permitting

White House Pushes AI Tools To Speed Federal Permitting

The administration is expanding automated reviews and digital systems.

Georgina Mackie

May 13, 2026 — 2 min read

Photo of Katherine Scarlett speaking Tuesday at a United States Energy Association event in Washington.

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2026 – Artificial intelligence tools and automated permitting systems are being deployed across federal agencies to accelerate environmental reviews and infrastructure approvals.

White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Katherine Scarlett said Tuesday the administration was prioritizing technology upgrades and broader use of categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act to reduce permitting delays for energy and infrastructure projects.

The reforms also span to broadband deployment, with NTIA using electronic review tools and categorical exclusions to move BEAD projects through environmental reviews more quickly.

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