Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | December 1 - December 5, 2025

The House Natural Resources Committee advanced the ePermit Act (H.R.4503), introduced by Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-Calif.). The bill aims to modernize and streamline the permitting process by transitioning to a fully-electronic permitting system. 

Reps. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.) and Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) introduced the Rural Recovery Act (H.R.6462) to support rural communities impacted by disasters. The bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a program focused on providing timely and effective support to rural communities affected by natural disasters. To learn more about disaster recovery, check out EESI’s Rapid Readout on the future of the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.), and Tony Wied (R-Wis.) introduced the Affordable Clean Water Infrastructure Act (H.R.6464). This bill aims to support clean water infrastructure projects in rural, low-income, and high-need communities by strengthening the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, a federal-state financing program for water infrastructure projects. 

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), joined by Sens. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Wyo.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), introduced S.3372, a bill to make existing tax exemptions permanent for wildfire survivors. Current tax exemptions passed by Congress are set to expire at the end of 2025. This bill would extend existing protections to allow homeowners tax payments on wildfire payouts.

To catch up on all of the recent environmental and energy legislation in Congress, read the pdf here.