Biden-Harris Administration Invests Nearly $155 Million to Increase Federal Agency Permitting Review Efficiency and Effectiveness as Part of Investing in America Agenda

News provided by

Oct 11, 2023, 14:11 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) today announced the allocation of nearly $155 million from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to aid federal agencies in increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of infrastructure permitting review and authorizations. Today's announcement is part of $350 million for the Permitting Council and $1 billion total for federal agency permitting activities over ten years that was included in President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history and a core pillar of Bidenomics.

From hiring permitting experts to acquiring vital tools and resources, this funding will allow agencies to take significant steps to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal infrastructure permitting process, meet review timelines, and advance predictability of decision timing, to build critically needed infrastructure projects across the nation. Today's announcement is the latest step the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to use every tool at our disposal to advance effective, efficient, and transparent federal permitting while ensuring strong environmental protections and meaningful community engagement.

"The Inflation Reduction Act provided the Permitting Council with important resources, enabling us to provide targeted support where it is needed most to ensure that we can expeditiously build vital infrastructure that will create jobs, build our clean energy economy and increase U.S. economic competitiveness," says Eric Beightel, Permitting Council Executive Director. "With these funds agencies will be equipped like never before to handle the oftentimes heavy workload of permitting review. The Permitting Council is working to make sure that agencies have the tools needed to ensure an effective, efficient, and accountable process for every infrastructure project, including those covered under FAST-41."

"Accelerating permitting—especially for transmission—is critical if we are to unleash the full potential of America's clean energy economy," said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. "Today's announcement builds on the Biden-Harris administration's whole-of-government approach to speed up permitting."

Funding will be provided to assist agency project reviews in sectors that are covered under the FAST-41 statute, including renewable energy generation, broadband and transmission. Funds will also be used to facilitate consultation and community engagement, and in the creation of tools, technology and data to support long-term benefits for multiple sectors.

Learn more at permitting.gov.

SOURCE Permitting Council