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A Look At CEQ’s New CE Explorer
On June 5th, the CEQ’s Permitting Innovation Center released their first prototype experiment, the Categorical Exclusion Explorer. The Explorer is the first time a collection of cross-agency Categorical Exclusions (CEs) has been transformed into data for experimentation. This is still in the experimental stage, and we applaud the Permitting Innovation Center for releasing early-stage products and experiments. Early and iterative releases are ideal for gathering feedback and improving future releases.
We’ve discussed using existing environmental review data management and sharing as an area ripe for experimentation and innovation.
New Interactive Tools and Data to Explore Mitigation Bank Timelines
California’s restoration bottleneck deepens biodiversity debt
First Look at CEQ’s Permitting Technology Action Plan
This blog is a first look at the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) Permitting Technology Action Plan, which aims to modernize federal permitting processes. The plan includes data standards for interoperability between agencies, service delivery standards for workflow automation and digital documents, and a maturity model for agencies to gauge their progress. Key highlights include implementing data standards, improving document management, and using GitHub for open collaboration. We note the potential for multi-agency procurement and prize competitions and outline potential impacts for agencies, applicants, and vendors. We express cautious optimism due to the plan's technical depth, interoperability focus, and use of existing work but also note concerns about talent gaps and the aggressive initial 90-day implementation timeline.
We need to simplify environmental permits to boost their impact
Trump’s Permit Tech Memo: Promising Ideas, Implementation TBD
Comments Regarding the Council on Environmental Quality’s Removal of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations
EPIC submitted public comments opposing the wholesale removal of NEPA regulations by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), arguing it would create confusion and increase litigation risk. Instead, we proposed modernizing the NEPA process through our Smart Permitting Agenda, which includes implementing clear timelines, developing programmatic reviews, creating user-friendly e-permitting systems, and establishing expedited pathways for ecological restoration. We believe an updated regulatory framework can maintain NEPA's original intent while delivering faster results and ensuring meaningful community input.
EPIC's Smart Permitting Recommendations to the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Streamlining Habitat Restoration in Washington: A Look at the Habitat Recovery Pilot Program
Smart Permitting Agenda
Funding Nature Not Paperwork 2.0: A Synthesis of Permitting Issues, Reforms, and a Strategy for Moving Forward
10 Fundamentals for Smart Permitting
The Trump-Vance Administration is excited about permitting reform, so are we! And, to get there, we want to see smart permitting. Efficient and effective permitting should be about getting to “yes” or “no” on projects faster—and we know there are hundreds of ways to do that without minimizing scientific rigor, transparency, and public participation. We’ve researched dozens of federal and state policies and technologies that have sped up permitting. Here we synthesize our 10 fundamental recommendations for improving the environmental review and permitting process.
VA’s PEEP is a Gold Star Example of Permit Efficiency
Reimagining Permitting Processes: A Case Study of Virginia’s Permitting Enhancement and Evaluation Platform
At the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), our goal is to advance ecological restoration at scale, yet permitting costs consume up to ⅓ of project budgets. We need money to go to nature, not paperwork. Over the past two years, EPIC has quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed policies and processes related to restoration project permitting. Here we provide a case study of adoption of e-permitting technology that ameliorated many permitting bottlenecks.
Joint Public Comment: The National Environmental Policy Act: Relevance to Open Government and Public Participation
5 Key Areas Technology Should and Should Not Be Used in Permitting
Technology has the potential to speed up environmental permitting by enhancing transparency, data management, and public engagement. To truly streamline the permitting process, it’s essential to combine digital solutions with policy and process improvements.
5 Bizarre Things About Permitting That Don't Have To Be
Unlocking a New Era for Ecological Restoration, Nature-based Solutions, and Resilience
Scaling Ecological Restoration & Nature-Based Solutions: A permitting innovation agenda for the next presidential administration
Demystifying environmental sandboxes: What are they, and what aren’t they?
Everybody’s talking about environmental sandboxes. What are they, and maybe more importantly, what aren’t they?