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ARTICLE · 06 AUGUST 2025

DOE Issues New NEPA Procedures Aimed At Streamlining Environmental Reviews

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on June 30, 2025, finalized an overhaul of its procedures for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a move aimed at reducing permitting delays for energy...

United StatesEnergy and Natural Resources
Taite McDonald
Taite McDonald
Rafe Petersen
Rafe Petersen
Susan Wegner
Susan Wegner
Elizabeth M. Noll
Elizabeth M. Noll
James Steinbauer
James Steinbauer
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on June 30, 2025, finalized an overhaul of its procedures for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a move aimed at reducing permitting delays for energy infrastructure and federally supported projects. Through an interim final rule and a new set of agency procedures, DOE has rescinded its long-standing NEPA regulations and replaced them with a more flexible, guidance-based framework.

According to DOE, these changes are designed to simplify environmental reviews, clarify interagency responsibilities and support the timely development of energy infrastructure. The reforms implement several recent developments: the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (which included the BUILDER Act), President Donald Trump's executive order on "Unleashing American Energy" and a recent Supreme Court decision that narrows the scope of environmental review under NEPA.

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