# 119-s-5588: Ecological Restoration Project Permitting Act of 2026

119-s-5588, Ecological Restoration Project Permitting Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR] (R-AR); status introduced (as of 2026-10-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5588
- As of: 2026-10-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5588
- Congress: 119
- Title: Ecological Restoration Project Permitting Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-29
- Sponsor: Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR] (R-AR)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Environmental Protection
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-21

## Summary

**This bill would create a _streamlined Ecological Restoration Permit (ERP) framework_** to speed approval of projects that restore habitat and produce net increases in ecosystem functions and services. It sets standard documentation, deadlines, and interagency coordination to move restoration projects faster and track outcomes. - Non‑Federal sponsors must submit a preconstruction notification with baseline habitat data, a habitat map, project overlays, and objectives. A District Engineer must check completeness within 30 days and issue final verification within 45 days or the project is deemed subject to the ERP, but projects may not begin until required consultations like Endangered Species Act reviews are finished. - Federal agencies submit a summary report and must wait 30 days before starting. The District Engineer will presume another Federal agency has verified the project for ERP purposes to reduce duplicative review. - The ERP would authorize discharges of dredged or fill material and both nature‑based and engineered restoration components integral to the project, such as dikes, berms, water‑level controls, levee modifications, excavation, bank stabilization, and road‑stream crossing replacements, provided the primary purpose is ecological restoration and the project yields net habitat gains. The permit excludes permanent vehicle access or permanent trails in waters and bans persistent or long‑lasting chemicals like PFAS and PCBs. The bill would also require interagency agreements to coordinate reviews and annual public and congressional reports on ERP use, project outcomes, and compliance.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD] (D-MD), 2026-09-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Armstrong, Alan [R-OK] (R-OK), 2026-09-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE] (D-DE), 2026-09-29T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Agency coordination and low-risk reviews: benefit, low. This bill would require the Secretary to make coordination agreements with EPA, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, CEQ, and the historic preservation chair within one year. The agreements would set shared steps, contact points, and schedules for ESA, NEPA, and other reviews to avoid duplicate informa…
- Environmental laws and species protections: benefit, low. This bill would not waive or change requirements under the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, or NEPA. It would not allow harm to listed species without separate legal authorization. Protections under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act wo…
- What projects the new permit allows: mixed, medium. This bill would create a single ecological restoration permit for projects that increase habitat functions and services. It would allow engineering and construction features integral to restoration. Examples include dikes, berms, levee changes, excavation, bank stabilization, and stream crossing re…
- Deadlines and review rules for sponsors: mixed, low. This bill would require non‑Federal sponsors to send a detailed preconstruction notice to the District Engineer. The Engineer would have 30 days to say if the notice is complete. After a complete notice, the Engineer would have 45 days to verify whether the project fits the permit. If the Engineer…
- Permit length and enforcement rules: mixed, low. This bill would set the ecological restoration permit term at 10 years. The Secretary could reissue or extend the permit. Work verified in writing before the permit expires would remain authorized, including necessary maintenance, monitoring, and reporting tied to the verification. The Secretary wo…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5526: Agricultural Act of 2026
- 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-s-1547: America the Beautiful Act
- 119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former United States Senator for the State of Kansas.
- 119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewellyn Kyl, former Senator for the State of Arizona.
- 119-sres-801: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Lindsey Olin Graham, a Senator from the State of South Carolina.

## Sources
- [119-s-5588 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5588)

## Related
- [119-s-5526: Agricultural Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5526)
- [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744)
- [119-s-1547: America the Beautiful Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1547)
- [119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former Uni…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-913)
- [119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewel…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-897)
- [119-sres-801: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Lindsey Olin Graham,…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-801)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5588 (as of 2026-10-21).