Latest news with #permitting
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Businesses cite licensing, permitting delays as they exit Lauderdale Lakes for friendlier cities
Delays in licensing and permitting are driving some small businesses out of Lauderdale Lakes, according to property managers and tenants who said they have waited months or even years for city approval. "I haven't got my license yet," said Neil Seeram, owner of Everglades Door and Glass. Two years ago, Seeram's company moved into a 1,500-square-foot warehouse in the Lauderdale Lakes Business Park. He said he was prepared to pay the city whatever it took to secure an occupational license, which is required to operate a business. He applied but is still waiting. City staff allowed him to use the warehouse without the license, Seeram said. But his growing company struggled so much to get permits for upgrades that staying put felt impossible. The company is now moving to Sunrise, where Seeram said city staff issued an occupational license within one week of his application. "I couldn't wait fast enough so I can get out of here so I can do business without the stress," Seeram said. "As it is, business is stressful. But having to deal with the city (of Lauderdale Lakes) and everybody else, it's just a hassle." Josh Levy, Seeram's landlord and chief operating officer for Levy Realty Advisors, said his company has seen a pattern. "We've had a number of businesses that have left the park over the last few years for this same reason," Levy said. The Lauderdale Lakes property lies between I-95 and the Florida Turnpike and is also the focus of an ongoing dispute over fines. The city issued more than $700,000 in liens for code violations tied to Varoon Welding, a tenant. Vashish Ragohoonath, owner of Varoon Welding, said the violations stemmed from renovations done without a permit. More than a year later, he said his shop is up to code but still not cleared to fully reopen. "Every time that we submit something to the city, we gotta wait three, four months before we can get a replay and they add something every time we submit something," Ragohoonath said. He said the delays have cut his workforce to four employees—half the number he needs—and have pushed the business to the brink of closure. It is a risk Seeram said he is unwilling to take. "I'm good to go," Seeram said. "I'm moving in (to Sunrise) now." CBS News Miami contacted a spokesperson for the City of Lauderdale Lakes and Mayor Veronica Edwards Phillips. Both deferred comment to the city's director of development services, who did not respond to messages seeking comment. Last month, however, that director of development services convinced the city commission to invest in OpenGov software in order to streamline the permitting process and increase transparency.
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UPDATE - Labrynth Launches the Red Tape Index to Help America Build Smarter, Faster
New national benchmark ranks Tennessee, Florida and Texas as the top 3 U.S. states by permitting efficiency—advancing economic growth and revealing costly delays in infrastructure development. WASHINGTON, Aug. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Labrynth, a regulatory intelligence company dedicated to streamlining permitting approvals across government and industry, today announced the launch of the Red Tape Index. This new index provides the first comprehensive, data-driven benchmark designed to track and compare how efficiently U.S. states process building permits, zoning changes, and related approvals. The Red Tape Index is launching initially with state-level data aggregated from a vast array of public sources, including building departments, zoning boards, and state environmental agencies. According to the first set of rankings, 6 of the top 10 cities in the US hail from the top 3 states: issuing an average of 195 permits per 100,000 residents. The index website identifies the following states as the top 10 using a weighted scoring system: 1. Tennessee 20.1 6. North Carolina 18.7 2. Florida 19.9 7. Georgia 18.5 3. Texas 19.8 8. Virginia 18.1 4. Indiana 19.6 9. Michigan 15.5 5. Arizona 18.8 10. New Hampshire 14.8 *For more information on the data in the above table, including how this list was compiled/created visit In the next 30 days, detailed city and county level insights will be published, this phased approach prioritizes transparency and collaboration. Local governments and stakeholders are invited to engage by submitting or verifying data to ensure accuracy and relevance. To view the full list and explore detailed metrics visit Measuring What Matters Now 'You can't fix what you don't measure,' said Stuart Lacey, CEO of Labrynth. 'The Red Tape Index brings long-overdue transparency to one of the most frustrating and costly challenges in American infrastructure. By spotlighting inefficiencies and highlighting success stories, we're giving public officials and private developers the tools they need to move faster, smarter, and with greater confidence.' Permitting delays remains a significant barrier to building new infrastructure, costing businesses time and money. The Index aggregates publicly available data and integrates direct input from local governments and developers, creating a living platform that will be updated quarterly. This evolving resource aims to provide actionable insights that help public officials identify bottlenecks and enable investors and developers to compare permitting efficiency across regions. Infrastructure development—from data centers and energy projects to housing—relies on timely regulatory approvals. Delays that stretch projects from months into years risk economic growth and competitiveness. Labrynth's Red Tape Index offers a new level of clarity into these critical processes, supporting smarter decision-making for communities and investors alike. A Roadmap, Not Just a Ranking Beyond rankings, the Red Tape Index is part of Labrynth's broader commitment to enabling faster, more transparent project approvals through ongoing initiatives including: The Red Tape 100: A quarterly leaderboard showcasing the top 100 most efficient permitting cities nationwide. The Red Tape Report: Monthly feature highlighting successful reforms and operational innovations built on the successful implementation of new systems and tools driving efficiency.. Monthly Insights: Summary and analysis of trends, regulatory changes, and policy developments nationwide. Get Involved: Help Build a Clearer Regulatory Future Labrynth invites state, county, and city governments to participate actively in refining the Red Tape Index. By submitting or verifying your latest permitting data, they can ensure their jurisdiction's profile accurately reflects their operational reality and improvements. Engagement is simple and vital: Visit to register for the submission portal. Provide key permitting and licensing data or confirm existing information. Join a growing network of local governments using data-driven insights to reduce delays, improve efficiency, and attract investment. Together, we can build a transparent, actionable benchmark that powers smarter economic development and regulatory clarity nationwide. About LabrynthLabrynth is the first transparent AI company purpose-built to solve regulatory bottlenecks at scale. Its outcome-based models compress permitting timelines, reduce compliance risks and unlock faster revenue for PROPEL industries and local governments. Spun out from AI and agentic innovation powerhouse Invisible Technologies, and backed by AI HoldCo platform Infinity Constellation, Labrynth blends cutting-edge AI with human expertise to build a smarter, faster, and fairer regulatory system. Learn more at Media Contact Labrynth@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
