Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environmental Review topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff say modernization would ease environmental reviews and BABA compliance for Hawaii projects
Summary
Senate staff described proposed rules allowing HUD-led environmental reviews to satisfy other federal reviews when HUD is the majority funder, exemptions for small projects and tailored Build America Buy America (BABA) waivers for noncontiguous states to reduce cost and supply-chain barriers.
Alana Purdy explained how the bill would consolidate environmental reviews to reduce duplicative processes that slow down construction. Under the proposed language, when HUD provides a majority share of federal funds for a project (threshold discussed as greater than 50%), HUD's environmental-review process could satisfy other federal agencies’ requirements, which proponents say will reduce time-to-groundbreaking for projects that combine federal funds.
Purdy also described several targeted flexibilities: small-project exemptions (for development costs at or below a specified threshold or limited rehabilitation below 50% market value), alternative approaches for radon and lead testing in remote or noncontiguous locations, exemptions from federal flood-risk management standards in some cases, and more flexible separation-distance rules for residential fuel storage tanks. On materials sourcing, she said the bill includes provisions to exempt tribes and DHHL from strict BABA domestic-sourcing rules in recognition of geography and supply limitations.
