Lawmakers from both parties as well as representatives of the transportation sector are urging Congress to change environmental permitting rules in order to benefit railway and road projects as they seek to ensure that any legislative overhaul goes beyond the energy infrastructure that now gets most of the attention.
The lawmakers and trade groups say changes to the current system, including the National Environmental Policy Act, are critical for their sector.
“So much of our projects are primarily private dollars. But if they touch a piece of federal infrastructure, then it’s game over,” Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of Association of American Railroads, said in an interview. “We have to go through these processes, and we end up in 10-year reviews for trying to replace a 100-year-old tunnel.”
