Order tells federal agencies to use environmental and preservation laws to speed waivers and permits

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directive

Relevant federal agencies take expedited actions (waivers, permits, approvals) under the cited laws to accelerate rebuilding projects.

Source summary

President Trump signed an Executive Order to accelerate rebuilding in Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon after wildfires destroyed nearly 40,000 acres. The Order directs FEMA and the SBA to issue regulations that can preempt state and local procedural permitting, allow builder self-certification to federal designees, expedite reviews under federal environmental and historic laws, and propose legislation to address local recovery delays. The Order also instructs FEMA to audit California’s nearly $3 billion in unspent Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds to determine whether funds were awarded improperly.

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Latest fact check

Section 4(a) of the executive order (published on WhiteHouse.gov) directs relevant agency heads to “seek to use all authorities available under Federal environmental, historic preservation, [and] natural resource laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, to expedite waivers, permits, reviews, consultations, or approvals” for rebuilding projects using federal emergency-relief funds. Major news outlets (AP, Los Angeles Times, USA Today) report the same directive and describe the order’s intent to speed permitting and override permitting obstacles at the state/local level. Verdict: True — the published text of the Order explicitly instructs agencies to use those federal law authorities to expedite waivers, permits, and approvals.

Sources

Timeline

Update · Jan 28, 2026, 01:50 AMTrue
Section 4(a) of the executive order (published on WhiteHouse.gov) directs relevant agency heads to “seek to use all authorities available under Federal environmental, historic preservation, [and] natural resource laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, to expedite waivers, permits, reviews, consultations, or approvals” for rebuilding projects using federal emergency-relief funds. Major news outlets (AP, Los Angeles Times, USA Today) report the same directive and describe the order’s intent to speed permitting and override permitting obstacles at the state/local level. Verdict: True — the published text of the Order explicitly instructs agencies to use those federal law authorities to expedite waivers, permits, and approvals.
Update · Jan 28, 2026, 01:04 AMTrue
The White House fact sheet and the signed Executive Order (Sec. 4(a)) explicitly direct agency heads to “seek to use all authorities available under Federal environmental, historic preservation, [and] natural resource laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act,” to “expedite waivers, permits, reviews, consultations, or approvals” for rebuilding projects using Federal emergency-relief funds. Reuters reporting on the order summarizes the same directive. Verdict: True — the primary White House documents contain the quoted instruction that agencies should use environmental, historic preservation, and natural resource authorities to expedite waivers, permits, and approvals.
Original article · Jan 27, 2026
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