Amid all the sturm und drang of Donald Trump's first 130-odd days in office - DOGE, Ukraine, "Liberation Day" tariffs and the rest of the list - the President has been making some progress on one of his less edgy but more economically vital promises; to free up America's energy industry to provide enoutgh affordable power to fuel the growth that's going to be needed to make any realistic economic progress feasible.  

According to the Free Beacon, the Administration is taking steps to revamp the nation's sclerotic, anti-growth permitting process for energy infrastructure:

In a 37-page report first obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, the White House Council on Environmental Quality outlined how it will revamp permitting, mainly by modernizing current antiquated government systems. The federal government, for example, still relies on a paper-based process during environmental reviews—the White House will now begin using a "digital-first" process.

The council added that, under its technical reforms, federal agencies conducting environmental reviews for projects will make their permitting timelines readily available for the public to see and track. Thomas Shedd, a top official at the General Services Administration, predicted the reforms would accelerate permitting timelines from taking years to just weeks or months.

The changes will affect everything from energy sources green, black or outside the visible spectrum (see below), to the highways, rail projects, pipelines and power grid needed to support all of that growth.  

The council added that, under its technical reforms, federal agencies conducting environmental reviews for projects will make their permitting timelines readily available for the public to see and track. Thomas Shedd, a top official at the General Services Administration, predicted the reforms would accelerate permitting timelines from taking years to just weeks or months.

This is in stark contrast with the Biden administration's efforts, as detailed three years ago:

The reforms being finalized today will provide communities and decision makers with more complete information about proposed projects, their environmental and public health impacts, and their alternatives. These three provisions were open for public comment in the Phase 1 notice of proposed rulemaking, published on October 7, 2021. In addition to the 45-day public comment period, CEQ also hosted two virtual public hearings and a Tribal consultation on the Phase 1 proposed rule. This rule will not delay any projects or reviews underway and will not add time to the NEPA process.

Perhaps even more vital in the long run, the administration is taking a serious look at the nation's nuclear regulatory structure, which has been largely paralyzed by the almost five-decade-long hysterical reaction to Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. An executive order from a few weeks ago will streamline the process involved in testing new reactors and reactor technology for approval. The executive order relates to

Issuing guidance on what counts as a qualified test reactor and taking steps to expeditiously process applications for such reactors.

Taking action to revise regulations, guidance, and procedures to significantly expedite the review, approval, and deployment of advanced reactors under DOE jurisdiction in order to enable operational test reactors within two years following a completed application.

Creating a pilot program for the construction and operation of at least three reactors outside of the National Laboratories, but under contract with and for the account of DOE, with the goal of achieving criticality by July 4, 2026.

Eliminating or expediting internal environmental review for authorizations, permits, approvals, and other activities related to reactor testing.

The order is part of Trump's stated initiative to radically increase the nuke grid in the US:

To borrow a phrase from Glenn Reynolds:  faster, please.