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ARTICLE · 29 APRIL 2026

US Department Of Agriculture Finalizes Updated NEPA Procedures

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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a final rule updating its regulations governing environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

United StatesEnvironment
Tommy Beaudreau
Tommy Beaudreau
H. David Gold
H. David Gold
Caroline McHugh
Caroline McHugh
Ethan McKenzie
Ethan McKenzie
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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a final rule updating its regulations governing environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).1 USDA’s rulemaking was prompted by several concurrent legal developments—discussed in our prior alert—including statutory amendments to NEPA in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, the US Supreme Court’s decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, 605 U.S. 168 (2025), and the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) rescission of its government-wide NEPA regulations.

Over the summer, USDA published an interim final rule (IFR) restructuring NEPA compliance across the department. While the IFR generated over 6,000 public comments, USDA’s final rule largely ratified the changes introduced in the IFR.

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