DES MOINES, IOWA (August 6, 2026) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Emily Domenech, Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council), have signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to coordinate and streamline federal and state permitting.
The agreement commits the state to opt in to the FAST-41 process and align timelines for state and federal environmental reviews.
This is the eighth federal/state MOU signed by the Permitting Council during the Trump Administration, the first administration to use the Permitting Council’s statutorily defined ability to enter into state-wide agreements to advance infrastructure critical to economic growth and national security.
“Iowa has a proud history of innovation, productivity, and government efficiency, delivering measurable improvements by reducing red tape, modernizing processes, and strengthening coordination across agencies. Working closely with the Permitting Council will build on that record, ensuring timely, transparent permitting decisions that support essential infrastructure and strategic projects that strengthen our economy and quality of life,” said Gov Kim Reynolds.
“We value our collaborative relationship with the Trump Administration and its commitment to reducing administrative and regulatory hurdles that slow progress.”
“I am excited to partner with Gov Reynolds and the state of Iowa on our latest federal-state MOU,” said Emily Domenech, Permitting Council Executive Director.
“Building the infrastructure our nation needs requires federal and state permitting processes that move together on the same timelines. This agreement will create greater predictability, reduce unnecessary delays, and help deliver the vital infrastructure projects Americans and Iowans depend on.”
The MOU establishes commitments by the state of Iowa and the Permitting Council to align state and federal permitting timelines and to help identify projects for FAST-41 eligibility. The agreement also requires that state permitting actions are added to the Federal Permitting Dashboard alongside the federal permits, providing a first-of-its-kind level of coordination and transparency between the federal and state governments. By aligning state permitting timelines with federal timelines, this MOU will ensure that critical infrastructure projects avoid unnecessary roadblocks after completion of the federal environmental review process.
As part of the agreement, the Permitting Council will provide federal permitting support to projects identified in the state of Iowa, ensuring focused technical assistance, transparency, accountability, and predictability in the permitting process. The Permitting Council will provide a wide variety of support, including:
- Assisting the state of Iowa in identifying eligible FAST-41 projects;
- Engaging with the state to identify and support gaps in federal knowledge and provide opportunities to share state expertise;
- Convening meetings with appropriate state and federal agencies to ensure streamlined and coordinated review and to avoid duplicative efforts; and
- Exploring opportunities to improve state permitting processes, to include providing funding and access to technology designed to streamline permit applications.
This is the eighth federal/state MOUs signed by the Permitting Council. Agreements were previously signed with the states of Alaska, Idaho, Missouri, Tennessee, Utah, Georgia, and Louisiana.
About the Permitting Council and FAST-41
Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is a federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is composed of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; thirteen federal agency Council members; and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The Office of the Executive Director coordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage, which are in turn entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
Learn more about the Permitting Council at permitting.gov.
