CAGTC Members,
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing today titled “ Infrastructure Project Streamlining and Efficiency: Achieving Faster, Better, and Cheaper Results.” Witnesses included William T Panos, Director, Wyoming Department of Transportation; Leah F Pilconis, Consultant on Environmental Law & Policy, Associated General Contractors of America; and John Porcari, President of U.S. Advisory Services, WSP.
A full hearing summary can be found here. Top takeaways from the hearing are:
- While all participants were in agreement that the permitting process can be improved, witnesses and Senators were in disagreement about whether or not new streamlining provisions should be passed prior to the full implementation of existing ones. Ranking Member Carper (D-DE) called for the full implementation of existing provisions prior to the creation of new ones, as did Mr. Porcari. Senator Inhofe (R-OK) disagreed and said both could be done at the same time, as did Mr. Panos.
- Pilconis requested that data collected under one review be allowed to satisfy requirements under another.
- Witnesses encouraged the broad adoption and enforcement of concurrent reviews in the permitting process as well as set timelines.
- All witnesses agreed that funding is absolutely a problem for infrastructure projects and called for increased federal investments.
- There was general agreement that public-private partnerships (P3s) are not the most effective solution for rural states. Mr. Panos called for increased funding to the FAST Act’s freight formula program instead.
Best,
Katie Cross
Manager, Member Communications & Policy
Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors
1444 Eye St N.W.
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 828-9100
tradecorridors.org