USDOT highlights efforts to streamline permitting process, rollback regulations

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The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) initiated 76 regulatory actions and 82 deregulatory actions through the fall, and 31 additional USDOT deregulatory actions are in the works for 2018, according to a White House report released on Thursday.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said the Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions published by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) highlights USDOT’s commitment to regulate safety, to promote economic competitiveness and to encourage innovation.

“Since the start of this new administration, the department has worked to reform the past regulatory agenda to promote greater economic vitality and economic growth so more jobs can be created,” Chao said. “Unnecessary, duplicative or overly burdensome regulations are being eliminated and the permitting process is being streamlined to expedite much-needed infrastructure projects for the benefit of communities across the country.”

The “One Federal Decision” presidential executive order that was signed in August continues to guide efforts to streamline USDOT’s permitting process for new infrastructure initiatives, USDOT added.

The OIRA report notes that agencies plan to finalize three deregulatory actions for every new regulation in fiscal year 2018. Additionally, 1,579 total pending regulatory actions were withdrawn in the first year of the Trump administration.