The Biden administration is accepting through Sept. 29 public comment on a new proposal to streamline project environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. White House officials said the proposed rule, if enacted, would speed permitting for federal infrastructure projects while still upholding the intent and protections under the bedrock U.S. environmental law.
Environmental reviews on major infrastructure projects can take from five to seven years, and in extreme cases, can be held up for more than a decade. The Biden administration has acknowledged—along with lawmakers from both parties and construction industry groups—the need to improve the review process for projects critical for meeting U.S. climate and clean energy goals. But proposals vary as to what those improvements should look like and what types of projects they would cover. Bills that have been introduced by House Republicans differ sharply from those envisioned by Senate Democrats such as Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper (Del.)