San Francisco, CA – Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) Executive Director, Alexander Herrgott unveiled a new model for streamlining infrastructure project reviews across Federal and State government this week as part of the National Governors Association (NGA) Chair’s initiative, Infrastructure: Foundations for Success.

NGA Permitting Event

“Governors can create a customized State Permitting Council, tailored to fit the unique needs of their states. This achieves NGA’s goal to centralize decision makers, provide coordinated project schedules, and reduce uncertainty and costs,” said Herrgott. “Thanks to Governor Hogan’s leadership in identifying common sense solutions to ensure public and private dollars are focused on building desperately needed infrastructure.”

Herrgott’s proposal accelerates infrastructure development, from surface transportation to energy production and broadband. The proposed creation of State Permitting Councils includes a formalized plan for early stakeholder outreach and interagency coordination, a public tracking system, and additional resources through fees.    

“In states across the country, governors are working together in a bipartisan way showing real leadership, making real progress, and finding real solutions to the serious problems facing us,” said Governor Hogan. “Our nation’s governors on both sides of the aisle are finding new ways to innovate, to reform, and to drive the debate. My goal is to harness that strength and come up with all the best ideas in order to tackle the infrastructure issue that is so fundamental to our economy, environment, and our way of life.”

“I am pleased to work alongside my friend and colleague, Governor Hogan, on this vital initiative to help governors speed up the delivery of infrastructure and reduce costs,” said Governor Steve Bullock. “By adopting process improvement tools like those identified during this stakeholder summit, governors can support the development of critical infrastructure while ensuring the natural resources vital to our state’s economy, environment, and wellbeing are protected.”

Mr. Herrgott’s presentation at the NGA Stakeholder Summit comes on the heels of the Permitting Council’s 15 Federal agencies and partners voting to affirm the White House Governors’ Initiative on Regulatory Innovation.

View the full NGA press release