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Manufacturers in the U.S. have long created well-paying, family-supporting careers and driven national innovation, but continuing this legacy depends on comprehensive permitting reform, Noah Hanners, executive vice president of sheet products for North American steel company Nucor Corporation, told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Tuesday. 

What’s going on: “Right now, cumbersome and overreaching permitting regulations are holding back progress and hurting our nation’s competitiveness,” Hanners said.

• “We are not alone in this view. In a recent [NAM] survey of manufacturers, 72% said that the length and complexity of the permitting process affects investment decisions. If we want to grow America’s economy, we need to fix this broken system.” 

 Case in point: In 2022, Nucor announced its selection of Apple Grove, West Virginia, as the site of its new, state-of-the-art steel mill. The location on the Ohio River mandated that the manufacturer “seek federal authorization under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act,” Hanners said. 

• “The permitting process was onerous. It required us to work with multiple federal agencies—with little direction and unclear timelines. This led to moving targets for our own planning and execution, delaying the project and increasing costs.” 

Commonsense reforms: Such delays, increased costs and other red tape have become the norm for large economic projects—but Congress can change that, Hanners went on.

• “Working together, policymakers can continue progress to achieve lasting, comprehensive permitting reform and make positive changes to our nation’s environmental laws,” said Hanners, adding that giving manufacturers “a seat at the table” would give the industry much-needed certainty. 

What must be done: Congressional permitting reform should include:

• Streamlining the permitting process;
• Expediting judicial review of projects;
• Amending overly stringent, unworkable environmental laws, such as the Clean Water Act;
• Creating enforceable deadlines; and
• Increasing the use of categorical exclusions.

The CWA: The Clean Water Act in particular needs revision, Hanners went on, including the clarification of timelines for agency action; the establishment of clear, commonsense definitions regarding scope of permitting and consultation requirements; the use of general permits; and more.
 
Why it’s critical: “Nucor and America’s manufacturers are the most advanced and sustainable in the world,” Hanners concluded.

• “Comprehensive permitting reform that increases certainty and removes unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles will enhance American economic competitiveness and protect our environment.”