In the United States, environmental permitting delays remain a critical obstacle to infrastructure development. Despite bipartisan consensus on the urgency of decarbonization and energy security, permitting processes can stretch over several years, delaying vital projects and increasing costs. The April 2025 Executive Orders from the Trump Administration provided a strong mandate to fast track modernization: government agencies are now directed to prioritize commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)digital solutions and accelerate permitting digitization.
This whitepaper argues that the U.S. can meet these challenges by embracing digital processes, structured data, and embedded AI—building on successful international models, such as Denmark’s. By focusing on standardization and leveraging proven technologies, agencies can increase speed, consistency, and transparency in permitting while maintaining compliance and public trust.
