WorldWide Drilling Resource®

38 MARCH 2020 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® U.S. Moves to Reduce Permitting Time Adapted from Information by the U.S. White House The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) turned 50 years old in 2020. The law was put in place to inform decision making, but over the years, complying with the regulatory requirements has become unnecessarily complex and time consuming, delaying important infrastructure projects. NEPA requires federal agencies to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of major projects such as roads and bridges, rail and water infrastructure, or conventional and renewable energy projects. Given the importance of infrastructure investment to economic growth, President Trump directed the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to modernize the federal government’s NEPA regulations. CEQ then issued a notice of proposed rulemaking detailing its modernization plans. CEQ’s proposal is the first comprehensive update to the regulations that implement the NEPA law in over 40 years, and evidence demonstrates the changes are sorely needed. According to CEQ data, completing the average environmental impact statement (EIS) process takes over four years. The delay is worse for highway projects in particular, with many statements taking over six years and some taking decades. Greater infrastructure investment brings broad benefits, including reduced commute times, fewer accidents, more efficient and profitable firms, and greater employment. Construction Employers of America’s 2018 paper on infra- structure investment explained why the costs of delays to infrastructure invest- ment are high. A study by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) esti- mated failure to properly maintain the nation’s infrastructure is holding back the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reducing annual incomes by $3400 per household. NEPA modernization will reduce the average time to complete an EIS, in part through increased interagency coordination within the federal government. Often, project sponsors are required to obtain approval from various agencies on permitting decisions to advance their project. NEPA serves as the umbrella statute for coordinating environmental reviews. In the past, reviews for projects involving multiple permits were conducted sequentially instead of concurrently, and in some cases, there was insufficient coordina- tion among agencies. CEQ’s proposed NEPA updates not only improve coordination and communication between agencies, they also set a goal for completing environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects in two years. The federal government will still perform all environmental reviews as the law requires, just now with greater efficiency. Modernizing NEPA to realize the benefits of improved infrastructure follows the Trump Administration’s commitment to regula- tory reform, which includes greater transparency, improved benefit-cost accounting, and deregulation. As President Trump said in a message on NEPA’s anniversary, “While the goals of NEPA remain the same as they did 50 years ago, the environmental review process designed to improve decision-making has become increasingly complex and difficult to navigate.” Given the high costs of excessive permitting delays, and the importance of improved infrastructure for economic growth, there is much reason to expect NEPA modernization will improve the American economy, lives, and public safety. Infographic courtesy of ASCE. Three Steps and You’re Done! Adapted from Information by Infinity Tool Manufacturing Infinity Tool Manufacturing’s new line of PDC Product Pullers are designed to integrate with an Infinity PDC bit, allowing product to be pulled without removing the bit at the end of the pilot bore - for fast and efficient horizontal directional drilling product installa- tion. Step 1 - Drill pilot bore with an Infinity PDC Bit Step 2 - Attach PDC Product Puller (only attaches to an Infinity PDC Bit) Step 3 - Attach product to PDC Product Puller and pull product The strong and reliable product puller is designed to integrate with an Infinity PDC bit, with the outer edge being smaller than the PDC bit radius, offering: * Massive time savings * Quick and easy to install onto Infinity PDC Bits * No need to remove the PDC bit after the pilot bore * No need for a large exit pit * No need for heavy hand tools * Back out teeth available on the 6½-inch model only Infinity Tool Manufacturing will be at CONEXPO-CON/AGG booth B90423 DIR C O N S T R U C T I O N D I S C U S S I O N C&G