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Our Mission & What We Do

The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is a federal agency and a key part of the federal government advancing historic infrastructure investments. We were established in 2015, and made a permanent federal agency by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. We are uniquely positioned to bring federal agencies and stakeholders together to improve the efficiency of the permitting process for critical infrastructure projects.

The Permitting Council serves as convener, project manager, innovator, and helper. Our mission is to provide transparency, predictability and accountability to the permitting process to deliver the benefits of infrastructure investments to the American people.

The Permitting Council also serves as a Federal center for permitting excellence.  In this role, we support interagency detailees and rotation opportunities, provide advanced training, provide enhanced support for agency project managers, and serve as a fora for sharing information and lessons learned.  The Council leverages the lessons learned on our FAST-41 covered projects to develop best practices and programmatic solutions that can improve permitting across government.  

The Executive Director also has the authority to transfer funds to federal agencies, and states, tribal, and local governments to facilitate timely and efficient environmental reviews and authorizations for FAST 41 projects.

Our Mission 

Coordinate Permitting Activities: We bring together the federal agencies tasked with environmental review and authorizations to coordinate review of FAST-41 covered projects. This helps to align agency processes and ensures agency teams work together effectively. 

Track Project Timelines: We assist in developing and implementing project-specific timetables for all required reviews and authorizations to keep projects on track. 

Improve Transparency: Our public dashboard tracks the status of federal environmental reviews and authorizations for covered projects. This allows the public and stakeholders to monitor project progress and helps hold agencies and project sponsors accountable. 

Facilitate Problem-Solving: We work to resolve conflicts and issues that may arise during the permitting process and help proactively identify and remove obstacles to support project completion. 

Advance National Infrastructure Goals: By helping to bring efficiency to the permitting process, we play a crucial role in supporting the development of innovative and transformative infrastructure projects that are essential for national growth and the growth of future generations. 

Statutory Authority

The Permitting Council was established under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST) Act (known as FAST-41) in 2015. The Permitting Council consists of the Executive Director (Chair), and Deputy Secretary level representatives from 13 federal agencies as well as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. The Council and the Office of the Executive Director staff (OED) lead the charge in improving the federal permitting process through Permitting Council statutorial programs and initiatives. 

Permitting Council Charter

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 11, 2024