Council on Environmental Quality set to unveil a new Permitting Technology Action Plan
In a move designed to modernize the permitting landscape, President Trump has initiated steps to ensure that the United States is harnessing contemporary technology to conduct environmental reviews and evaluate permits with greater efficiency. This initiative is a key focus for the Trump Administration, aimed at streamlining processes, enhancing transparency, and minimizing delays that inhibit economic growth.
The Presidential Memorandum signed today directs the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in collaboration with the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) and relevant permitting agencies, to draft a comprehensive plan aimed at modernizing technological approaches to Federal environmental reviews and permitting processes for infrastructure projects. This strategic plan is expected to assist agencies in digitizing permit applications, speeding up reviews, and enhancing coordination between various agencies. Additionally, it aims to provide project sponsors with clearer timelines and improve the sharing of information with state and tribal officials, thereby simplifying the permitting journey.
“By utilizing 21st-century technologies, we can significantly enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and speed of the Federal environmental review and permitting process,” stated the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “This initiative promises to dismantle bureaucratic hurdles that stifle growth, while simultaneously enriching the quality of environmental assessments. Under President Trump’s leadership, CEQ is committed to swiftly developing a Federal Permitting Technology Action Plan and establishing a Permitting Innovation Center that can genuinely expedite the permitting process and refocus environmental analyses on critical issues.”
“We must increase our drilling, mapping, mining, and construction efforts while racing ahead of our global competitors,” remarked Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “The Permitting Technology Action Plan will tap into America’s greatest assets—innovation and technology—to revamp our antiquated permitting process and propel our nation towards a cleaner, more reliable energy future. By embracing modern development, we can lay the groundwork for unparalleled American success.”
“This administration is actively addressing a flawed system that hampers vital energy projects nationwide,” stated Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “Outdated permitting protocols are causing costly delays at a time when we should be expanding energy capacity and bolstering our infrastructure. As both Secretary of Energy and Vice Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, I enthusiastically support this pivotal action that aims to modernize permitting technology, reduce bureaucratic obstacles, and mobilize federal resources to ensure the swift approval and construction of essential projects—because achieving energy dominance requires robust infrastructure.”
“President Trump acknowledges that American farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our economy. Unfortunately, they’ve faced interminable delays and uncertainties while navigating convoluted permitting processes that stifle innovation and impede production in the energy and timber sectors,” argued Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “This groundbreaking Memorandum will enhance efficiency and transparency, allowing producers to focus on their essential everyday roles in feeding, fueling, and clothing our nation.”
“The pace of construction in America is unacceptably slow,” lamented Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy. “Bureaucratic red tape and outdated regulations inflate costs and prolong projects unnecessarily. This must change. Under President Trump’s guidance, we are cutting through the bureaucratic jungle to facilitate the resurgence of American construction. We will achieve this by leveraging innovative technology to streamline the permitting process.”
“I commend President Trump for his initiative to simplify environmental reviews and permitting processes, which will invigorate American innovation and drive economic growth,” stated Lee Zeldin, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. “In line with Pillar Three of my Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative, which emphasizes permitting reform, cooperative federalism, and cross-agency collaboration, we will utilize technology to enhance efficiency while maintaining the quality of reviews, expediting permits for infrastructure projects. Applicants will no longer be mired in protracted, uncertain, and expensive permitting processes. Instead, we will protect our environment while incentivizing investments that create American jobs.”
To access the Memorandum for Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, click here.
