President Donald Trump has issued a directive ordering federal agencies to streamline environmental reviews and permitting processes for energy and infrastructure projects, emphasizing the “maximum use of technology” to reduce delays and improve efficiency.
In a presidential memorandum released Tuesday, the president ordered a shift away from the traditional, paper-heavy approach to environmental reviews conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The change could have important outcomes for projects ranging from energy transmission lines and highways to manufacturing facilities and power plants, which are often bogged down in regulatory bureaucratic processes for decades.
“The Government does not properly leverage technology to effectively and efficiently evaluate environmental permits, causing significant delay to important infrastructure projects that impact our economic well-being,” Trump explained in the memorandum.
The president’s directive encourages agencies to modernize and digitize their review systems, integrating technologies that can streamline data collection, analysis, and public feedback. The move is part of a broader effort by the administration to cut bureaucratic red tape and accelerate the rollout of key infrastructure projects.
Supporters of the initiative say that using modern tools like GIS mapping, data visualization, and online platforms for public comments can make reviews more accessible, accurate, and timely.
The memorandum did not set a specific timeline for implementation, but it calls on agency heads to report progress and outline how they will integrate technology into their review systems.
Trump’s directive aligns with his administration’s ongoing push to overhaul the nation’s infrastructure, a central campaign promise that includes reducing regulatory burdens and increasing private-sector investment.
The details of the directive include:
Federal agencies are directed to make maximum use of technology to:
- Eliminate paper-based application and review systems.
- Speed up project processing without compromising the quality of reviews.
- Shorten and simplify documents while improving public accessibility.
- Reduce redundant data submissions by applicants.
- Share analyses across agencies for related permit applications.
- Improve interagency coordination and eliminate bottlenecks.
- Increase transparency and predictability in project timelines.
- Strengthen agency legal defenses for environmental and permitting decisions.
- Streamline the overall federal review process and support state, local, and tribal decision-making.
- Maintain a clear, accessible record of permit-related information for potential judicial review.
- Within 45 days, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in collaboration with the National Energy Dominance Council, must develop a Permitting Technology Action Plan.
- The plan will include:
- Common data and technology standards for permit applications under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
- Minimum tech requirements for agency systems, such as automated reviews and case management.
- A roadmap to build a unified interagency digital permitting system.
- An interagency governance structure to oversee implementation.
- A timeline for agencies to adopt the new standards.
Agencies will be required to begin implementing the new technology standards within 90 days of the plan’s release.
- Within 15 days, the CEQ will establish a Permitting Innovation Center to design and test new digital tools to support the action plan.
- These tools will include case tracking systems, online application portals, automated processes, and data exchange platforms.
- The General Services Administration’s Technology Transformation Services will support the Innovation Center’s development efforts.
The current system was purposefully designed to bog down the permitting process with reams of red tape, ridiculous “studies”, and endless legal challenges in order to frustrate and eventually discourage applicants from even trying. And the consultants got rich. But the worst part of all this is that many of EPA’s laws specifically authorized third party activist groups to sue to EPA – and the regulated community – if they did not satisfactorily enforce the myriad rules and regulations. Now we’re finding out that many of these third parties were actually funded by us taxpayers!
Imagine this streamlined and NON redundant permitting. I suppose the Democrats will be against this too. Lisa is scared of course.
Can the Governor have DEC, AOGCC and DNR DOG do the same as Trump has the Federal oil and gas regulators do?
A reasonable idea from Trump if true, and if there is no hidden agenda.
Now, the IRS is currently downsizing and cutting technology projects intended to simplify tax filing and increase revenue. In what universe does that make sense?
Putting on my bureaucrat hat.
In order to speed up timeframes and efficiency the assistant to the assistant will say that they need to have an assistant to stream line their task and cut out the middle man/ person
The government isn’t protecting us anyway (e.g. PFAS in our food) so why not streamline the process? Save money now, worry about cancer in our children and grandchildren later.