"The House of Representatives cleared the way for a massive overhaul of the federal environmental review process last Thursday, despite last-minute changes that led clean energy groups and moderate Democrats to pull their support. The Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, or SPEED Act, overcame opposition from environmentalists and many Democrats who oppose the bill's sweeping changes to a bedrock environmental law."
"The bill seeks to reform foundational environmental regulations that govern how major government projects are assessed and approved by amending the landmark 1970 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), signed into law under the Nixon administration. NEPA requires federal agencies to review and disclose the environmental impacts of major projects before permitting or funding them. Although NEPA reviews are only one component of the federal permitting process, advocates argue that they serve a crucial role by providing both the government and the public the chance to"
"examine the knock-on effects that major projects could have on the environment. Critics of the law have argued for years that increasingly complex reviews-along with legal wrangling over the findings of those reviews-have turned NEPA into a source of significant, burdensome delays that threaten the feasibility of major projects, such as power plants, transmission lines, and wind and solar projects on federal land."
The SPEED Act passed the House in a 221-196 vote, with bipartisan support from 11 Democrats joining Republicans. The bill would amend the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act to shorten and limit federal environmental reviews for major projects. Proponents argue the changes would reduce delays and speed permitting for infrastructure, energy, and development projects. Critics and environmentalists warn that narrowing NEPA would undermine public review, reduce scrutiny of environmental impacts, and create risks for ecosystems and communities. Clean energy groups and some moderate Democrats withdrew support after last-minute changes, and the bill’s fate in the Senate remains uncertain.
Read at Ars Technica
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