Opinion Editorial: Let Eastern Connecticut Build

By: Tony Sheridan, President & CEO, Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT

Across the United States, and here in Eastern Connecticut, communities are ready to build. Businesses are prepared to invest in broadband expansion, transportation upgrades, modern energy facilities, and critical drinking water improvements. Local leaders have worked hard to plan projects that can strengthen the economy, improve public health, and enhance quality of life. Yet despite this momentum, many of these efforts remain stalled for one reason: our outdated and unpredictable permitting system.

America’s permitting framework has not kept pace with the scale and speed of today’s economic and technological needs. Even well‑planned, broadly supported projects often face years and even up to a decade of review before they can begin. These delays drive up costs, deter investment, and leave communities waiting for improvements that should already be delivering benefits.

In Eastern Connecticut, the impacts are clear. Families still lack access to high‑speed internet needed for education and business growth. Aging transportation corridors need modernization to support commuters and commerce. Energy demand continues to rise, yet new facilities take far too long to be approved and brought online. Water systems need upgrades to ensure safe, reliable filtration and service. Every year of delay adds financial pressure to communities already grappling with rising material and labor costs. And these challenges are mirrored in regions across the country.

Modernizing the permitting process is not about cutting corners or weakening standards. It is about creating a system that is efficient, transparent, and predictable—one that provides clarity for communities and certainty for investors. A permitting framework built for the realities of today would allow projects to move forward more quickly while maintaining strong environmental and safety protections.

The recent bipartisan attention to permitting reform in the House of Representatives demonstrates that leaders across the political spectrum recognize the need for action. That momentum must continue, because general agreement on both the problems and the potential solutions makes this a rare opportunity for durable, meaningful reform. With a modernized approach, projects can advance without unnecessary delays, communities can build smarter and faster, and families can benefit from the infrastructure improvements they have long been promised.

Eastern Connecticut is ready, and so is the rest of the country. To build the future our communities need, our permitting system must finally catch up and support progress that is not only faster, but also more sustainable, resilient, and beneficial for generations to come.