President Obama joined the call by congressional infrastructure leaders and announced plans to streamline the complex and sometimes time consuming federal permitting and review processes. The memorandum instructs agencies to:
(1) Identify and work to expedite permitting and environmental reviews for high-priority infrastructure projects with significant potential for job creation;
(2) Implement new measures designed to improve accountability, transparency, and efficiency through the use of modern information technology.
The plan requires the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, and Transportation to select up to three high-priority infrastructure projects each for expedited review by their respective departments, based on the following criteria:
- the project will create jobs, with consideration given to the magnitude and timing of the direct and indirect employment impacts;
- all necessary funding to implement the project has been identified and is reasonably expected to be secured within six months of completion of the federal permitting and review processes;
- the significant remaining permit decisions, environmental reviews, consultations, or other actions required before construction can commence on the project are within the control and jurisdiction of the executive branch of the Federal Government and can be efficiently and effectively completed within 18 months of the date of this memorandum, with priority given to projects for which required federal actions can be completed within twelve months of the date of this memorandum.