Trump Administration Repeals Key Environmental Rules to Expedite Infrastructure Projects

The Council on Environmental Quality's interim final rule shifts environmental review responsibilities to individual federal agencies, aiming to streamline processes under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The Trump administration has repealed the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), allowing the rule to take immediate effect via an interim final rule.
The CEQ's repeal does not eliminate NEPA but transfers responsibility for environmental reviews to individual federal agencies, which will now create their own regulations with nonbinding guidance from the CEQ.
The move is part of a broader effort to simplify environmental review processes that critics argue have caused delays, increased costs, and litigation risks for energy and infrastructure projects.
Supporters of the repeal believe it will accelerate both traditional and clean energy projects, while opponents warn that regulatory uncertainty could lead to further delays and legal challenges.
The repeal follows recent court rulings that questioned the CEQ's authority to issue binding regulations, with agencies now tasked with defining key terms like 'major federal action' and 'significant effects' to reduce ambiguity.