U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced a new agreement between the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) aimed at expediting infrastructure projects in Texas. The partnership will enable Texas to assume more responsibility for environmental permitting, reducing bureaucratic delays and facilitating faster completion of critical road and bridge projects.
According to Secretary Duffy, “The Biden Administration added burdensome NEPA requirements like environmental justice initiatives that delayed progress on vital road and bridge projects. No wonder nothing got done!” He emphasized that this agreement is part of his department's commitment to advancing the "America is Building Again" agenda.
Marc Williams, Executive Director of TxDOT, remarked, “Texas taking responsibility for the Federal environmental approval process has served to expedite transportation projects and reduce costs.” He noted that this agreement marks a significant advancement under the Trump Administration in strengthening federal-state partnerships.
The new agreement provides Texas with increased autonomy over its well-established environmental review program. Once finalized, it is expected to enhance TxDOT’s efforts to improve travel within the state by speeding up project development for key infrastructure such as Downtown Interstate 10 in El Paso, South Padre Island 2nd Bridge, and State Highway 36A in Houston.
The Federal Register Notice outlining this renewed agreement invites public comments on these developments. Under the FHWA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Assignment Program, states can assume full responsibility for their own environmental reviews. TxDOT has been part of this program since 2014 and submitted its second renewal package in December 2023.
Key changes under the renewed Memorandum of Understanding include extending NEPA responsibilities from five to ten years, removing certain reporting requirements imposed by previous administrations, and allowing TxDOT to use its internal system for documenting NEPA decisions without FHWA involvement in programmatic agreements.
This move aligns with USDOT's broader strategy to cut red tape and accelerate project delivery nationwide by empowering states with more control over their transportation projects. Similar initiatives have been undertaken with other states like Connecticut.
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