ARTBA Warns Biden Administration that NEPA Rollback Conflicts with IIJA

What happened: ARTBA opposed the Biden administration’s efforts to roll back sorely needed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reforms pointing out that such actions directly conflict with the goals of the recently enacted Infrastructure, Innovation and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Why it matters: In Nov. 22 comments filed with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), ARTBA warned the agency that its proposal to void NEPA reforms enacted last year runs counter to the IIJA’s goal of completing environmental reviews for transportation projects within two years. ‘Unfortunately, CEQ’s proposed rule makes this two-year goal all but impossible to attain by returning to the very same policies that have resulted inÉsuper-sized NEPA reviews,’ ARTBA explained.

What’s next: CEQ will review all comments to the docket and issue a final rule. There is no set deadline for the completion of this process.