The Biden-Harris Permitting Action Plan (Action Plan) outlines the Administration’s strategies to strengthen and accelerate Federal environmental review and permitting, and ensure the timely and sound delivery of much-needed upgrades to America’s infrastructure. The Action Plan states that Federal environmental reviews and permitting processes will be effective, efficient, and transparent, guided by the best available science to promote positive environmental and community outcomes, and shaped by early and meaningful public engagement. The Action Plan leverages the permitting provisions provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) and the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act, the important resources provided in the Inflation Reduction Act, and regular agency appropriations as well as interagency coordination and collaboration efforts. The Action Plan includes the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), providing guidance to agencies on carrying out Action Plan initiatives. The Action Plan additionally includes the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) Executive Director, OMB, and CEQ providing guidance to agencies on which infrastructure projects should be added to the Federal Permitting Dashboard in the interest of transparency. This memorandum provides implementation guidance to agencies on carrying out the initiatives of the Action Plan, and the Appendix to this memorandum provides guidance to agencies and the sector-specific teams on which infrastructure projects should be recommended to the Executive Director to consider for addition to the Federal Permitting Dashboard in the interest of transparency.
Section 1. Accelerating Smart Permitting through Early Cross-Agency Coordination
Section 2. Establishing Clear Timeline Goals and Tracking Key Project Information
Section 3. Engaging in Early and Meaningful Outreach and Communication with Tribal Nations, States, Territories, and Local Communities
Section 4. Improving Responsiveness, Technical Assistance, and Support
Section 5. Adequately Resourcing Agencies and Using the Environmental Review Process to Improve Environmental and Community Outcomes
Section 6. Agency Action Plans
Appendix A: Guidance on Adding Infrastructure Projects to the Permitting Dashboard in the Interests of Transparency
Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council:
https://www.permits.performance.gov/fpisc-content/federal-permitting-improvement-steering-council
M-23-14 [16 pages]:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/M-23-14-Permitting-Action-Plan-Implementation-Guidance_OMB_FPISC_CEQ.pdf
