Sponsors (4)
The bill sets a clear $50 million cutoff that simplifies and can speed permitting for smaller projects, but it risks reduced environmental scrutiny for projects just below the threshold and creates transition costs for government agencies and applicants.
State and local governments and project sponsors can apply a clear $50 million cutoff to decide which projects are “covered,” reducing planning and permitting uncertainty.
Construction workers, local governments, and project sponsors may see faster permitting and earlier starts for smaller infrastructure projects because projects below $50 million are kept outside the covered-project process.
Local governments and utilities/energy companies — projects with investments just under $50 million could receive different or less coordinated environmental review and oversight, reducing scrutiny on some developments and raising environmental risk.
Federal employees, state governments, and permitting applicants will face administrative transition costs to update systems and comply with the new $50 million threshold and the January 1, 2027 effective date.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Clarifies and sets the FAST Act "covered project" investment threshold at $50,000,000, expanding projects eligible for expedited permitting.
Official title: To amend title XLI of the FAST Act to lower the cost estimate threshold relating to eligibility of infrastructure projects for certain permitting processes, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 19, 2026 by Chris Deluzio · Last progress March 19, 2026
Lowers and clarifies the monetary cutoff that defines which projects qualify as “covered projects” under certain FAST Act permitting provisions by setting the threshold at $50,000,000. That change expands the set of projects that can use the FAST Act’s accelerated permitting timeline and processes. The change takes effect January 1, 2027 (or on enactment if later).