Lawmakers, business and labor back bill to speed Minnesota environmental permits

State lawmakers, business leaders and building trades representatives urged swift action on House File 8, a bipartisan bill they say would create a permitting ombudsman and shorten review times for environmental and industrial permits without lowering labor or environmental standards.

Supporters said Minnesota’s permitting process has become a competitive disadvantage and cited a Chamber-funded analysis that found Minnesota’s average air-permit review times at 656 days — well above the agency’s 150-day goal — and that from 2018 to 2023 Minnesota-based companies completed 355 projects outside the state, resulting in an estimated $17.5 billion in capital expenditures and 31,000 lost jobs.

“The most important thing that we're doing with this bill is trying to create a more efficient process for our agencies to work with applicants through the process,” said Sen. Grant Hochschild, who described the measure as a top priority…