White House Announces Permitting Action Plan

WASHINGTON (May 11, 2022)- Today, the White House announced the Biden-Harris Permitting Action Plan, outlining a transformative change in the way Federal infrastructure projects are permitted, providing a roadmap for agencies to deliver on the once-in-a-generation upgrades outlined in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). From modernizing our manufacturing and electricity transmission sectors to advancing renewable energy production and broadband access, this Action Plan further cements the value of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) in helping Federal agencies accomplish the ambitious and critical goals set by this Administration to equitably address climate change while creating good-paying American jobs.
 
“The Permitting Action Plan will revolutionize the way that the Federal government approaches the permitting process, working to deliver on the generational investments in America’s infrastructure and competitiveness detailed in the BIL,” says Christine Harada, Executive Director of the Permitting Council. “This action plan showcases why the coordination, collaboration and transparency embedded into the work of the Permitting Council will improve the process and outcome of infrastructure projects across the Federal government.”
 
To make the most of the historic investments in infrastructure contained in the BIL, the Biden-Harris Administration is releasing a new Permitting Action Plan to strengthen and accelerate Federal permitting and environmental reviews. The Plan outlines the Administration’s strategy for ensuring that Federal environmental reviews and permitting processes are effective, efficient, and transparent, guided by the best available science to promote positive environmental and community outcomes, and shaped by early and meaningful public engagement. Taken together, these new steps will help grow our clean energy economy, revitalize communities across the country, lower costs for families, support the creation of good-paying jobs, and ensure infrastructure investments are mobilized in a timely and sound way, without unnecessary bureaucratic delay.
 
The Permitting Action Plan is built on five key elements that will help ensure the timely and effective delivery of crucial improvements to America’s infrastructure: 

1. Accelerating smart permitting through early cross-agency coordination;

2. Establishing clear timeline goals and tracking key project information; 

3. Engaging in early and meaningful outreach and communication with States, Tribal Nations, territories, and local communities; 

4. Improving agency responsiveness, technical assistance and support; and

5. Adequately resourcing agencies and using the environmental review process to improve environmental and community outcomes. 

The work of the Permitting Council is at the core of the Permitting Action Plan, as the Administration directs Federal agencies to leverage the Permitting Council and its expanded authorities under the BIL to improve coordination among agencies, to help avoid and resolve potential conflicts and bottlenecks before they emerge, to identify and share best practices, and to accelerate information sharing and troubleshooting. BIL-funded projects that qualify for FAST-41 coverage will be featured on the Federal Permitting Dashboard, allowing for a coordinated and transparent method for outlining infrastructure project timeline goals and milestones

Learn more about the Permitting Action Plan here. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/11/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-permitting-action-plan-to-accelerate-and-deliver-infrastructure-projects-on-time-on-task-and-on-budget/