The White House has proposed reforms to the environmental review process for new energy projects, aiming to expedite permitting for projects related to emissions reduction and climate change mitigation. The proposal suggests altering the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations to encourage broader, “programmatic” environmental reviews covering multiple projects instead of individual ones. It also allows federal agencies to exclude more project categories from review and reduces the necessity for reviews for projects that are deemed to have significant and long-lasting positive impacts. The Council on Environmental Quality, a White House division, believes these changes will accelerate the adoption of clean energy in the United States while still protecting communities through earlier public comments on projects. NEPA is a critical environmental law requiring reviews for major projects, often subject to litigation that can cause lengthy delays. 

According to the White House, the proposed rule builds upon previous efforts to reform the NEPA process, reversing changes made during the Trump administration. Last year’s reforms required federal agencies to consider direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of proposed projects, including comprehensive assessments of climate impacts. The goal of these changes is to address permitting delays, but more comprehensive reforms may still be required, as acknowledged by lawmakers. These reforms will help accelerate everything from wildfire management and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to transmission and offshore wind 

While the reforms are seen as a positive step by environmental advocates, Republican Senator Kevin Cramer believes they could make it easier for activists to initiate lengthy litigation. Ultimately, the proposed rule will undergo a public comment period before final approval by the White House.

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