Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Permitting Reform topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wright: NEPA was 'weaponized'; permitting reform must speed transmission and infrastructure
Summary
Secretary Wright said NEPA and permitting practices have slowed infrastructure projects and praised recent DOE NEPA guidance and a Supreme Court decision as corrective, urging Congress to act to streamline permitting for transmission and large projects.
Secretary Chris Wright told the audience that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a 1970s law he called "common sense," had been "weaponized" and used to delay critical infrastructure. He said DOE updated its NEPA procedures to align agency practice with the statute and welcomed a unanimous Supreme Court ruling that, in his view, reinforced returning to the law's intent.
Wright argued permitting delays have made it difficult to build transmission and large projects in most U.S. states, contrasting that with historical projects such as the transcontinental railroad. He said bipartisan congressional action will likely be required to clear remaining barriers and blamed excessive litigation and regulatory friction for slowed investment.
