# 119-s-4475: Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act of 2026

119-s-4475, Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA] (R-PA); status introduced (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4475
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4475
- Congress: 119
- Title: Unlock American Energy and Jobs Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-04-30
- Sponsor: Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA] (R-PA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Environmental Protection
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Streamlines permitting and narrows environmental review for energy infrastructure.** This bill would centralize and time‑limited state water quality certifications, reshape dredge and fill permitting with broad nationwide permit rules, and tighten NEPA and judicial review timelines for energy projects. - Certifying authorities and States would face strict deadlines and limits. They must respond to prefiling meeting requests in 30 days and hold meetings within 60 days. Certifications may consider only water quality and must set effluent limits and monitoring that become conditions on federal permits. - Project developers would see faster permit outcomes and clearer thresholds. State permit actions must be completed within 1 year or the permit is deemed approved, and pipeline permits can rely on a nationwide rule that covers projects with less than 3 acres of loss per single and complete project. Construction is prohibited before certification and waivers can apply if authorities fail to act. - Nuclear and NEPA changes favor quicker licensing and narrower review. Reactor licenses would be capped at 60 years, early site permits can be preserved, construction at previously permitted reactor sites could be categorically excluded from NEPA, and energy certification challenges would face a 30‑day filing deadline.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Faster state water-quality approvals: benefit, high. This bill would set firm timelines for Clean Water Act Section 401 water-quality certifications. The certifying authority must set a "reasonable period" within 60 days, and that period would start on receipt and could not exceed one year. If the authority misses the deadline, the certification requ…
- Speedier dredge and fill permits: benefit, high. This bill would change Clean Water Act dredge/fill permitting rules to speed approvals. It would treat discharges under three acres as "minimal adverse effect" and keep a national pipeline permit for losses under three acres. General permits would last at least ten years and could be reissued with…
- Less NEPA review for LNG terminals: benefit, medium. The bill would bar the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from considering NEPA environmental factors when making its section 3(a) public-interest finding for LNG terminals. If enacted, that would remove one NEPA-based factor from the LNG terminal approval step and likely speed those decisions. T…
- NEPA exclusion for some nuclear sites: benefit, medium. This bill would let the Nuclear Regulatory Commission exclude NEPA review for building and operating a reactor at a site with a prior or pending NRC permit or license. It would cap commercial reactor licenses at 60 years from authorization to start operations, with renewals allowed. The NRC would h…
- Tight limits on NEPA lawsuits: mixed, high. The bill would shorten and limit NEPA legal challenges. Claims would generally need to be filed within 150 days after final agency action. If there was a public comment period, challengers would have to have submitted a substantive, unique comment during that period. Courts could only remand withou…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-2142: GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025
- 119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act

## Sources
- [119-s-4475 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4475)

## Related
- [119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2120)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-3597: National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3597)
- [119-s-2142: GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2142)
- [119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4952)
- [119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4378)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4475 (as of 2026-09-10).