The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an extremely important environmental law guaranteeing government transparency and citizen participation in decision making, is now under attack.
NEPA is the fundamental environmental law allowing public input in decisions that affect public lands and our communities. This law requires that agencies consider environmental, public health, and economic impacts when making decisions about infrastructure projects and permits. Under NEPA, agencies must explain why they’re taking action, disclose costs and impacts of their proposed action, explore less harmful options to meet their needs, and allow participation of the public and local community leaders in making decisions. For almost 50 years, NEPA has ensured this government transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.
This crucial environmental law is now at risk, as the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking indicating the possibility of a complete re-write of NEPA. They are now accepting comments on this proposal.
For more information about this issue and the potential damage of a NEPA re-write, please visit: https://www.southernenvironment.org/news-and-press/news-feed/speak-up-for-the-right-to-speak-up.
The deadline to submit comments to CEQ is July 20th, 2018. Please make your voice heard!