President Donald Trump chose the UPS airport hub at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to make a major announcement Wednesday on the implementation of a new policy that will allow for expedited infrastructure projects in Georgia and across the country — a change he says will make America’s infrastructure the envy of the world.
He also took time during his speech to praise the efforts of Gov. Brian Kemp in his leadership in Georgia. “We are getting things done here,” said Trump, pointing to Kemp. “We have several big projects we are working on, and we are going to get a lot of good things done here in Georgia.”
Two charts were displayed behind President Trump: The long chart on the right shows the current onerous bureaucratic obstacles when it comes to approval of infrastructure projects. The chart on left left shows the new and shortened regulations to gain approval for such projects.
Calling it a “big-day moment,” Trump said the policy change will speed up permitting for major projects including highway construction, bridges, power plants and other major projects.
“We are cutting the federal permitting timeline from a “staggering 10 years, 15 years, 18 years, — from up to 20 years or more down to two years.”
He pointed to two banners hanging behind him — one large banner that showed the previous approval process and a much shorter one that displayed the new process. “That’s the new way of doing things, and it won’t take 5, 10, 15 or 20 years to get a project approved and completed. After the reform we will have the One Federal Decision Policy — there will be one fair and quick decision. There will be a quick and clear yes or no.”
The change comes as a result of an executive order in which President Trump directed that burdensome National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations should be made more efficient and effective. These regulations control how the Federal Government processes environmental permits but have been used to block and delay important infrastructure projects.
According to information from the President’s office the new regulations “will modernize, simplify and accelerate the environmental review process.” The rule will also provide needed certainty for project sponsors and will facilitate the rebuilding of America, the President said..
Trump’s actions will have a major impact on Georgia by expediting the review for the $2 billion I-75 lane expansion project in Georgia. The Georgia I-75 Commercial Vehicle Lane Project would extend from Atlanta to Macon and is expected to reduce delay on I-75 by 40 percent by the year 2030. Also accelerating this project will accommodate growth in commercial vehicle traffic in the region and supports the future Port of Savannah expansion.
“As a business guy, President Trump knows that to compete in the global economy America has to have world-class infrastructure,” said U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) one of many of the state’s Washington delegation in attendance at the event. “Since day one, President Trump’s goal has been to reduce regulatory roadblocks and leverage private sector partnerships to achieve the greatest return on investment. In Georgia, we saw this business approach in action when the I-85 bridge collapsed and was repaired a month ahead of schedule. Similarly, after 20 years of career politicians failing to deepen the Port of Savannah just five feet, President Trump now has the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project on track for completion by 2022. In many ways, Georgia is a crossroads for America’s economy. The Port of Savannah is the country’s third largest, fastest growing, and most productive port. Hartsfield-Jackson is the world’s busiest airport. Infrastructure is one of the many reasons why Georgia is the best state in the country in which to do business.”
As part of Trump’s announcement, he turned the microphone over to a number of Georgians who will be impacted by the new policy, including a 16-year driver for UPS. He said the change will allow him to make his most important stop every day — his stop at home each evening to see his wife and two children. Russell McMurry, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation, thanked Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao for their work on this. Choa was also at the announcement ceremony, along with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.
Trump told the crowd of business executives, elected officials and community leaders that the policy will “slash regulations” that have held up critical infrastructure projects in the past. “All of that ends today,” he said.
Prior to this change, it took an average of over seven years to permit a highway project in the U.S. like the I-75 project. Under the new rule, this process will be cut to under 2 years., according to Trump.
