The White House announced this week that it has restored some key protections that make up a landmark environmental law that governs the construction of pipelines, highways, and other infrastructure projects. The rules were mostly swept away by the Republicans.
In 2020, the Trump administration altered the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), arguing that many of the rules included therein added red tape and endeavored to change the way the law was implemented, reports The Washington Post. The newly restored rules will require federal agencies to scrutinize the climate impacts of major infrastructure projects.
Under them, regulators will have to account for how government actions may increase greenhouse gas emissions and fragment wildlife habitats. They must also consider whether projects will impose new burdens on communities, particularly in poor and minority neighborhoods that continue to face disproportionate amounts of pollution and related negative health outcomes.
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“I’m glad this administration recognizes how egregiously wrong [the Republicans’] actions were and is moving forward to restore the protections that have helped protect our environment while promoting sustainable development for decades,” said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Republicans, however, are criticizing the new rules, fearing that they may raise construction costs and lengthen lead times for infrastructure projects. NEPA has long been used by citizens to fight against large infrastructure projects they believe would have insupportable impacts on the environment and local communities, such as the Keystone XL Pipeline, which the law helped block.
According to climate activists, the new rules are a positive step but still fall short of providing the full environmental protections required to successfully fight climate change. “This is a step in the right direction, but we’re looking for full restoration,” said Kym Hunter, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center.
