IBEM Act of 2025

This bill aims to speed up federal approval for building or expanding international bridges and land border crossings with Mexico and Canada. It narrows the permit process to these specific projects and tells the federal government not to gather or consider environmental review documents under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when deciding on certain Presidential permits for these projects. The goal is to streamline approvals for border bridges and ports of entry, which could move construction forward faster, but with less environmental study in the permitting step.

Key points

• Who is affected: Builders and operators of international bridges and land border ports; border communities; travelers and freight crossing the U.S.–Mexico and U.S.–Canada borders.
• What changes: The permitting process is streamlined, and the Secretary is directed not to compile or consider NEPA environmental documents for certain Presidential permit decisions related to these projects.
• Where: Applies to international bridges and land ports of entry on the U.S.–Mexico and U.S.–Canada borders.
• Impact: Potentially faster approvals and construction, with fewer environmental documents considered during the permit decision.