USDOT Targets Environmental Review to Accelerate Infrastructure Projects

This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced updates to its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures, marking the first department-wide overhaul in four decades.

The reforms aim to expedite project delivery, reduce regulatory burdens and streamline environmental reviews for infrastructure efforts such as roads, bridges and energy installations, according to the department.

The changes consolidate six sets of procedural rules into one department-wide order and include updated guidance for the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration.

According to the department, the revisions will implement enforceable deadlines, simplify categorical exclusions for low-impact projects and clarify when NEPA reviews are required—namely when federal agencies have sufficient control over a project’s environmental footprint.

Transportation officials said the move will provide consistency across agencies, eliminate duplicative reviews and reduce compliance costs. The reforms follow recent legislative amendments to NEPA and guidance from the Council on Environmental Quality.

“These updates are about making smarter, faster decisions to improve our nation’s infrastructure while maintaining environmental stewardship,” said Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, in a statement.

The revised process also draws on recent court decisions and Congressional actions, including the BUILDER Act within the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act. The department expects the new framework to cut red tape and eliminate outdated policies that have long delayed critical infrastructure projects.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation