By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
The Executive Office of the President of the United States’ Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recently announced a final rule updating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the first comprehensive update to the act in 40 years.
It was a move welcomed by American farmers and ranchers, including those here in Texas, according to Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) National Legislative Director Laramie Adams.
“The regulations are a much-needed modernization of the federal environmental review process, which will benefit the environment, the economy and farmers and ranchers,” Adams said. “NEPA affects construction of roads and bridges, electricity transmission, water and broadband infrastructure and the management of public lands—all of which are important issues for rural Texans. We’re glad to see CEQ bringing it up to date to be more efficient in today’s world.”
NEPA was signed into law in 1970 to ensure federal agencies fully assessed the environmental impact of federal actions such as construction of new infrastructure and the development of federal lands. Despite significant leaps in technology and the scientific advancement in many areas covered by NEPA, no major changes have ever been made to the rule—only one limited amendment in 1986.
CEQ’s final rule will modernize NEPA regulations by simplifying and clarifying requirements.
The final rule codifies Supreme Court and other case law, updates the regulations to reflect current technologies and agency practices, eliminates obsolete provisions and improves the format and readability of the regulations.
Regulatory modernization provided by the final rule will ensure the federal government considers both the benefits and consequences of major federal actions before decisions are made and alternatives are considered to major federal actions.
These new regulations allow the government to respond to modern issues like broadband deployment, renewable energy production and public transit, Adams said.
“This is about smart government and having more effective and timely federal environmental reviews,” he said. “Whether they result in approval or denial of a project, the goal is to avoid projects being in limbo for years. Texas Farm Bureau appreciates the administration for their steadfast work on regulatory reform.”
The updated regulation also expands public participation, which is essential to ensuring projects are evaluated in a fair and comprehensive manner, he added.