06-08-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Star Gold Files Plan of Operations at Longstreet Project
COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESS Newswire / August 6, 2025 / Star Gold Corp. ('Star Gold' or 'the Company') (OTCQB:SRGZ) announces that it has submitted a Plan of Operations ('POO') to the United States Forest Service ('USFS') for approval to conduct drilling and sampling activities at its Longstreet Project. The proposed work includes confirmational core drilling, installation of project source and monitoring wells, and soil sampling. All these activities requested in the POO are required components of the permitting process. The confirmational core drilling is intended to verify geologic conditions for geo-chemical testing to assess mine-waste acid generation potential. The proposed water wells would be used to evaluate water availability and support hydrogeologic studies. Soil sampling would provide data for heap leach pad design. The Plan of Operations is currently under review by the U.S. Forest Service. Approval timing has not been disclosed. The Longstreet gold and silver project is located in Stone Cabin Valley, Nevada, approximately 275 kilometers northwest of Las Vegas and 92 kilometers northeast of Tonopah. About Star Gold Corporation Star Gold Corporation is a leading mining company based in Nevada, dedicated to the exploration and development of high-quality mineral properties. With a strong commitment to sustainable practices and community engagement, Star Gold Corporation aims to deliver long-term value to its shareholders and stakeholders by building high grade resources in Nevada. Star Gold is currently developing its flagship project, the Longstreet Project, which is a gold and silver project located in Stone Cabin Valley, Nevada. Star Gold owns 137 unpatented mining claims and leases, with the ability to purchase, 5 unpatented mining claims located in Nye County. The Longstreet Project covers 1149 hectares. There is an existing 3% NSR on the 137 claims and a 1.5% NSR on the 5 claims. Star Gold has no minimum work commitments on the Project and is focused on finishing all studies required for a potential Environmental Impact Statement. Star Gold Corp is listed on the OTC Markets (OTCQB:SRGZ). For more information: For further information, please contact: For further information, please contact: Lindsay Gorrill, Chairman, Star Gold Corp. - 208-664-5066 or [email protected] SOURCE: Star Gold Corp. press release
E&E News
25-07-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Westerman, Golden unveil NEPA overhaul package
House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman on Friday released sweeping legislation to change the National Environmental Policy Act review process. The 'Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act,' co-sponsored by moderate Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, is a starting point in broader talks between the parties and the chambers toward a bipartisan permitting deal. 'America's model of successful environmental stewardship alongside strong economic growth is being hobbled by a more than half-century old permitting process that is overdue for a tuneup,' Westerman said in a statement. Advertisement 'Although well-intentioned, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has not kept up with the times which is bad for both our environment and our economy,' he said.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Newsom Proposes to Ease Permits for Oil Drilling in California
(Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing a bill to streamline permitting for new oil wells that environmental groups say would wipe out scrutiny of the industry. The Dutch Intersection Is Coming to Save Your Life Mumbai Facelift Is Inspired by 200-Year-Old New York Blueprint Advocates Fear US Agents Are Using 'Wellness Checks' on Children as a Prelude to Arrests LA Homelessness Drops for Second Year Manhattan, Chicago Murder Rates Drop in 2025, Officials Say The bill would establish 'plug-to-drill' permitting until 2036 where two wells would have to be plugged and abandoned before a new one is drilled. In addition, drillers no longer would need well approval from the Geologic Energy Management Division, known as CalGem, so long as certain conditions are met. Shares of in-state drillers climbed on the news, with California Resources Corporation jumping 4.8% and Berry Corp. up 6.9%. The draft bill text — seen by Bloomberg News and portions of which were leaked by environmental groups — is the latest in a series of recent shifts Newsom has made in approaching the oil and gas industry after years of regulatory scrutiny. The governor is softening his stance toward the industry this year after refineries operated by Phillips 66 and Valero Energy Corp. decided to shut operations in the state and California's legislature placed a greater emphasis on reducing costs of living for the state's 40 million residents. A spokesperson for the governor said environmental groups are circulating only partial text from the bill. 'We continue to work with the legislature on policy that will help stabilize California's petroleum market while ensuring a safe, reliable, and affordable supply of transportation fuels,' the governor's office said in a statement. In a statement accompanying their leaked text from the bill, 12 environmental justice groups said the proposal amounts to a blank check for unlimited drilling across the state for the next decade. (Adds share price reaction in the third paragraph.) What the Tough Job Market for New College Grads Says About the Economy A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border Godzilla Conquered Japan. Now Its Owner Plots a Global Takeover How Starbucks' CEO Plans to Tame the Rush-Hour Free-for-All Why Access to Running Water Is a Luxury in Wealthy US Cities ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
