Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the
Fixing America’s 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 projects’ 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 “covered project” 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.
04/03/2026
Something went wrong when
downloading this file. If you have any questions, please send an
email to [email protected].