Three States, Three Shortcuts to Breaking Ground
Montana joined a federal fast-track permitting program, West Virginia launched a single-portal permitting system ahead of deadline, and Michigan broke ground on a 152 million dollar runway project.
- Montana is the eleventh state to join the FAST-41 program, signing an agreement to synchronize state and federal environmental reviews for critical infrastructure. m:…5526
- West Virginia launched its One Stop Shop Permitting Portal on October 28, 2026, three months ahead of the January 1, 2027 deadline set by House Bill 2002. m:…4486
- Michigan broke ground on October 28, 2026 on a 152 million dollar runway project at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, designed for future F-15EX Eagle II fighter and KC-46 Pegasus tanker missions. m:…0151
- The Permitting Council has previously reduced federal permitting review times from 1,500 days to 400 days, according to the Montana agreement announcement. m:…5526
Montana joins the fast track
Governor Greg Gianforte and the Trump administration signed a memorandum of understanding to opt Montana into the FAST-41 process. Montana is the eleventh state to join the program, which aims to reduce federal permitting review times and covers state and federal environmental reviews for critical infrastructure. m:…5526
The practical benefit, as described in the announcement, is coordination rather than a waiver. The Permitting Council will provide technical assistance and agency coordination to Montana. The announcement also cites a precedent: the Permitting Council has previously reduced federal permitting review times from 1,500 days to 400 days. m:…5526
West Virginia builds one door
Governor Patrick Morrisey launched the One Stop Shop Permitting Portal on October 28, 2026, three months ahead of the January 1, 2027 deadline established by House Bill 2002. The portal lets businesses apply for permits, pay fees and track applications through a single account. m:…4486
The participating agencies named in the announcement include the Division of Highways, the Bureau for Public Health, the Department of Environmental Protection and divisions within the Department of Commerce. Fast-track processing options for eligible permits will be available beginning January 1, 2027, and the portal remains optional until July 1, 2027, when it becomes the required application method for covered permits. m:…4486
The administration pairs the portal with a broader economic claim: West Virginia has announced approximately 96 billion dollars in private-sector investment since October 2025, and the administration projects more than 19,000 jobs from investments announced since October 2025. Those figures are administration projections tied to announced investments, not a count of completed projects, and they should be read that way. m:…4486
Michigan breaks ground
Governor Whitmer and officials broke ground on the 152 million dollar Selfridge Air National Guard Base runway project on October 28, 2026. The project is designed to prepare Selfridge for future F-15EX Eagle II fighter and KC-46 Pegasus tanker missions, and includes the relocation and reconstruction of a portion of William P. Rosso Highway between Interstate 94 and Jefferson Avenue. m:…0151
The project was funded earlier in 2026 through a bipartisan effort. The stakes attached to the base in the announcement are large: Selfridge contributes an estimated 850 million dollars to Michigan's economy, supports 30,000 jobs statewide and hosts over 5,000 members of the Air and Army National Guard and Reserve components, while Michigan's defense industry contributes 30 billion dollars to the state's economy and supports approximately 166,000 jobs. m:…0151
The pattern to watch
This suggests states are now competing on delivery speed as much as on incentives. Montana is trying to synchronize reviews, West Virginia is trying to collapse them into one portal, and Michigan is showing the finished end of the pipeline with a groundbreaking. The three moves are different in kind, but they answer the same question from a business deciding where to build: how long before work actually starts. m:…5526 m:…4486 m:…0151
The honest test comes after the announcements. Montana has not yet shown what FAST-41 does to its own project timelines, West Virginia's fast-track options do not begin until January 1, 2027, and the Michigan announcement does not give a completion date for the runway in the material cited here. Speed is now the promise in all three states; delivery is still the proof. m:…5526 m:…4486 m:…0151
What is still unresolved
- Whether FAST-41 shortens actual review times for Montana infrastructure projects.
- Uptake of West Virginia fast-track processing when it begins January 1, 2027.
- Completion date for the Selfridge runway project.
- Whether announced West Virginia investments convert into completed projects and jobs.
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