ARTBA Supports Permitting Reforms in Government Funding Bill

What happened: In a Sept. 23 letter to Congressional leadership, ARTBA expressed support for including Sen. Joe Manchin’s (R-W.Va.) permitting reform legislation as part of a short-term government funding package.

Why it matters: Sen. Manchin Sept. 22 introduced the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2022 (EISA), which would enact a wide array of energy-related permitting reforms. ARTBA’s letter noted the EISA also underscored the need for improving the project delivery process in all sectors of the economy, including transportation construction. Specifically, ARTBA urged Congress to direct the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to implement One Federal Decision (OFD), which was authorized by the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). OFD sets a goal for a two-year completion of project reviews. Transportation projects currently take between five to seven years to receive approval.

What’s next: The Senate hopes to vote on a government spending bill sometime next week. The fate of the EISA is unclear, as members of both parties have expressed reservations over including it in the funding package.