Commerce releases regulatory reform report on American manufacturing sector

President Trump’s January presidential memorandum has produced a report that identifies 20 sets of regulations and permitting issues as being a top priority for reform for domestic manufacturing.    A report originally submitted to President Donald Trump as part of presidential memorandum signed in January, has been released by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.
   Titled “Streamlining Permitting and Regulatory Burdens for American Manufacturers,” the report surveyed manufacturers and industry leaders and identified 20 sets of regulations and permitting issues as being a top priority for reform for the benefit of the domestic manufacturing industry, according to the Department of Commerce.
   Three major themes were identified, including overlap, duplication and lack of coordination between states and the Environmental Protection Agency; uncertainty related to the permitting process; and inconsistency in application and enforcement, Commerce noted.
   As a result, each government agency’s regulatory reform taskforce will “review all relevant detailed comments received in response to the Department’s Request for Information, deliver an ‘action plan’ to the administration not later than January 31, 2018, and, for the first year, agency leadership will provide regular updates to the President on the status of their efforts,” the department said.
   “The current onerous and lengthy processes and inadequately designed rules add to an already overwhelming amount of government waste,” Secretary Ross said in a statement. “This report is an important step in correcting the status quo and promoting, instead of shackling, American manufacturing.”
   The Department of Commerce also recommends working with members of Congress to expand the definition of projects that qualify as “covered projects” under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act to include “projects the construction of which will result in a significant, immediate economic benefit to the United States.” Covered projects will typically enjoy better coordination, transparency of approvals, and expedited permitting, the department noted.
   The FAST Act has come under criticism due to its close ties to highway funding, which in general, is difficult to implement. In a round table discussion between elected representatives last year, the majority appreciated the FAST Act, but hoped more could be done.
   An additional recommendation in the report calls for Congress to incorporate procedures similar to those found in FAST-41 in other legislation applicable to manufacturing projects.
   “Expansion within the FAST Act, or legislation modeled similarly to the FAST Act, will speed important economically significant manufacturing projects to market,” the department stated.
   The report can be accessed on the Department of Commerce’s website.