CEQ taps industry partners to bolster President Trump's initiative to modernize federal permitting for the 21st century.
Today, under the leadership of President Trump, the Council on Environmental Quality's Permitting Innovation Center, in collaboration with NASA's Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, announced Permitting Innovators, a new program to accelerate and modernize federal environmental reviews and permitting.
The launch marks one year since the presidential memorandum, Updating Permitting Technology for the 21st Century, and signals a new phase in delivering on its goals. In that memorandum, President Trump created the Permitting Innovation Center to solve longstanding problems identified in the field.
"The technology to modernize permitting exists, reflecting the best of American innovation - but unleashing its full potential will require collaboration across the public and private sectors," said Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Katherine Scarlett. "We need solutions adapted from fields beyond environmental review. Thanks to President Trump, Permitting Innovators brings those external stakeholders and federal agencies together to accelerate permitting while maintaining practical environmental standards."
The cost of slow permitting
The ability to efficiently permit infrastructure is foundational to American economic growth and national security. Delays in the federal environmental review and permitting process stall critical infrastructure development, drive up costs, and impose unnecessary burdens on the American people.
Technology solutions will accelerate and modernize environmental reviews and permitting by connecting data, systems, and processes - enhancing collaboration between agencies and the American public.
As part of CEQ's mandate to ensure timely environmental review across the federal government, CEQ and partner agencies have identified technology gaps outlined in the Permitting Technology Action Plan (PTAP). However, delivering on the goals and milestones set out in the PTAP will require further engagement and collaboration with the private sector.
Permitting Innovators Call for Solutions opens soon
In the weeks ahead, CEQ's Permitting Innovation Center will invite industry to share tech solutions that will accelerate and modernize federal environmental review and permitting.
CEQ will evaluate eligible submissions and invite applicants to participate in the inaugural Permitting Innovators Expo, where they will demo solutions to federal agency staff and the broader environmental review and permitting community. The submission requirements and evaluation criteria will be announced soon through the Permitting Innovators newsletter.
Solutions to be featured at the inaugural Expo and in a Solutions Catalog
The Permitting Innovators Expo, taking place in the summer of 2026, will recognize high-potential solutions in line with the Permitting Technology Action Plan. The event will give selected applicants a platform to demo their solutions to federal agencies and partners shaping the future of permitting.
Solutions from the Expo will be highlighted in the Permitting Innovators Solutions Catalog, which will be shared with federal agencies and the broader environmental review and permitting community later in 2026.
Stay informed
To learn more about the Call for Solutions, Expo, and other program opportunities, sign up for the Permitting Innovators mailing list.
