Biden Moves to Undo Trump’s Harmful NEPA Rules

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration took a first step to partially reverse rules from President Trump that undercut the ability of people to have a say in proposed pipelines, incinerators, and other government-approved projects.

The Trump administration’s rules allowed federal agencies to ignore serious environmental and health impacts of their decisions, undermining the core protections established in the landmark 1970 National Environmental Policy Act.

The following is a statement by Sharon Buccino, a senior attorney at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“President Biden is moving in the right direction, as his administration proposes to re-establish bedrock protections and ensure federal agencies consider the full environmental and health impacts of their decisions.

“Oil drillers and other polluters may complain, but all of us, and, especially, frontline communities, benefit from these protections. As we face the devastating effects of flooding, heat waves, intense fires, and other climate impacts, we need to think carefully and plan accordingly before rushing to give the OK for dangerous fossil-fuel projects.

“We look forward to working with the administration and Congress to ensure that efficient and effective environmental review is funded and occurs so that smart, helpful projects are built – but dirty, harmful ones avoided.”

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.