White House leans on tech to speed environmental permits

By Kevin Bogardus | 07/17/2024 01:34 PM EDT

Brenda Mallory, head of the Council on Environmental Quality, said new recommendations aim to “accelerate permitting for critical infrastructure.”

Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory testifies before the House Natural Resources Committee.

Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory said the Biden administration has sought to improve the permitting process, including by using technology. Francis Chung/POLITICO

The White House Council on Environmental Quality is pushing federal agencies to up their digital game to improve environmental reviews.

CEQ released a new report Wednesday with recommendations on how to best use digital technology to speed up permitting and shine more light on the process. President Joe Biden has sought to reform permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act in his legacy-making bid to rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure as well as bring more clean energy online, a goal that has faced opposition from Capitol Hill.

CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory said in a statement that the Biden administration has prioritized improving the permitting process, including using technology “in ways that break new ground for the federal government.”

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“This report outlines how agencies can create better, more efficient digital tools so we can better allocate federal resources to the important work of engaging communities, analyzing environmental effects, and delivering smarter decisions to accelerate permitting for critical infrastructure,” Mallory said.

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