Amending the NEPA Regulations

July 2022
Citation:
52
ELR 10515
Issue
7
Author
Jim McElfish, Kym Hunter, Tanya C. Nesbitt, and Suzi Ruhl

The Joe Biden Administration has proposed reversing a number of the Donald Trump Administration’s changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations by again requiring federal agencies to evaluate the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental impacts of projects under environmental review. On April 20, 2022, the first phase of those amendments was finalized, and on April 21, the Environmental Law Institute hosted a panel of experts to explore the changes to NEPA implementation, and how they might impact climate change policy and environmental justice. This Dialogue presents a transcript of that discussion, which has been edited for style, clarity, and space considerations.

Jim McElfish (moderator) is Director of the Sustainable Use of Land Program and Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law Institute. Kym Hunter is a Senior Attorney and Government Accountability Regional Leader at the Southern Environmental Law Center. Tanya C. Nesbitt is a Partner at Marten Law LLP. Suzi Ruhl is Director of Policy at the Elevate Policy Lab and Senior Research Scientist at the Yale Child Study Center, School of Medicine.

Article File