This week, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling tailoring aspects of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) making clear that environmental reviews should be narrowly focused on the specific projects under review. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:  

“This week's unanimous ruling is a return to common sense and sends a clear message to radical environmental litigants. For far too long, weaponized litigation has ballooned NEPA into a tool to delay or block critical infrastructure and energy projects, forestry management and ecological restoration by requiring near-endless review of even the most far-fetched scenarios. The court’s ruling recognizes NEPA as a process statute, responsibly limits its scope and helps return the law to its original intent. This decision is a step in the right direction, and I look forward to working on further permitting reforms this congress." 

Background

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, delivering long overdue clarity that NEPA reviews should be focused on the project under consideration and should not stray into broader indirect impacts. The court affirmed the law should be used as a tool like originally intended, rather than a barrier to obstruct infrastructure development.  

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