President Trump Signs Orders on Permitting, Regulatory Freeze

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2025 – One his first day back in office as president, Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, including ones directing executive agencies to attempt to streamline federal permitting and pause new policies until appointees are in place.

The permitting order was largely focused on energy projects, but directed a White House council to issue within 30 days new guidance on implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, which governs environmental permitting for federal projects. It applies to the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.

The heads of several agencies, including the Commerce Department, were directed to “undertake all available efforts to eliminate all delays within their respective permitting processes, including through, but not limited to, the use of general permitting and permit by rule.”