Governor Glenn Youngkin announced on Wednesday the Virginia Permit Transparency (VPT) website, expanding a program Forbes hailed as “a model for other states” to include three Virginia agencies with more to follow.
The governor’s office explained in a press release that the VPT provides the public with “a centralized platform” to track daily status of their permit application.
Currently, the website tracks permits for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Virginia Energy, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC), and the governor’s office said more agencies will be added in the near future. The VPT website represents the expansion of a pilot program that initially offered information only for DEQ.
The VPT website explains its mission statement is to bring “transparency and efficiency to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s permitting processes by providing a centralized platform to track the daily status and timeline of critical steps as the application progresses.”
Youngkin stated, “Our administration is committed to increasing transparency in the permitting process. The Virginia Permit Transparency website allows Virginia to continue to lead the country by bringing greater visibility to the regulatory and permitting processes.”
“Virginia is demonstrating how a transparent permitting process can continue to attract top-quality business and job opportunities,” the governor explained.
The governor’s press release also notes that the pilot program is the recipient of multiple rewards, including the 2023 State Program Innovation Award from the Environmental Council of the States.
After Virginia won the award, DEQ Director Mike Rolband called it a “simple, project management system that’s open to the public,” but revealed it also gives his staff internal reporting mechanisms to track progress across the agency.
That award came just months after national media credited the VPT predecessor for its transparency.
Last June, Forbes reported that a government official described the pilot program as “like a FedEx or Papa Johns tracker for state permits.” The outlet also reported the interface was “visually pleasing and easy to use,” and “creates transparency and accountability” for users by “ensuring all parties know who is responsible for the next action.”
“States looking to enhance transparency in their own permitting procedures should look to the new portal in Virginia as a model,” the outlet suggested.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Glenn Youngkin” by Governor of Virginia. Background Photo “Virginia Capitol” by Ron Cogswell. CC BY 2.0.
