The U.S. President Donald Trump promised a permit reform in the country's infrastructure projects on Friday that would expedite the lengthy approval process of government agencies.
The president called the existing approval process of infrastructure projects "painfully slow, costly and time-consuming" during his speech at the Department of Transportation.
“My administration is committed to ending these terrible delays once and for all. The excruciating wait time for permitting has inflicted enormous financial pain on cities and states -- and has blocked many important projects from ever getting off the ground," he said.
During his campaign and after taking the White House, Trump promised to spend $1 trillion to improve his country's ageing infrastructure. He now targets to bring the approval process for projects down to two years, from as long as almost at least a couple of decades.
"A highway today takes years and years and years to get approved -- sometimes as much as 15 or 17 years. By the time they get the approvals, they need another highway," Trump said.
The president also aims to create a new council to help the easier management of projects, while allowing permits to be realized simultaneously, and by having the ability to apply penalties to federal agencies that miss deadlines and cause delays.
By Ovunc Kutlu in New York
Anadolu Agency
ovunc.kutlu@aa.com.tr