Federal agencies release NEPA guidance following White House Executive Order
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Charlotte Mitchell Duyshart
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On January 20, President Trump signed Executive Order 14154 - Unleashing American Energy, which directed the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to rescind all National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations the agency had previously published from the federal code. CEQ subsequently issued a memo directing federal agencies to “revise or establish their NEPA implementing procedures (or establish such procedures if they do not yet have any) to expedite permitting approvals and for consistency with NEPA as amended by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), including the deadlines established in NEPA”. Since then, several federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Energy (DOE), Interior (DOI), Transportation (DOT), Agriculture (USDA), the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), have released draft or final guidance aligning their NEPA procedures with CEQ’s new framework.
These updates have significant implications for counties, which often play a direct role in federally funded or permitted infrastructure projects. From roads and energy facilities to broadband and water systems, counties are frequently involved as project sponsors, cooperating agencies, or affected jurisdictions. Changes in how environmental reviews are conducted—such as new timelines, documentation standards, or coordination protocols—may influence how quickly county-led or county-impacted projects move forward.
To ensure that county priorities and concerns are reflected, NACo submitted formal comment letters on several of these agency proposals. We continue to advocate for a NEPA process that supports local input, reduces duplicative reviews, and streamlines project delivery. NACo will release an in-depth analysis of each agency’s NEPA guidance in the coming days and provide updates to help counties navigate these evolving federal environmental review requirements.
NACo Comment Letters:
Letter to U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)
Letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Letter to U.S. Department of Energy(DOE)
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CEQ issues interim final rule on implementing NEPA regulations
On February 25, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued an interim final rule to remove existing federal regulations on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),and rescinded CEQ’s authority to promulgate NEPA regulations. CEQ issued a memo on February 19 asserting that any federal agencies implementing regulations should prioritize streamlining and expediting NEPA’s permitting process.
