Recently, the White House’s Council on Environmental
Quality announced a proposed rulemaking that would represent a
dramatic overhaul of the National Environmental Policy Act
(“NEPA”) implementing regulations. The stated goal of
the proposed changes is to streamline the environmental review
process to reduce the time and costs federal agencies expend in
advancing projects and permits. These new regulations could have
significant impacts on a broad spectrum of infrastructure and
energy development projects, among others. Comments on the proposed
rule are due March 10, 2020, and they can be submitted here.
This proposal, once finalized, is almost certain to be contested
in the courts.
