Dare chairman Bob Woodard appears at White House announcement by President Trump

Board Chairman Bob Woodard (far right) standing beside a photo of the Basnight and Bonner bridges in the Roosevelt Room of The White House on Jan. 9, 2020. [photo courtesy The White House/Shealah Craighead]

Bob Woodard, chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, was in Washington Thursday morning to attend a White House event where President Trump announced an update to the National Environmental Policy Act regulations in order to streamline and shorten review times for major infrastructure projects.

During his remarks, President Trump referenced the Marc Basnight Bridge over Oregon Inlet, completed in 2019, as a project that was mired down in regulatory issues for 25 years before being built.

A photo of the new bridge and its predecessor, the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge, was shown during the ceremony in the Roosevelt Room.

Trump said that the proposed new rule will overhaul the system and reduce the federal permitting process by up to seventy percent so that decisions can be made in two years or less.

“It was an honor to be invited to the White House for the President’s infrastructure announcement,” said Woodard.

“It is my hope that the proposed new rule will allow more timely construction of much-needed projects, which not only will improve our economy by creating jobs but will also ensure the safety of our residents and visitors,” Woodard said.

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