New White House directive sets 45-day deadline for federal agencies to digitize environmental reviews

In a continued effort to modernize and streamline the federal permitting process, former President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on April 15 directing federal permitting agencies to adopt new technologies aimed at accelerating project approvals across the U.S.

The memo, part of the broader White House push to overhaul environmental review procedures, orders the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to work in coordination with the National Energy Dominance Council and other permitting agencies to submit a Permitting Technology Action Plan within 45 days. Federal officials will then have 90 days to begin implementing the new tech-based review system.

The aim, according to the memo, is to reduce inefficiencies in the current paper-based process that slows down approvals for major infrastructure initiatives. Projects expected to benefit from the change include roads, bridges, power plants, factories, and mining operations.

Digitization at the Core

The White House emphasized that digitizing permit applications and reviews will not only expedite approvals but also increase transparency for project sponsors and improve interagency coordination. It hopes to replace outdated systems that have historically caused unnecessary delays and unpredictable permitting timelines.

As part of the effort, the CEQ chairman is tasked with establishing an interagency Permitting Innovation Center within 15 days. The center’s mission is to design and test prototype tools that can be deployed across agencies to support faster decision-making.

“We need to drill more, map more, mine more and build more — all while innovating faster than our global competitors,” said Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior, in the announcement.

Building on Trump-Era Reforms

The April 15 memorandum builds on a string of regulatory reforms Trump initiated on his first day in office. On January 20, he signed executive orders aimed at weakening the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rulemaking authority of the White House and simultaneously declared a “national energy emergency.”

That declaration opened the door to faster permitting for oil, gas, nuclear, coal, hydropower, and biofuel projects, as well as mines for critical materials — a move that was both praised and criticized across industry and environmental sectors.

While many of these reforms were rolled back by the Biden administration, permitting reform has retained bipartisan support — albeit with different priorities. Under Biden, the focus shifted to clean energy and data center project approvals, yet the push to streamline red tape remained.

Still, environmental advocacy groups have voiced ongoing concerns about reforms that could favor fossil fuel expansion. According to Utility Dive, skepticism remains high over any reforms that might weaken environmental oversight in the name of speed.

Industry Reactions: Optimism Amid Caution

In the construction and energy sectors, contractors have been watching the White House's moves closely. Companies that rely heavily on infrastructure and power projects see the potential for real gains — provided the reforms are implemented effectively.

Troy Rudd, CEO of Dallas-based AECOM, expressed confidence during a February 4 earnings call, saying the company is well-positioned to benefit.

“If there is environmental permitting reform, there certainly is going to be more work to be done because that should accelerate projects,” Rudd said. “So, we look broadly in the U.S., and we see that we’re aligned with the objectives around infrastructure.”

Major industry groups, including the Associated General Contractors of America, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, and the Clean Air Task Force, even testified before Congress on February 19 to advocate for continued improvement of the federal permitting and review process.

Meanwhile, MasTec CEO José Mas, speaking to investors during the company’s full-year earnings call on February 28, predicted a wave of new projects powered by demand in the energy sector.

“The overarching theme is the unprecedented level of demand on our communication, power delivery, generation, civil and pipeline infrastructure customers,” Mas said. “In every segment we operate, our customers are facing increased demand for their services.”

He added that a “gas-fired generation renaissance” was likely on the horizon, underscoring the need for faster approvals in key energy-related infrastructure sectors.

What Comes Next

The April 15 memo represents a notable escalation in the Trump campaign’s push to revamp federal permitting policy. If the CEQ and related agencies meet the aggressive 45-day timeline, the digitization of environmental reviews could become a new norm in federal infrastructure oversight — at least in the near term.

While the technology plan’s success will ultimately hinge on interagency cooperation and political continuity, the move signals a clear federal intention to reshape how infrastructure projects move from planning to groundbreaking.

As Burgum put it, the goal is simple: "innovate faster than our global competitors."

Originally reported by Matthew Thibault in Construction Dive.