American Highway Users Alliance: NEPA Final Rule is a Commonsense Update That Will Unlock Critical Infrastructure Investment

The final rule balances modernizing the NEPA process and protecting the environment

Laura C. Perrotta, President and CEO of the American Highway Users Alliance (Highway Users), issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s announcement of the final National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rule:

“Today’s final rule modernizes our 50-year old NEPA law and implements commonsense improvements to NEPA’s critical review process.  Americans can now unlock essential infrastructure investment for vital projects across the nation.  The final rule balances modernizing the NEPA process and protecting the environment.  In recent years, NEPA’s complex administrative procedures have ensnared a wide range of economic sectors from transportation to construction to agriculture. Environmental review is an important component of any infrastructure project but a multi-year, duplicative, and drawn out process is not necessary and only thwarts completion of beneficial projects including important projects that benefit all highway users.

“Bringing NEPA into the 21^st Century will speed up the permitting for infrastructure projects and will allow Americans to have access to safer roads sooner as the latest roadway safety features are likely to be included in new or updated projects. This is all the more important given that people are eager to get out on the road now that stay-at-home orders are being lifted in certain parts of the country.  A quicker kickoff for roadway projects will also lead to reduced emissions.  The freer flowing traffic will ease congestion and will use modern technologies that are more respectful of environmental concerns than they were decades ago. Today’s announcement reflects necessary and long-overdue improvements that will unravel the red tape that has tied up and even derailed vital road projects while ensuring thoughtful and complete environmental reviews.”

The American Highway Users Alliance has weighed in throughout the entire NEPA rulemaking process:

• Television Ad
  • https://www.highways.org/2020/03/nepa-modernization-media-campaign/ 
     
• Op-Eds/Letter to the Editor
  • Scranton Times-Tribune (PA) Op-ed by Laura Perrotta – “Fund, hasten crucial infrastructure projects“
  • The Citizens’ Voice (PA) Letter to the Editor by Laura Perrotta – “Speed up process to start roadway projects“
  • Issues & Insights Op-ed by Laura Perrotta – “Trump Just Removed A Major Barrier To Fixing Roads And Bridges“
  • Colorado Politics Op-ed by Laura Perrotta – “Removing a roadblock of red tape” 
     
• Comment letters to the Council on Environmental Quality
  • https://www.highways.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/nepa-coalition-extension-letter2-7-2020.pdf
  • https://www.highways.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/CEQ-comments3-7-2020.pdf

Category: Featured, General Update, Management, News