White House Launches Permitting Innovators Expo to Modernize Federal Review Processes

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in partnership with NASA's Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, has announced the inaugural Permitting Innovators Expo, a full-day event designed to accelerate federal environmental review and permitting through innovative technology solutions. Scheduled for July 31, 2026, at the Hilton Arlington Rosslyn The Key in Arlington, Virginia, the expo will bring together industry innovators, federal agency staff, policymakers, and leaders to showcase cutting-edge technologies that can modernize permitting processes.

The event stems from President Trump's Memorandum on Updating Permitting Technology for the 21st Century and supports implementation of the Permitting Technology Action Plan. CEQ Chairman Katherine Scarlett stated that the expo will help identify high-potential solutions capable of accelerating critical infrastructure projects. "By bringing together innovators and government, the Permitting Innovators Expo will help identify high-potential solutions that can accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure projects to the American people," Scarlett said.

The expo features two main components. First, selected solutions will have dedicated demonstration space where federal agencies and policymakers can evaluate technologies side by side and engage directly with innovation teams. Second, the event will include plenary and breakout sessions featuring speakers sharing lessons learned and best practices in modern federal permitting. Solutions featured at the expo will be included in the Permitting Innovators Solutions Catalog, to be distributed to federal agencies in late 2026.

The CEQ previously launched the Permitting Innovators Call for Solutions, inviting innovators to submit proposals addressing federal environmental review and permitting modernization. CEQ has reviewed eligible submissions and will invite top-scoring applicants to participate in the expo. An attendee interest form opened in mid-June 2026, though space is limited for government, industry, and policy leaders interested in attending.