House Concurrent Resolution 5

# Legislative Summary: House Concurrent Resolution 5 House Concurrent Resolution 5 is a non-binding expression of the Utah Legislature urging Congress to reform federal permitting processes for energy infrastructure projects, including nuclear, mining, transmission, and other energy technologies. The resolution argues that current federal environmental review requirements—particularly under the National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act—have become unnecessarily complex and are delaying critical energy infrastructure by an average of four years or more, which the legislature contends increases costs, reduces reliability, and harms economic competitiveness. The resolution calls for Congress to streamline permitting timelines, limit litigation delays, and establish accountability measures while maintaining environmental protections, framing faster domestic energy development as essential for national security and reducing dependence on foreign energy sources. Since this is a concurrent resolution, it carries no direct legal force but serves as an official statement of the state's position meant to influence federal policy decisions.