Biden-⁠Harris Administration Releases Permitting Action Plan to Accelerate and Deliver Infrastructure Projects On Time, On Task, and On Budget

To ensure the timely and sound delivery of much-needed upgrades to America’s infrastructure, the Biden-Harris Administration released an Action Plan to strengthen and accelerate Federal permitting and environmental reviews, fully leveraging the permitting provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The plan establishes that Federal environmental review and permitting processes will be:

• Effective, efficient, and transparent to accelerate delivery of well-designed infrastructure projects, to ensure predictability and timeliness for project sponsors and stakeholders;
• Guided by the best science, information, and complete environmental effects analysis to promote the best outcomes; and
• Shaped by early and meaningful public input – particularly from disadvantaged communities – and through partnership with State, territorial, and local governments and in consultation with Tribal Nations to deliver results for all Americans.

The plan contains five key elements that build on strengthened Federal approaches to environmental reviews and permitting: (1) accelerating permitting through early cross-agency coordination to appropriately scope reviews, reduce bottlenecks, and use the expertise of sector-specific teams; (2) establishing clear timeline goals and tracking key project information to improve transparency and accountability, providing increased certainty for project sponsors and the public; (3) engaging in early and meaningful outreach and communication with Tribal Nations, States, territories, and local communities; (4) improving agency responsiveness, technical assistance, and support to navigate the environmental review and permitting process effectively and efficiently; and (5) adequately resourcing agencies and using the environmental review process to improve environmental and community outcomes.