18 January 2017, 20:42 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — President Donald Trump has moved to speed up environmental reviews and slash regulations in order to push ahead rapidly with a giant national infrastructure building program, according to a presidential executive order on Tuesday.
"It is the policy of the executive branch to streamline and expedite, in a manner consistent with law, environmental reviews and approvals for all infrastructure projects, especially projects that are a high priority for the nation," the order stated.
The order explained the high-priority designation covered improving the US electric grid and telecommunications systems and repairing and upgrading critical port facilities, airports, pipelines, bridges and highways.
Trump repeatedly pledged during the 2016 election campaign to launch a giant infrastructure construction program across the United States as soon as he entered office and to drastically reduce environmental and other planning regulations in order to do so.
