Dear USET/USET SPF Family,
On May 11, 2022, the Biden Administration issued a Press Release announcing a, “Permitting Action Plan to Accelerate and Deliver Infrastructure Projects On Time, On Task, and On Budget” (Action Plan). This Action Plan aims to strengthen and accelerate federal permitting and environmental reviews by leveraging permitting provisions authorized under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-63). The Action Plan proposes to establish processes for federal permitting and environmental reviews that are—
- Effective, efficient, and transparent to accelerate and ensure predictability and timeliness of infrastructure projects;
- Guided by the best science, information, and complete environmental effects analysis to promote the best outcomes; and
- Shaped by early and meaningful input – particularly from disadvantaged communities – and through consultation with Tribal Nations and in partnership with state, territorial, and local governments.
The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) is mentioned as a lead federal entity throughout the Action Plan to assist in accelerating environmental reviews and permitting. USET SPF recently submitted comments
to FPISC in response to Tribal consultations held to receive input on the FPISC, “Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Draft Recommended Best Practices on Enhancing Early Tribal Engagement.”
In addition to FPISC being the lead federal entity to implement the Action Plan, the Biden Administration has indicated that it has convened ‘sector-specific’ teams of experts that are responsible for infrastructure deployment and modernization and have facilitated interagency coordination on siting, permitting, and supply chain issues. These have also included teams assembled by the White House Climate Policy Office and the National Economic Council. However, there was no mention of Tribal Nations being considered or included during this process.
The Biden Administration has stated that within 60 days of issuance of the Action Plan, these ‘sector-specific’ teams will provide FPISC with a charter that describes the teams’ organizational structure, mission and objectives, and strategies to promote effective and timely permitting. Additionally, these teams will provide updates to FPISC at least quarterly on the status of large, complex, or significant projects in meeting permitting milestones and schedules, strategies to address disputes or complicated issues, whether additional resources are necessary to reduce bottlenecks, and any other pertinent issues as determined by the teams. The Administration has also stated that it will continue to evaluate whether to convene other ‘sector-specific’ teams to improve permitting processes and advance infrastructure investments.
For more information, please contact Brian Howard, USET SPF Senior Policy Analyst, at bhoward@usetinc.org.
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