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HJM 2

COMBINE STANDING & INTERIM COMMITTEES

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Art De La Cruz and 4 co-sponsors

HJM 2 calls on Congress to reform federal permitting and environmental review to speed energy infrastructure, improving reliability and lowering costs, with no state fiscal impact.

action postponed indefinitely
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Bill Summary · HJM 2

HJM 2 – Idaho Joint Memorial Summary

Overview

  • Bill: House Joint Memorial No. 2 (HJM 2)
  • Classification: Joint memorial directing federal attention and action
  • Subject: Energy, environment, federal relations, natural resources, science and technology
  • Introduced: January 23, 2025
  • Status: Retained on General Orders
  • Fiscal note: No fiscal impact to state or local government; no change in revenue or expenditures

Purpose and Intent

HJM 2 memorializes the United States Congress to reform federal permitting and environmental review processes in order to accelerate the deployment of modern energy infrastructure. It argues that current federal procedures (notably NEPA, ESA, NHPA, CWA and related regulations) are overly complex and slow, increasing costs, reducing energy independence, and hindering domestic energy production and competitiveness. The memorial emphasizes the need for reliable, resilient, and diversified domestic energy to enhance national security and economic strength, and it calls for reform to promote faster, lower-cost construction of energy infrastructure while maintaining environmental and health protections.

Key Provisions (What the Memorial Seeks)

  • Urges Congress to enact reforms to accelerate deployment of energy infrastructure.
  • Encourages federal lawmakers to work in good faith to reform permitting and environmental review processes.
  • Reforms to consider:
    • Limiting excessive use of judicial processes that delay projects.
    • Preventing inappropriate use of the Clean Water Act and other laws that impede lawful linear energy infrastructure (e.g., pipelines, transmission lines).
    • Planning, permitting, and funding the build-out of electricity transmission to support a reliable grid and lower costs.
    • Domestic build-out of modern energy technologies, including nuclear, emissions management, hydrogen, critical mineral mining and processing, and related needs.
    • Accountability measures for federal agencies, including better data, more aggressive timelines, and permitting “shot clocks.”
    • Continued efforts to streamline federal regulations to support efficient energy infrastructure development.
  • The memorial directs the Idaho Chief Clerk to transmit copies of HJM 2 to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and Idaho’s congressional delegation.

Who and What Is Affected

  • Primary focus: federal permitting and environmental review processes in the United States (as they affect energy infrastructure projects).
  • Indirectly influences:
    • Energy developers and infrastructure builders (transmission, pipelines, nuclear, hydrogen, mining).
    • Idaho residents and businesses through potential changes to energy costs, reliability, and domestic energy security.
    • Federal agencies implementing environmental and permitting laws (e.g., NEPA, ESA, NHPA, CWA).

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • The memorial is in the House and Senate in Idaho as part of the 2025 session.
  • It has repeatedly been listed as “Retained on General Orders” in recent parliamentary days, indicating ongoing consideration but no final disposition to date.
  • As a memorial, it does not itself create law or allocate funds; it expresses the Legislature’s position and requests action by federal lawmakers.

Fiscal Impact

  • No state or local revenue changes; no new expenditures are anticipated as a result of enacting this memorial. The accompanying fiscal note states no fiscal impact.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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