It’s time to make NEPA work for the American people | Cyrus Western

In June, the Trump EPA proposed updates to modernize its NEPA procedures. The proposal aligns the Agency’s regulations with recent legislative, executive, and judicial developments, including President Trump’s Executive Order to Unleash American Energy and the Supreme Court’s decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County. The updates emphasize focused environmental reviews with clear timelines and greater predictability for agencies and states. The need for this reform is not theoretical. For too long NEPA has been used as a weapon to hinder key projects and developments. Those days are over. The Trump EPA’s proposal reaffirms that NEPA is a procedural statute, not a tool for endless delay.

EPA’s reforms also recognize our unique role in the federal permitting landscape. EPA reviews environmental impact statements prepared by other agencies for major energy, transportation, and infrastructure projects. By aligning our procedures with NEPA’s recent amendments, Supreme Court precedent, and by focusing within each agency’s statutory authority, we can deliver timely, actionable comments, reduce duplication, and keep reviews on schedule without sacrificing transparency or rigor.

That review role is exactly what EPA is carrying out on proposals such as the Bridger Pipeline project. EPA’s responsibility is to provide rigorous, science-driven reviews based on a plain reading of environmental law; not to create unnecessary barriers to infrastructure projects based on highly unlikely ‘what if’ scenarios. When agencies spend years analyzing issues outside their statutory authority, they divert time and resources from the environmental impacts that truly matter.

Let’s be clear — none of this means sacrificing environmental protection. America should not have to choose between protecting our environment and building critical infrastructure. We can do both. We can safeguard natural resources while modernizing and strengthening domestic manufacturing, improving networks, and investing in infrastructure. EPA’s proposed updates embrace that approach. They restore clarity, reinforce the rule of law, and give communities, businesses, and state and local governments greater certainty as they move projects forward. The American people deserve permitting processes that are transparent, efficient, and faithful to the law.