Video showcases the coordination and collaboration that make the agency a game changer in the permitting universe

Contact Information
Permitting Council Press Office (media@permitting.gov) 

WASHINGTON (September 12, 2024) — Today, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) unveiled an exciting new resource in educating the public about its work. Introducing “Meet the Permitting Council,” a brand new video showcasing the innovative work the agency is spearheading with stakeholders across industry.

“I am thrilled to unveil this first-ever video from the Permitting Council, showcasing to the world the important work we do to bring predictability, transparency, and accountability to the federal permitting process,” said Eric Beightel, Permitting Council Executive Director. “Our new federal agency is uniquely positioned to increase efficiency in the federal permitting process so we can build the infrastructure that will power America’s future. This video will prove to be a valuable tool, as will our in-person Infrastructure Developers Summit, in showcasing the positive value we add to the infrastructure projects that we support.”  

The video is launching on the agency’s brand new YouTube page and is an informative and engaging tool that helps tell the story of the Council and how our unique FAST-41 program is leading the way to make a real difference in the effectiveness and efficiency of federal permitting.

Created in 2015, the Permitting Council is a new agency, yet has already scored some major wins in getting next generation infrastructure projects off the ground. From the largest offshore wind project in U.S. history, the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, to billion dollar solar and transmission projects like Sunzia Southwest and Gemini Solar + Storage, the Permitting Council is making significant progress on the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of bringing critical renewable energy infrastructure to life.

View the new Permitting Council video here and learn more about the work of the Permitting Council on the Federal Permitting Dashboard. 

Don’t forget to register for the Permitting Council’s upcoming Infrastructure Developers Summit before September 30th! This first-ever half day Summit will bring together project developers, industry leaders, and federal government experts to explore permitting opportunities and challenges and build relationships. This event is a space made for you to hear from the federal government about how we’re approaching common permitting challenges, solutions and best practices, and how FAST-41 can help you advance your project during the permitting process. 

About the Permitting Council and FAST-41 

Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) and made permanent in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Permitting Council is a unique federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is comprised of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; 13 federal agency Council members (including deputy secretary-level designees of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Army, Commerce, Interior, Energy, Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, and Housing and Urban Development, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chairs of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation); and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

The Permitting Council coordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage. FAST-41 covered projects are entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard. FAST-41 covered projects may be in the renewable or conventional energy production, electricity transmission, energy storage, surface transportation, aviation, ports and waterways, water resource, broadband, pipelines, manufacturing, mining, carbon capture, semiconductors, artificial intelligence and machine learning, high-performance computing and advanced computer hardware and software, quantum information science and technology, data storage and data management, and cybersecurity sectors. The Permitting Council also serves as a federal center for permitting excellence, supporting federal efforts to improve infrastructure permitting including and beyond FAST-41 covered projects to the extent authorized by law, including activities that promote or provide for the efficient, timely, and predictable completion of environmental reviews and authorizations for federally-authorized infrastructure projects.