Share your Field Stories!

Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick! 

On today’s episode, we talk with Eric Beightel, Federal Strategy Director at Environmental Science Associates about Environmental Permitting Reform, NEPA Assignment, and the Future of Environmental Policy.  Read his full bio below.

Help us continue to create great content! If you’d like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form 

Showtimes: 
0:19 - Right Whale Facts!
7:18 - Interview with Eric Beightel starts
18:38- The bureaucracy and challenges of environmental permitting
36:55 - The benefits and futures of NEPA Assignment for states
45:12 - #FieldNotes

Please be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review. 

This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.

Connect with Eric Beightel at www.linkedin.com/in/ericbeightel

Guest Bio:
As Federal Strategy Director, Eric serves as an advisor to ESA’s clients on the full range of regulatory challenges, helping navigate the ever-evolving changes to federal policies, processes, and funding requirements.

A seasoned practitioner with a career spanning 25 years in federal, state, and private sector positions, Eric Beightel is a nationally recognized expert on environmental policy, NEPA, and the federal permitting process. Throughout his career, he has continually played a leading role in driving the national effort to streamline the environmental permitting process for major infrastructure projects.

Before joining ESA, Eric was the Presidentially appointed Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) where he was responsible for overseeing a portfolio of more than $75 billion in large-scale infrastructure projects, supporting federal agencies and project sponsors through expedited federal environmental review and permitting that advanced dozens of critical projects to completion, realizing their economic and environmental benefits for the nation.

Eric previously served under prior federal administrations as a Senior Environmental Policy Advisor at the Department of Transportation and as a subject matter expert to the Office of Management and Budget. In addition to his public sector positions, he also has held national infrastructure and environmental policy and strategy roles with national and global consulting firms, bringing hands-on experience with project implementation and delivery for complex infrastructure projects.

Eric Beightel holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas and a Master of Public Policy degree from George Mason University.

Music Credits
Intro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace Mesa
Outro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs Muller

Support the show

Thanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.