OAR 734-024-0040: Improving the Environmental Permitting Process

(1) The Department must consider improvements to the environmental permitting process for state highway construction projects in order to achieve the following outcomes: (a) Reduce the time required to design projects associated with meeting environmental requirements; (b) Reduce the time required to obtain environmental permits; (c) Reduce the cost and delay associated with redesigning projects to meet environmental requirements; (d) Maintain a strong commitment to environmental stewardship; and (e) Reduce this state’s dependence on foreign oil. (2) In order to achieve these outcomes, the Department must, but is not limited to: (a) Work with state and federal resource and regulatory agencies to develop programmatic agreements and permits. (b) Develop performance measures, goals, and improvement strategies and initiatives. (c) Develop and publish periodic progress reports on Department performance in achieving these environmental permit process outcomes.