Fred Wagner was quoted on January 31, 2018, about President Trump's remarks on pending infrastructure legislation with regards to raising concerns from the energy sector about how much federal funding will be available and fears that environmental and judicial review of projects may be diminished or eliminated.
Commenting on the amount of federal funding that will be able to be contributed, Mr. Wagner said, "While the energy industry cheered because the administration's goal is to help businesses avoid spending on permit reviews and litigation over projects, a big unanswered question is exactly how much money the federal government will be willing to contribute to a national infrastructure effort."
Wagner added, "I think there’s a continuum between what's feasible on the environmental side and what comes out on the funding side. My sense is that if there are more specifics and a plan for funding, you will see a little bit more cooperation on some of the environmental and streamlining proposals."
Commenting on the amount of federal funding that will be able to be contributed, Mr. Wagner said, "While the energy industry cheered because the administration's goal is to help businesses avoid spending on permit reviews and litigation over projects, a big unanswered question is exactly how much money the federal government will be willing to contribute to a national infrastructure effort."
Wagner added, "I think there’s a continuum between what's feasible on the environmental side and what comes out on the funding side. My sense is that if there are more specifics and a plan for funding, you will see a little bit more cooperation on some of the environmental and streamlining proposals."