Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the “Permitting Transparency and Accountability Act ” on Tuesday. This bill seeks to overhaul the federal permitting process by demanding greater transparency and accountability from U.S. agencies.
The legislation addresses lengthy federal permit approvals, which Scott and fellow lawmakers argue hinder infrastructure development and economic growth.
The bill mandates that all federal agencies issuing permits create a dedicated webpage on their websites. This webpage would allow applicants to track the status of their applications, providing detailed information on completed and pending steps, expected timeframes, and readily accessible contact information.
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“The federal permitting process can be an overly bureaucratic, frustrating, and long process that leaves applicants waiting with no information, no timeline, and no updates on the status of approval. It’s time to fix that,” said Scott. “My Permitting Transparency and Accountability Act simply requires agencies to create a page on their website to allow applicants to track the status of their approval and a full description of what they can expect from the application process. Americans deserve a federal government that is fully transparent and works efficiently to support their success, and this bill will be a great step to better serve Americans.”
“The federal permitting system is a complete disaster for Iowans, with some projects taking decades just to get approval because of unclear delays,” said Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA). “As I have often said, sunlight is the best disinfectant, and that is especially true in Washington. The regulatory approval process should be fully transparent and not shrouded in secrecy.”
The proposed legislation outlines specific requirements for the agency webpages.
- A description of completed stages in the application review process.
- The duration in days of each completed stage.
- The current status of the application, including the number of days it has remained at that stage.
- Contact information for agency reviewers.
- A description of remaining stages in the review process.
- An estimated timeline for a determination.
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The bill defines “covered agency” as any agency that issues permits, and “permit” as having the meaning given to “license” in section 551 of title 5, United States Code. “Reviewing agency” includes any agency that reviews the application or engages in any step of the permit issuance process without actually issuing the permit.
The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jim Justice (R-WV), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
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