Trump to sign order to waive environmental reviews for key projects

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Trump to sign order to waive environmental reviews for key projects

New executive order would affect how agencies apply laws such as the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act

By Juliet Eilperin and Jeff Stein
6/4/2020, 11:57:49 a.m.

President Trump will sign an executive order Thursday instructing agencies to waive long-standing environmental laws to speed up federal approval for new mines, highways, pipelines and other projects given the current “economic emergency,” according to four people briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity in advance of the formal announcement.

Declaring an economic emergency allows the president to invoke a section of federal law “where emergency circumstances make it necessary to take an action with significant environmental impact without” observing normal requirements imposed by laws such as the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. These laws require agencies to solicit public input on proposed projects and analyze in detail how federal decisions could harm the environment.

One senior administration official said Thursday that the move would help the nation recover from the economic losses it has suffered since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Waiving these requirements will “expedite construction of highways and other projects designed for environmental, energy, transportation, natural resource, and other uses,” one official said in an email.

But Trump’s desire to weaken the National Environmental Policy Act predates the eruption of the pandemic in the United States. In early January, the president proposed fundamental changes to 50-year-old regulations to narrow its scope. Those changes would mean that communities would have less control over some projects built in their neighborhoods. Environmental groups, tribal activists and others have used the law to delay or block infrastructure, mining, logging and drilling projects since it was signed by President Richard M. Nixon in 1970.

Those proposed changes are under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget and could be finalized within weeks.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/06/04/trump-sign-order-waive-environmental-reviews-key-projects/

[Backseat Driver]

1. Ugh - another EO that disrupts the process of caution and inspection

to further thwart unintended permanent or costly consequences of rash decisions.

[riversedge]

2. Trump is bound and determined to do as much damage as possible for votes in Nov

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. And if he isn't reelected he'll do even more damage in spite.