Red tape or climate protections? Infrastructure bill puts new spotlight on federal permitting

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WASHINGTON — As Congress begins to assemble a once-in-a-century federal investment in infrastructure, the Biden administration is taking steps to redefine the process for permitting such projects.
It’s a quieter set of actions that could amount to sweeping changes to how the money, once authorized by lawmakers, is directed across the Pittsburgh region and the country.
Biden officials are studying a 50-year-old environmental permitting law, widening the scope of reviews and restoring provisions rolled back by the Trump administration last year. The changes could advance President Joe Biden’s climate agenda by funneling federal dollars to specific projects, like those powered by clean energy, while stalling others, like those run by fossil fuels.
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Photo Credit: Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette

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