U.S. Transportation Secretary Puts Six Projects on Fast Track

New Designation Means Decisions Will Come Years Sooner

Six transportation projects delayed in some cases for years will be put on a fast track for a resolution thanks to a decision today by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. The Secretary's action invokes authority granted by President Bush and directs federal officials to complete environmental and regulatory permitting reviews as soon as possible, bringing to conclusion projects affected by delays.

"With the economy rapidly expanding and record passenger and cargo levels, we must find a faster way to make timely decisions about vital projects," said Secretary Mineta. "President Bush wants the federal government to work together, cut through the red tape, be good stewards of the environment, and just make a good decision. The goal is to end the delays and close the books in the best possible way."

More efficient reviews mean lower planning, construction and labor costs for local and state governments and the private sector, Secretary Mineta added.

The Secretary announced three projects today, including an airport replacement project in St. George, Utah; the US 411 Connector to Interstate 75 outside Rome, Georgia; and the extension of Connecticut Route 11 in Salem, Connecticut. A fourth and fifth project will be announced Wednesday, with a sixth to be revealed Thursday.

The proposed project in Utah is a replacement airport for the currently land-locked St. George Municipal Airport. The new airport, located approximately five miles from the current airport, will provide improved aviation services and additional employment opportunities for the residents of Washington County. The plan calls for a state-of-the-art terminal complex that includes a terminal building, aircraft parking aprons and automobile parking.

"We are making a pledge to uphold the careful balance between aviation needs and environmental integrity as we move forward," said Woodie Woodward, Associate Administrator of Airports for the Federal Aviation Administration. "Common-sense streamlining and a commitment to protecting our environment can shave years off the process."

Under the order, federal officials with responsibility for reviewing, permitting and ultimately deciding to approve transportation projects must commit to a faster, higher level, review process. Federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior and Defense, and the Environmental Protection Agency, will dedicate senior staff to attend regular meetings to identify challenges, find solutions and ultimately make decisions about each project, Secretary Mineta said.

"Something is broken when it takes an average of 13 years to complete a new road and 10 years to build a new airport runway," Secretary Mineta said. "The American people want us to ask tough questions and apply tough standards, but they also want us to find a way to fish or cut bait in a reasonable amount of time."

Nothing in the decision circumvents the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Secretary Mineta said. "This process is only meant to bring about a timely decision according to all existing laws," he added.

Among the projects named today, some have been under consideration for decades, while others are just now being proposed. Among the federal agencies involved with the projects are the National Park Service, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Prior to this announcement, 13 projects had been designated as high priorities, with three having completed the environmental review process.

President Bush signed an executive order in 2002, authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to select important transportation projects that would be subject to an accelerated decision making process overseen by the most senior federal officials. The selection criteria for the projects include the national or regional significance of the project, the number of federal agencies that must be involved in the decision process, local support and the potential benefit of getting a final decision.