Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing Americaâs Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41), 42 U.S.C. 4370m et seq., the Permitting Council is a unique Federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the Federal environmental review and authorization process for certain infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is comprised of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; 13 Federal agency Council members (including deputy secretary-level designees of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Army, Commerce, Interior, Energy, Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, and Housing and Urban Development, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chairs of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation); and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the OMB. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-1(a) & (b).
The Permitting Council coordinates Federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage. Those projects are entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard in compliance with FAST-41 procedural requirements. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2(c) & (d). Sponsors of FAST-41 covered projects also benefit from the direct engagement of the Permitting Council Executive Director and the Permitting Council members in timely identification and resolution of permitting issues that affect covered projectsâ permitting timetables.
FAST-41 is a voluntary program for project sponsors to have additional support through the environmental review and permitting process. The first step to becoming a covered project under FAST-41 is to submit a FAST-41 Initiation Notice (FIN), required by 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2(a)(1). The FIN is required to include the purpose of the project, a brief description, statements of technical and financial feasibility, a statement of anticipated federal financing, reviews, and authorizations, and an assessment of whether the project meets the statutory definition of a âcovered projectâ under FAST-41. 42 U.S.C. 4370m-2(a)(1)(C).
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.