Permitting Modernization in Virginia

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Written By Brent Efron

Virginia stands out from other states in its permitting reform efforts because it has really nailed transparent permitting, and in doing so, significantly cut down the processing time for most state permits. Significantly, the state’s efforts prove that executives, Governors, cabinet secretaries, and other senior leaders, can often achieve dramatic improvements in speed without new legislation, litigation, or the elimination of permitting processes entirely.

Beginning with the state Department of Environmental Qualities’ Permitting Enhancement and Evaluation Platform (PEEP), the state has now rolled out the broader Virginia Permit Transparency (VPT) system, which covers more than 200 different types of permits and processes over 100,000 applications annually.

This brief, compiled through a series of anonymous interviews with staff from both the Governor’s office and the state’s DEQ explores how Virginia was able to successfully implement such significant reforms.

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Brent Efron

Brent, based in Washington, D.C., is a project management and policy professional with nearly 8 years of experience across local, state, and federal government, political campaigns, and the private sector. Most recently at EPA, Brent served in the Office of the Administrator as a Special Advisor for Implementation, supporting the deployment of $100 Billion in IRA/BIL funding. In that capacity, Brent regularly coordinated with staff from over 30 climate and infrastructure financial assistance programs, managed numerous projects related to program implementation and grant compliance, and served as EPA staff lead on multiple White House interagency policy initiatives. Prior to EPA, Brent conducted policy research for the Massachusetts Climate Chief and contributed to drafting a whole-of-government strategy for increasing Massachusetts’ climate ambition. Brent holds an M.P.A. from Princeton University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.

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