Progressive Railroading, August 2017:
Cutting red tape: Nonpartisan group floats ideas to fast-track permitting process
Last month, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a draft environmental impact statement for a project to replace the Hudson River rail tunnels between New York and New Jersey. The release of the document wrapped up a 14-month review process.
The century-old Hudson tubes sustained significant damage during Hurricane Sandy nearly five years ago. Today, they accommodate around 200,000 passengers who travel between the states each day.
The FRA expects to issue a final environmental impact statement in March 2018, or about 22 months after the start of the review process. In the past, reviews of this magnitude have taken more than 40 months to complete, according to the FRA.
Leaders planning other major infrastructure projects in the United States can take a lesson from the FRA’s expedited environmental review process, says Philip Howard, chair of the nonpartisan reform coalition Common Good. Howard is among a group of observers who argue that the lengthy environmental review process is a chief cause for delays on key projects.
“The Hudson tunnels project could serve as a poster child for how to do it right,” Howard says.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao also has called for finding ways to expedite the review process. In her nomination questionnaire to become transportation secretary, Chao said it’s necessary to “look at the existing process for infrastructure development and find more efficient ways to address bottlenecks in planning and permitting.”