Permitting Council Announces Latest Federal-State Agreements to Streamline Permitting

WASHINGTON (February 19, 2026) – Today, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) announced the latest state MOUs to better coordinate and streamline federal and state permitting. Hosted by Secretary Doug Burgum at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Executive Director Emily Domenech signed formal MOUs with both Idaho Governor Brad Little and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, with commitments by each state to opt in to the FAST-41 process and align timelines for state and federal environmental reviews. These agreements will provide an opportunity for states to identify priority infrastructure projects, enable transparency for state permitting actions, and ensure that state and federal review timelines are aligned to prevent unnecessarily long reviews for critical infrastructure projects. 

“I am excited to launch this close partnership with Governor Little and Governor Lee to streamline permitting and deliver critical infrastructure projects for the American people,” said Permitting Council Executive Director Emily Domenech. “By committing to align state and federal permitting timelines, Idaho and Tennessee will set a standard of permitting efficiency and transparency for states across the country, driving the investment and innovation essential for the President’s energy dominance agenda and our nation’s economic growth.”

"American Energy Dominance depends on a permitting system that is fast, efficient and empowers us to compete globally," said Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "Today's signings synchronizing state and federal permitting timelines are a vital next step towards accelerating permitting processes and moving critical infrastructure projects through without unnecessary, burdensome delays. As Idaho and Tennessee lead the way as the first states to commit to these agreements, we look forward to welcoming many more into this effort to unleash American energy potential and secure a more prosperous, energy-secure future for our nation."

"Better aligning Idaho’s permitting timelines with the federal process reinforces Idaho's reputation as one of the most business-friendly and investment-friendly states in the nation,” said Idaho Governor Brad Little. “Cutting red tape and eliminating duplicative delays mean critical infrastructure and energy projects can move forward faster with greater certainty and lower costs. Idaho is proud to work with the Trump administration and lead the way in creating an environment where investment is welcomed, innovation is supported, and American energy can thrive." 

“Tennessee is ready-made to lead America's energy independence and drive continued economic growth with safe, clean, and reliable nuclear energy for the future,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “By aligning state and federal permitting timelines, we are enhancing government efficiency and moving critical infrastructure projects forward without unnecessary delays. I’m grateful for our partnership with the Trump Administration to secure a prosperous future for every Tennessean through innovation, nuclear energy development, and economic opportunity.”

The State of Idaho and the State of Tennessee each signed MOUs with the Permitting Council, outlining the commitments of the states and federal government to align state and federal permitting timelines, and work together to identify projects for FAST-41 eligibility. These agreements also require that state permitting actions are added to the Federal Permitting Dashboard alongside the federal permits, providing a first-of-its-kind level of coordination and transparency between the federal and state governments. By aligning state permitting timelines with federal timelines, these MOUs will ensure that critical infrastructure projects avoid additional roadblocks after completion of the federal environmental review process.

As part of the agreement, the Permitting Council will provide federal permitting support to projects identified in each state, ensuring focused technical assistance, transparency, accountability and predictability in the permitting process. The Permitting Council will provide a wide variety of support, including: 

• Assisting each state in identifying eligible FAST-41 projects;

• Engaging with the state to identify and support gaps in federal knowledge and provide opportunities to share state expertise;

• Convening meetings with appropriate state and federal agencies to ensure streamlined and coordinated review and to avoid duplicative efforts; and

• Exploring opportunities to improve state permitting processes, to include providing funding and access to technology designed to streamline permit applications.