According to The New York Times, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may fast-track the approval of hundreds of energy projects in response to the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump in the energy sector. The newspaper has seen the relevant list of initiatives.
Any company or individual planning to carry out projects in U.S. navigable waters or discharge any substances into these waters must obtain permission from the Corps of Engineers. In recent days, the agency has opened the door for expedited approval of many projects, citing Trump’s executive order.
While the Corps of Engineers has identified initiatives that could be reviewed quickly, inclusion in this list does not guarantee approval. According to the newspaper, the agency rejects only 1% of the applications that have been expedited.
Furthermore, this approach will limit the influence of officials on the progression of proposed projects and allow bypassing traditional procedures for environmental impact assessments. This decision aligns with Trump’s efforts to increase the production of oil, gas, and coal in the U.S.
