President-elect Donald Trump has announced a plan to expedite federal permits for energy projects and other construction initiatives exceeding $1 billion. This promise, made via a post on his Truth Social platform, includes assurances that any entity investing this amount in the United States will receive “fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but not limited to, all environmental approvals.”
However, Trump’s proposal is expected to encounter significant regulatory and legislative challenges. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) mandates federal agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of major projects before approval, a requirement that could complicate the fast-tracking of permits. Environmental advocates have already criticized the plan, arguing that it undermines essential protections and likening it to a form of corporate bribery.
NEPA was the first major environmental law in the United States and is often called the “Magna Carta” of Federal environmental laws.
While Trump did not specify which projects would qualify for accelerated approval, many proposed energy initiatives—including natural gas pipelines, solar farms, and offshore wind turbines—meet the billion-dollar investment threshold. Energy analyst Kevin Book noted that while Trump’s announcement reflects his focus on permitting reform, bipartisan efforts in Congress have historically struggled to gain traction due to differing opinions on how best to streamline regulations.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, indicated that the incoming administration aims to create a “golden age of deregulation,” suggesting that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to attract domestic and international investments by reducing regulatory burdens. However, experts caution that substantial changes to federal permitting processes would likely require Congressional approval, making sweeping reforms challenging without bipartisan support.
Editorial @ ESGFrontiers. @lloydnedohe on X
