President Trump made a compelling case for reducing the length of time needed to construct major infrastructure projects to justify the creation of a new White House council to streamline permitting. Only one problem: it already exists.
"President Donald Trump wrapped up his administration's 'infrastructure week' Friday by unveiling a council and a new White House office tasked with streamlining fixes for America's infrastructure," reports Andrew Soergel, economy reporter at U.S. News.
"This council will also improve transparency by creating a new online dashboard allowing everyone to easily track major projects through every stage of the approval process," Trump said....
Soergel points out that such a council already exists: the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FPISC), aka "Permitting Dashboard." It was included in the FAST Act transportation reauthorization bill, approved by Congress in 2015 and established by President Obama in 2016.
"The White House later acknowledged that Trump was talking about the existing council, and that there's already a dashboard," reports Gregory Korte, White House correspondent for USA TODAY.
"While the previous administration did stand up the council, it truly did not fulfill its potential," said White House assistant press secretary Natalie Strom.
"During the speech, Trump pulled out three large binders containing the paperwork for a single environmental review of an 18-mile road in Maryland, clunking them down on the podium for dramatic effect and thumbing through all the pages," observed The Hill's transportation reporter, Melanie Zanona. "Trump said the report weighed 70 pounds and cost $29 million to produce — $24,000 per page."
Korte adds that the "president also said he would create a new office in the White House Council on Environmental Quality to root out inefficiency in the federal permitting process."
If it's Wednesday, it's Inland Waterways
Infrastructure Week took Trump on June 7 to the banks of the Ohio River near Cincinnati to bring attention to the need for investment for America's inland waterways, reports Becca Schimmel of Ohio Valley ReSource. However, he "did not detail any specifics for potential legislation or spending," according to C-SPAN.
On Monday, Trump spoke in favor of modernizing the air traffic control system by privatizing it.
FULL STORY: Trump Targets Permits to Cap 'Infrastructure Week'
Pelosi-Schumer-Trump Infrastructure Plan Already Meeting Resistance
Introduced on April 30, the $2 trillion conceptual plan is likely to be dismissed by Congressional Republicans wary of increasing taxes and adding to the deficit, according to an extensive article by The Hill published three days later.
Trump's Infrastructure Accomplishments Fall Short of Promises
President Trump has fallen short of 2016 promises to update and upgrade the key infrastructure of the United States, according to this article.
Trump Signs Two Executive Orders Limiting States' Authority Over Energy Pipelines
The Trump administration's "energy dominance" agenda depends, in part, on growing the energy distribution network, namely pipelines, rail facilities, and ports. However, states can use the Clean Water Act to block pipelines and coal terminals.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service