The Council in Environmental Quality (CEQ) has issued an update to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementation guidelines, further clarifying agency efforts to revise implementation procedures and permitting processes.
The update is the latest in the administration’s efforts to cut through red tape and enable agencies to move faster and more efficiently on achieving project clearance. Major infrastructure efforts are frequently subject to encumbered federal permitting processes that typically increase project duration and cost, according to federal officials.
The president signed an executive titled “Unleashing American Energy” on Jan. 20, 2025, as one of his first acts in office directing the CEQ to rescind certain NEPA regulations. The order directed agencies to analyze, establish and revise their implementing procedures to streamline project development timelines.
In February, the CEQ released the first iteration of the updated NEPA implementation guidelines to provide agencies with information and a template to base their revision process on. The newly released guidance replaces those guidance tools with updated information and directions.
The first round of NEPA revisions were made earlier this year in June, aligning the guidance’s implementing procedures with the administration’s goals and policies. All agencies have collaborated with the CEQ to develop and approve consistent NEPA guidance policies for implementation.
The NEPA revision process is an ongoing initiative undertaken by each agency. Notably, the updated guidance accounts for the Supreme Court’s decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, a case that dictated the need to course correct existing NEPA procedures and streamline the federal permitting process. The Supreme Court’s decision reflected the understanding that the current permitting process is overly restrictive and must be adjusted to minimize project roadblocks, requiring agencies to more solidly define efforts while allowing them to implement procedures as non-regulatory documents.
Additional information on CEQ’s NEPA revisions and updates, see the council’s website.
Photo by Tom Van Dyck from Pexels
