Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council)
Presentation Description: The Biden-Harris Administration assigned the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) a critical and prominent role in advancing the Action Plan to Rebuild America's Infrastructure, Accelerate the Clean Energy Transition, Revitalize Communities, and Create Jobs. As the primary center for permitting excellence, the Permitting Council committed an initial $25 million from its Environmental Review and Improvement Fund for Permitting Council agencies to support innovative solutions that will advance permitting efficiency, transparency, and predictability. This represents an opportunity to invest in software and technology that supports the Biden-Harris infrastructure permitting strategy and also promote positive environmental and community outcomes while facilitating early and meaningful public engagement and input.
The Permitting Council will consider proposals that facilitate timely and efficient environmental reviews and authorizations and improve the state of the practice for environmental reviews and authorizations government-wide, prioritizing IT investments that spur innovation and will position Federal agencies for success moving forward. These investments need to be user-focused, scalable, interoperable, and enhance improved permitting processes. In the presentation, the Permitting Council will discuss this major investment in IT innovation and how it will advance excellence in environmental review and permitting processes for critical renewable energy projects in the U.S.
