Build Now Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6640 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6640

To optimize the environmental review process for Central Valley Project 
                    permits, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 11, 2025

  Mr. Gray (for himself and Mr. Costa) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To optimize the environmental review process for Central Valley Project 
                    permits, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Build Now Act''.

SEC. 2. CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW TIMELINE.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a 
federally issued permit for a CVP enhancement project requires an 
environmental review, the environmental review shall be completed not 
later than 1 year after the date on which the permit application is 
submitted by the permit applicant.
    (b) Failure To Meet Deadline.--If the agency responsible for 
carrying out an environmental review described in subsection (a) is 
unable to meet the timeline under that subsection, the head of the 
agency issuing the applicable permit shall--
            (1) with the approval of the permit applicant, grant an 
        extension for the environmental review; or
            (2) deny the permit.
    (c) Action After Denial.--
            (1) In general.--An applicant for a permit that is denied 
        due to a failure to meet the timeline under this section may 
        re-apply for the permit at any time after the denial is issued.
            (2) Lead agency.--If an applicant re-applies for a permit 
        under paragraph (1), the head of the agency responsible for 
        carrying out the environmental review required under the 
        previous application shall furnish to the applicant, to the 
        extent permitted by law, any information gathered as part of, 
        or related to, such environmental review to facilitate an 
        expedited environmental review for the new application.
    (d) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) CVP enhancement project.--The term ``CVP enhancement 
        project'' means a project with a primary purpose of supporting, 
        enhancing, or maintaining the Central Valley Project and 
        related infrastructure, including--
                    (A) groundwater recharge projects;
                    (B) aquifer storage projects; and
                    (C) water source substitution projects.
            (2) Environmental review.--The term ``environmental 
        review'' means fulfilling the requirements applicable to a CVP 
        enhancement project permit under the National Environmental 
        Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.) and section 7 of 
        the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1536).
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