay under NEPA and other regulations, it was approved by the BLM, only to be immediately halted by court challenges from extreme environmental groups. The compounding of overlapping statutes, lengthy documentation and litigation risk has created a system where even essential, well-vetted projects see endless delays.
Properly streamlined federal permitting would unlock investment across multiple sectors in Utah, including energy, manufacturing and infrastructure. Faster approvals would mean quicker project starts, local job creation, and increased tax revenue for communities. In rural areas especially, infrastructure investment often serves as a lifeline supporting small businesses, boosting wages and stabilizing local economies. Strong federal leadership from Utah’s congressional delegation will be key to realizing such gains.
Permitting delay increasingly affects all energy and transmission projects, slowing deployment of new technologies and hindering efforts to modernize the grid. A more efficient permitting process would support a broad range of energy projects, ensuring that Utah can develop resources it needs while maintaining reliability and affordability.
With the SPEED Act, the House has shown there exists a bipartisan path. Despite Utah’s internal efforts at streamlining, project delays continue to translate into higher electricity costs and reduced economic competitiveness. The Trump administration has delivered some very solid reforms, but without congressional action, those reforms may prove temporary.
Utah’s experience amid tremendous growth underscores what is at stake. Energy development, plus tech and transportation infrastructure expansions, are all crucial for Utah to maintain its economic leadership and quality of life. For Utah to fully flourish as a leader in economic growth and domestic energy, Lee and his colleagues must act to ensure that responsible development is delivered rather than delayed.