A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Build Now Act" aims to optimize the environmental review process for Central Valley Project (CVP) enhancement projects. It requires that any environmental review for these projects be completed within 1 year of the application date. If an agency cannot meet this deadline, they must either get approval from the applicant for an extension or deny the permit. Applicants whose permits are denied due to these delays can re-apply at any time. Upon re-application, the lead agency must provide gathered information to help speed up the new review process.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +6
Would farmers be better off under this?
The bill facilitates faster implementation of critical water infrastructure such as groundwater recharge and aquifer storage.
- Scored +5
Does this invest in rural communities?
The bill accelerates the timeline for essential water and infrastructure projects in the Central Valley.
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
Project applicants benefit from faster certainty regarding their water-related infrastructure projects.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill imposes strict one-year deadlines on environmental reviews, which may limit the depth of environmental scrutiny for Central Valley Project projects.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Faster Project Timelines: The bill mandates that environmental reviews for CVP enhancement projects be finished within 1 year of the application date (Section 2(a)). This could benefit those involved in groundwater recharge, aquifer storage, or water source substitution projects by providing faster certainty (Section 2(d)(1)).
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Streamlined Re-application Process: If a permit is denied because an agency missed the deadline, the applicant can re-apply at any time (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Efficiency in Future Reviews: To help speed things up, agencies must provide previously gathered information to applicants who are re-applying for a permit (Section 2(c)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Risk of Permit Denial: If an agency cannot meet the one-year deadline, they may be forced to deny the permit instead of completing the review (Section 2(b)(2)).
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Requirement for Extension Approval: Agencies that cannot meet the timeline must obtain the approval of the permit applicant before they can grant an extension (Section 2(b)(1)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill facilitates faster implementation of critical water infrastructure such as groundwater recharge and aquifer storage. Would business owners be better off under this? — Project applicants benefit from faster certainty regarding their water-related infrastructure projects. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Faster completion of Central Valley Project enhancement projects provides more timely water resource management for rural areas.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill streamlines the permitting process for water infrastructure projects which can benefit local businesses and agricultural entities.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill accelerates the timeline for essential water and infrastructure projects in the Central Valley. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill imposes strict one-year deadlines on environmental reviews, which may limit the depth of environmental scrutiny for Central Valley Project projects.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires agencies to furnish previously gathered information to applicants upon re-application.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — By streamlining water infrastructure projects like groundwater recharge, the bill may indirectly support regional water stability necessary for housing development.
- 12/11/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Jim CostaDemocrat · California