The White House’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has unveiled the Permitting Technology Action Plan, aiming to modernize federal environmental review and permitting processes for infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.
Developed in collaboration with the National Energy Dominance Council and relevant permitting agencies, the plan seeks to streamline procedures and enhance efficiency.
The move builds recommendations CEQ issued last year that the government modernize the technology for environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act last year.
Key components of the plan include establishing minimum functional requirements for environmental review systems, permitting data and technology standards and outlining a timeline and implementation roadmap for agencies.
To support the plan's implementation, the CEQ has established the Permitting Innovation Center. This center will collaborate with the General Services Administration’s Technology Transformation Services to design and test prototype permitting technology systems, providing guidance to federal agencies on adopting advanced tools.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy emphasized the need for reform in a statement.
“It takes too long to build in America. Ridiculous red tape and outdated regulations add cost and delays to projects. It has to stop.” he said.
The Permitting Technology Action Plan aims to address longstanding issues such as reliance on systems, fragmented data management and disconnected digital tools, thereby improving transparency and predictability in environmental review and permitting schedules, according to the White House.
Source: Whitehouse.gov, News3lv.com
