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House Natural Resources hearing splits over NEPA reform as members and witnesses debate speed versus safeguards
Summary
The House Natural Resources Committee held a contentious hearing July 25 on proposed changes to NEPA, with Republican members and industry witnesses urging new time limits and litigation curbs to speed projects while Democrats and academic witnesses defended public input and warned against weakening environmental review.
The House Natural Resources Committee heard more than three hours of testimony July 25 on proposals to change the National Environmental Policy Act, with Republicans pressing for limits on review timelines and Democrats defending public participation and environmental safeguards.
Republican Chairman Bruce Westerman said NEPA has "mutated into a significant roadblock" that delays infrastructure and energy projects. He cited agency statistics and court cases he said show environmental impact statements long and litigation-prone. "In 2020, the average length of a final environmental impact statement was 661 pages, and the average time to complete an EIS was a whopping 4 and a half years," Westerman said in his opening remarks.
Ranking Member Jared Huffman responded that NEPA is "a cornerstone of democracy and good governance," arguing the law makes federal decisions more transparent and yields improvements when communities can participate. "NEPA requires agencies to consider the facts, disclose the consequences, and…
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