President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to expedite federal permits and environmental reviews for construction projects valued over $1 billion, a move that primarily targets large-scale infrastructure and energy projects. In a December 10 post on his Truth Social platform, Trump promised that any $1 billion investment in the U.S. would receive expedited approvals, including environmental permits. Trump’s senior adviser, Jason Miller, emphasized that this policy would apply to both domestic and foreign investments, stating, “If you want to bring in money, he’s going to move heaven and earth to get that money in the door and get it invested in the United States.”
This proposal follows Trump’s previous efforts to streamline the permitting process during his first term. In 2020, his administration made significant changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), reducing the number of projects requiring federal review and narrowing the scope of environmental impacts considered. These changes aimed to speed up construction and infrastructure projects. However, when President Joe Biden took office, he rolled back these modifications, focusing instead on categorical exclusions and building agency capacity to expedite projects.
There appears to be bipartisan interest in overhauling the permitting process. Democrats, in particular, are keen on fast-tracking environmental and clean energy projects, many of which have been delayed due to the lengthy NEPA process. Alex Etchen, vice president of government relations at the Associated General Contractors of America, noted that some renewable energy projects, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, have struggled to get off the ground due to permitting issues. To meet carbon reduction goals, Democrats are eager to see transmission lines and other critical projects move forward.
While there is some momentum for permitting reform, Republicans are expected to push for changes next year when they will hold majorities in both chambers of Congress and the White House. Meanwhile, a case in the Supreme Court—Seven County Infrastructure Coalition vs. Eagle County—could significantly weaken NEPA, potentially enabling further development of public lands and waters for oil and gas drilling, a priority for Trump during his election campaign.
