The Trump administration has taken steps to reform the permitting process for infrastructure projects in the United States. According to Katherine Scarlett, Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), changes have been made to address delays caused by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Scarlett stated, “The Trump administration, Congress, and the Supreme Court have all acted to cut through the mess known as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).” She added, “President Trump moved decisively to address the NEPA quagmire, beginning with his Day One Unleashing American Energy Executive Order that directed the CEQ to expedite and simplify the permitting process.”
In her opinion piece published in Newsweek, Scarlett explained that President Trump's approach aims to modernize and deregulate permitting so infrastructure projects can proceed more quickly. “...while China breaks ground on critical infrastructure, the U.S. can’t be stuck doing paperwork. To this end, the administration is tirelessly working on other areas to cut red tape while fostering exceptional stewardship of the environment,” she wrote.
These efforts are part of a broader deregulation initiative led by President Trump in coordination with federal agencies and CEQ. The administration argues that these reforms will help keep America competitive in building essential infrastructure.
