The White House Council on Environmental Quality stated that it had restored three major provisions from the National Environmental Policy Act. This Act requires federal agencies to evaluate the environmental impact of projects like the construction of pipelines, highways, and mines. The 1970 law is one of the most important environmental laws that were created at the dawn of the modern environmental movement.
Brenda Mallory, CEQ Chair, stated in a statement that “restoring these basic community safeguards” will provide regulatory certainty, reduce conflicts, and help ensure projects are built right the first-time. “Fixing these holes in environmental review will allow projects to be built faster, more resilient, and bring greater benefits to those who live near them.”
The administration stated that there will be two phases to the NEPA changes made by the Biden administration. The first phase will bring back the three most important aspects of NEPA law that were removed by the Trump administration. The second phase will be more extensive.
Federal agencies must evaluate all environmental impacts of any decisions they make under the final rule. It restores agencies’ authority to work with communities. Additionally, it establishes new NEPA regulations that “as a floor, not a ceiling for the environmental review standards federal agencies should be meeting,” said the council.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Ella Nilsen contributed this report