Gov. Jim Justice has issued an executive order as a part of his continuing efforts to enact regulatory reform.The executive order provides for an expedited process for all permits including:
- Permitting for all projects.
- Prioritization of permits for projects of critical economic concern.
- Requiring executive state agencies to file written reports to the permit applicant, executive director of the state Development Office, and Governor, explaining inaction on completed permit applications for projects of critical economic concern.
- Establishing an annual reporting requirement from the Development Office to the Governor and Legislature explaining whether the program is operating successfully.
Earlier this year, as reported here, the Governor signed executive orders establishing a regulatory moratorium and regulatory review. Along with the legislature’s passage of bills, these actions all address over-regulation in West Virginia. Over 1,360 rules in the WV Code of State Rules have been repealed.