On Wednesday, the House Natural Resources Committee (Committee) held a hearing on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to examine the modernization of its regulatory framework. The Committee highlighted the legal cost of environmental impact statements and environmental assessments that delay and burden federal projects.
The Committee pointed to the NEPA amendments in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) of 2015, as a step towards modernization and reform, but argued there are more improvements to be made to NEPA. The Committee focused on proposals that streamline permitting decisions for infrastructure projects and cut costs for public and private stakeholders.