Montana became the 11th state to sign a federal-state memorandum of understanding with the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council to opt into the FAST-41 process.
Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act created the FAST-41 process as a federal framework to streamline, coordinate and increase the transparency of environmental reviews and authorizations for major infrastructure projects.
Under the FAST-41 process, the permitting council will provide federal permitting support. Support includes assisting states to identify eligible FAST-41 projects; identifying and supporting gaps in federal knowledge and providing opportunities to share state expertise; convening meetings with appropriate state and federal agencies to ensure streamlined and coordinated review and to avoid duplicative efforts; and exploring opportunities to improve state permitting processes.
“Montana’s natural resources make it a leader in producing the critical minerals and energy our country needs for economic growth and national security,” Emily Domenech, permitting council executive director, said. “This agreement aligns state and federal permitting so critical projects move forward efficiently and transparently, ensuring we can work together to responsibly develop these resources.”
Domenech and Gov. Greg Gianforte held a press conference on Wednesday in Philipsburg to discuss the importance of ensuring infrastructure is established to support national needs and
Montana’s role in mining for critical minerals.