Rescinds Obama Order Opposed by AGC
This week President Trump issued an Executive Order entitled, “Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects.” The Order includes several reforms such as establishing a “One Federal Decision” policy under which the lead federal agency works with other agencies to complete environmental reviews and permitting decisions needed for major infrastructure projects, requiring all decisions on Federal Permits be made within 90 days after an agency signs a Record of Decision (ROD), establishing a two-year goal for agencies to process environmental documents for major projects, and holding agencies accountable for failure to make timely environmental reviews and permitting decisions. These reforms are consistent with recommendations AGC provided the administration for improving the federal environmental review and permitting process.
Additionally, the order rescinds an Obama Executive Order, the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which expanded the definition of “floodplain” that all federal agencies must use – and all builders must follow – for all federally approved or funded projects.  AGC previously asked the Obama administration to repeal this Order when we presented them with our regulatory recommendations, “Making Federal Agencies Responsible Again”.
For more information, contact Sean O’Neill at [email protected] or (202) 547-8892.