Gov Pillen, USDOT Sec. Duffy Announce Partnership to Cut Red Tape

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Gov Pillen, USDOT Sec. Duffy Announce Partnership to Cut Red Tape

Nebraska will be able to deliver vital road and bridge infrastructure projects at the Speed of Trump

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Governor Jim Pillen and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a new agreement with Nebraska through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to clear the way for big, beautiful infrastructure projects to be built faster and more efficiently. Nebraska will now assume responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which will streamline the environmental review process for the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT).

"President Trump and Secretary Duffy are making great efforts to empower states by allowing decisions to be made at the local level - cutting through layers of over-the-top, environmental regulation," said Gov. Pillen. "For decades, bureaucrats have delayed or blocked critical infrastructure projects. But today, the Nebraska Department of Transportation can streamline government, accelerate timelines, and increase affordability as we continue to build our state's future. This agreement reflects our partnership up and down the Trump Administration as we continue to deliver results for Nebraskans."

"Nebraska is building again thanks to President Trump," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "Today's agreement removes unnecessary federal red tape - ensuring more major infrastructure projects are built on time and on budget. I hope to see other states follow Nebraska's lead so we can get shovels in the ground sooner and continue delivering results for the American people."

"Burdensome reviews and approvals by Washington have slowed progress on road and highway improvements in Nebraska and across the country," said FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster. "Now NDOT, the agency that knows Nebraska's transportation needs best, will be able to take on additional NEPA responsibilities and ensure projects like the Lincoln East Beltway are completed in less time and at less cost to taxpayers."

"I want to thank Secretary Duffy and Administrator McMaster for their leadership and commitment to empowering states to deliver transportation projects more efficiently," said NDOT Director Kramer. "Our experience delivering categorical exclusions coupled with a strong partnership with the Federal Highway Administration allowed Nebraska to achieve full Section 327 NEPA Assignment in less than a year. This milestone is a direct reflection of the Trump Administration's intense focus on streamlining project delivery. I am incredibly proud of the NDOT team and grateful for the support of Governor Pillen and our federal partners as we work to deliver critical infrastructure improvements more effectively for Nebraskans."

Nebraska is the third state to join USDOT in this new partnership model. Last summer, Secretary Duffy promptly signed a renewed NEPA MOU with the Texas Department of Transportation, and just last month, the FHWA Administrator signed a NEPA Assignment MOU with Maine DOT.

Nebraska projects that will benefit from this MOU include:

• Lincoln East Beltway - this project includes the final segment of a beltway around the city of Lincoln planned since the 1970s. It will be a four-lane freeway from the eastern end of the South Bypass (NE-2) and connect to Interstate 80 near the city of Waverly.
• US-75 Corridor Study, N-370 to Interstate 80 - this project would improve approximately six miles of US-75 from Interstate 80 in Omaha south to N-370 in Bellevue. Plans include reconstruction of mainline pavement and structures, enhanced traffic operations and safety, and improvements to seven interchanges serving the south Omaha metro area, including Bellevue and Offutt Air Force Base.
• Interstate 480 Corridor Study, Interstate 80 to Harney Street - this project would improve mobility, safety and reduce delays on Interstate 480, where travelers in the central Omaha metro region experience high traffic volumes, collisions and recurring operational problems. Improvements will enhance traffic flow, reduce the frequency and severity of crashes and provide a more dependable corridor for the movement of people and goods.
• The City of Beatrice's Court Street Access and Safety Transformation Project - this project would reroute US-136 one block south to Market Street from its current location on Court Street. Moving through traffic and trucks south of Market will lead to increased safety in the downtown business area and allow Court Street to be redeveloped into a more pedestrian-focused corridor. The Department executed a $21 million grant agreement for the Beatrice project today as part of its efforts to move cut red tape and projects forward as quickly as possible.

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Deputy Secretary of Transportation Steven G. Bradbury.

FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, Deputy Secretary of Transportation Steven G. Bradbury, and Director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation Vicki Kramer.

Additional Information:

• Nebraska joins Texas and Maine in answering Secretary Duffy's July 17, 2025 letter to the governors encouraging states "to take advantage of unique statutory authority and assume the federal environmental review process" for projects in compliance with NEPA. The agreement with Nebraska under the NEPA Assignment Program is the third reached under the Trump Administration with state DOTs and builds on actions taken by the Department to give states more decision-making authority over their projects.

• FHWA also provides technical assistance to states and recently co-hosted a NEPA Assignment Peer Exchange to further promote the benefits of NEPA assignment and encourage more states to participate in the program. With Nebraska's participation, nine states now have assumed full NEPA responsibility. More have expressed interest in the process.

• In Nebraska, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will give the state more flexibility to better manage their future transportation projects, get shovels in the ground sooner and reduce completion times for projects already underway.

Under the NEPA Assignment Program, states are responsible and liable for making decisions in environmental reviews. Nebraska first obtained a limited NEPA assignment for categorical exclusions in September 2018. Today's agreement gives Nebraska full programmatic NEPA assignment for environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for future transportation projects in the state.