ILTA Monthly Newsletter
 

Trump Administration Expedites Infrastructure Permitting

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President Trump signed an executive order June 4 to expedite infrastructure permitting to speed up federal approvals for new pipelines, highways and other projects to “accelerate the nation’s economic recovery” from the COVID-19 emergency. 

The executive order instructs federal agencies to “...use all lawful emergency authorities and other authorities...” to facilitate economic recovery and take “...all reasonable measures to speed infrastructure developments.”   

Specifically, the order notes that because the president declared an economic emergency, he has the right to invoke a section of federal law allowing “action with significant environmental impact” without observing normal requirements imposed by laws—including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act—protecting the environment, including public comment on the proposed project and analysis of how the federal decisions could harm the environment.

In the order, the president said reducing regulatory delays would help the nation recover from COVID-19-related economic downturn. “Unnecessary regulatory delays will deny our citizens opportunities for jobs and economic security, keeping millions of Americans out of work and hindering our economic recovery from the national emergency,” the order said.

The executive order noted that the new action was part of a concerted effort to rollback regulations. “From the beginning of my Administration, I have focused on reforming and streamlining an outdated regulatory system that has held back our economy with needless paperwork and costly delays,” the executive order said. “Antiquated regulations and bureaucratic practices have hindered American infrastructure investments, kept America’s building trades workers from working, and prevented our citizens from developing and enjoying the benefits of world-class infrastructure.”

 

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