Thomas Hochman says the federal government has not clearly defined what counts as "served" or "unserved" when awarding infrastructure grants. (Adobe stock)

Indiana’s rural communities could lose out under a new federal bill aimed at speeding up clean energy development.

What Republicans are calling the One Big Beautiful Bill, part of President Donald Trump’s tax package, includes major changes to how energy and infrastructure projects get environmental approval.

Lawmakers rewrote parts of the National Environmental Policy Act, to shorten timelines and block lawsuits that often delay big builds.

Supporters say the changes will fast-track everything from solar farms to broadband.

But Thomas Hochman, director of infrastructure policy at the Foundation for American Innovation, warned that the new rules may push developers to focus on easier, cheaper sites.

“There are quotes from folks like an outgoing Environmental Protection Agency general counsel, who say that 90% of the details NEPA review are purely there for litigation proofing,” said Hochman. “If you know that you are not at risk of litigation that is almost certainly a radically faster timeline.”

Hochman said that could leave rural areas behind.

The U.S. House narrowly passed the bill. It now moves to the Senate.

Hochman said for developers with large projects, fees aren’t a problem.

“For a developer who has a project that still will go through environmental impact statement, the vast majority of time $5 million – or whatever it might be – is peanuts,” said Hochman. “I think this will become the common avenue for private developers.”

Advocates fear this progress could slow if project scoring continues to prioritize cost-efficiency over need.