Navigating Permitting Reform: A Comparative U.S. Analysis with Illustrative Evidence from Indiana

Authors

Toan Minh Bui, DePauw University

Files

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

10-1-2025

Abstract

This study examines the effects of permitting reform on infrastructure performance in the United States, highlighting the trade-offs between regulatory efficiency and environmental oversight. Using a comparative multi-case design, we analyze twelve transportation, energy, and public facility projects across six states—two each representing high, moderate, and low reform intensities. The analysis combines quantitative performance indicators (cost overruns, schedule delays, environmental oversight scores) with qualitative assessments of legal frameworks, administrative capacity, and political context. Findings show that moderate-intensity reforms—those that streamline procedural steps while retaining environmental safeguards—deliver the most consistent balance of timely delivery, cost control, and regulatory integrity. High-intensity reforms often accelerate timelines but create fiscal volatility and oversight risks, while low-reform states preserve strong procedural protections yet frequently face significant delays. To complement these national findings, the poster also includes an illustrative case from Indiana, where two infrastructure projects were examined using the same methodological framework. The Indiana results provide an additional point of reference, situating the state within broader national patterns. Overall, the study suggests that “smart permitting” approaches offer the most sustainable pathway for reconciling speed and accountability in infrastructure governance.

Project Mentor

Javier Juarez-Perez

Funding and Acknowledgements

Science Research Fellows Program, Steven S. Clark Endowed Fund for Student-Faculty Environmental Research, Kranbuehl, Roberts, and Hillger Endowed Fund for Faculty Summer Research

Recommended Citation

Bui, Toan Minh, "Navigating Permitting Reform: A Comparative U.S. Analysis with Illustrative Evidence from Indiana" (2025). Annual Student Research Poster Session. 236.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/srfposters/236