Eleanor Hildebrandt | April 21, 2022

President Joe Biden and his administration restored federal regulations that ensure rigorous environmental reviews of infrastructure projects on Tuesday. Pipeline, highway, and oil projects all must complete the reviews.

The Trump administration previous scaled back the regulations to fast-track projects and generate jobs. The National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations Revisions were finalized this week and take effect in May. White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory said restoring the community safeguards will reduce conflict and ensure projects are built properly the first time.

“Patching these holes in the environmental review process will help projects get built faster, be more resilient and provide greater benefits to people who live nearby,” she said.

Environmental activists are touting the rule change, according to the Associated Press, for its restoration of previous regulations and keeping the environment healthy for the foreseeable future. Leslie Fields, the Sierra Club’s national director of policy, advocacy and legal affairs, said the restoration of clear runes plays a critical role in protecting the environment. Critics say the new regulations will slow down major infrastructure projects and the jobs associated with them.