ARTBA addresses wetlands permissions

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is offering the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) advice on reducing unnecessary regulatory red-tape on transportation projects through improving the wetlands permissions process. ARTBA has submitted comments to the Corps in response to a government-wide regulatory review initiated by President Obama in 2011. This advice from ARTBA details specific recommendations to make wetlands permitting more efficient. ARTBA is working on ways to reduce u
April 19, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is offering the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) advice on reducing unnecessary regulatory red-tape on transportation projects through improving the wetlands permissions process. ARTBA has submitted comments to the Corps in response to a government-wide regulatory review initiated by President Obama in 2011. This advice from ARTBA details specific recommendations to make wetlands permitting more efficient. ARTBA is working on ways to reduce unnecessary delays in the transportation review and approval process. Currently, it can take anywhere from nine to 19 years for a project to go from planning to completion. ARTBA stressed the need to make the wetlands permitting process less complicated, without sacrificing environmental protections. It has asked the Corps to place strict time limits on permitting decisions, allowing planners to know exactly when a decision would be reached on a project and plan accordingly. ARTBA has suggested that no permits should be required when projects do not have an ecological effect on wetlands, and regulations should not be mandated when there is no practical need. In addition ARTBA also suggests that the US 1293 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should be removed from permission decisions. Protection of sensitive areas is assured though through ARTBA’s plan as both US Congress and the courts have given the Corps the sole responsibility for wetlands permissions. This policy would reduce bureaucracy as there is no need for two agencies to carry out a job that can be handled by one. ARTBA’s recent comments represent the fourth agency-wide regulatory review the association has participated in since early 2011. The association also offered detailed comments to the 2364 US Department of Transportation, EPA, and Small Business Administration

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Researchers trial 3D printing for both concrete and asphalt roads
    February 27, 2019
    Automated road repairs, using 3D printing, could save money and vastly reduce disruption, and researchers are already showing it’s possible - Kristina Smith reports It’s the middle of the night, and in the street below a team is busy carrying out repairs to the road surface. But there isn’t a human in sight. A road repair drone has landed at the site of a crack and a 3D asphalt printer is now busy filling in that crack. A group of traffic cone drones have positioned themselves around the repair location
    Read More
  • IRF Gulf region event addresses infrastrecture challenges
    March 15, 2012
    The third edition of IRF's signature event in the Gulf region gathered over 450 regional and international delegates amid calls for concerted efforts to meet the challenges posed by the region's growing demand for personal mobility and increased movement of goods
    Read More
  • Difficult decisions on projects in the UK
    November 25, 2022
    There are difficult decisions to be made on road projects in the UK.
    Read More
  • ARTBA holding policy discussion event
    June 7, 2016
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the American Trucking Association (ATA) are holding a joint lunch and policy discussion event. This will mark the 60th anniversary of the law signed by president Eisenhower that kicked-off the funding and construction of the US Interstate Highway System. At present the Interstate network stretches for some 75,000km. The event is being held on June 29th 2016 from 12-15:00 at the National Press Club in US capital, Washington DC. The event wil
    Read More

Highlighted Content