Permitting Council Executive Director Releases Fourth Fiscal Quarter Agency Performance Report

WASHINGTON (December 16, 2022) - Today the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) Executive Director released the agency’s fourth fiscal quarter Agency Performance Report for 2022. This report assesses agency compliance with provisions of Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41) and highlights implementation of revisions made to the FAST-41 Data Management Guide as required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

“This is an exciting time for the Permitting Council, as we get our first look at how member agencies have implemented the updated FAST-41 requirements meant to improve accountability in the environmental permitting review process,” says Christine Harada, Permitting Council Executive Director. “With this quarterly report we will start to see a significant transition in the transparency, collaboration, and coordination of the permitting process, leading the way for the realization of the Biden-Harris administration’s once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure."

This year was one of evolution for the Permitting Council, after passage of the BIL led to substantial updates to the operating procedures for FAST-41 covered projects. This quarterly report is the first since agencies have had a full reporting period under the updated Data Management Guide that went into effect in July and showcases a system in transition as Federal agencies work to meet the new requirements. This report highlights:

• The current FAST-41 project portfolio;

• Agency compliance with:

  • The FAST-41 initiation process, including the requirements for Coordinated Project Plans (CPPs);

  • The required CPP quarterly updates;

  • Permitting timetable modifications;

• An assessment of how agency compliance will evolve in future Quarterly Agency Performance Reports. 

Highlights of this report include the submission of three infrastructure projects to FAST-41 coverage and upcoming changes to simplify the submission process for the CPP certification process to support agency FAST-41 implementation and streamline permitting dashboard operation.

During the fourth fiscal quarter of 2022 there were 26 active FAST-41 covered projects on the Permitting Dashboard, with the majority in the offshore wind, solar, and other renewable energy sectors. This represents nearly $90B in infrastructure investments in the United States. View the fourth fiscal quarter Agency Performance Report here.