President Trump signed a presidential memorandum Tuesday directing executive departments and agencies to expedite reviews and approvals of proposals to build new manufacturing facilities in order to spark more investment in American manufacturing.
“This memorandum directs executive departments and agencies to support the expansion of manufacturing in the United States through expedited reviews of and approvals for proposals to construct or expand manufacturing facilities and through reductions in regulatory burdens affecting domestic manufacturing,” the memoradum stated.
Obtained by the Washington Examiner, the statement makes good on a pledge from Trump to start easing the regulatory burdens on businesses that want to build new facilities in the United States.
The memorandum directs the secretary of commerce to hear from manufacturers on how federal regulations are impacting their business and get public comment during a 60-day period. The administration wants to hear suggestions on how to streamline permitting and cut down “regulatory burdens for domestic manufacturers.”
According to the memorandum, the Commerce Department will work with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Energy Department, the Agriculture Department, the Office of Management and Budget and the Small Business Administration.
After the public comment period, an action plan to streamline permitting must be developed in 60 days, according to the memorandum.
“The report should identify priority actions as well as recommended deadlines for completing actions,” the order states. “The report also may include recommendations for any necessary changes to existing regulations or statutes, as well as actions to change policies, practices, or procedures that can be taken immediately under existing authority.”
Trump has spent the last two days meeting with business executives and car manufacturers to talk about business issues. The new president has often talked about cutting regulations during those meetings and said Monday he believes the U.S. can reduce the amount of regulations imposed by the government by 75 percent.
In a separate order, Trump ordered the environmental review process for infrastructure projects to be streamlined and expedited.
“It is the policy of the executive branch to streamline and expedite, in a manner consistent with law, environmental reviews and approvals for all infrastructure projects, especially projects that are a high priority for the nation, such as improving the U.S. electric grid and telecommunications systems and repairing and upgrading critical port facilities, airports, pipelines, bridges and highways,” the order stated.
Trump will require agencies to determine within 30 days after a request for an environmental review if an infrastructure project is a “high-priority project.”
If it is deemed high priority, the Council on Environmental Quality “shall coordinate with the head of the relevant agency to establish, in a manner consistent with law, expedited procedures and deadlines for completion of environmental reviews and approvals for such projects.”
“All agencies shall give highest priority to completing such reviews and approvals by the established deadlines using all necessary and appropriate means,” the order stated.
