Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Trump Administration announced comprehensive reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures, aiming to reduce delays in federal permitting and support economic growth in the United States. White House Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Katherine Scarlett described the changes as ending NEPA's "regulatory reign of terror." Key federal agencies such as USDA, Commerce, DOI, DOE, FERC, DOT, and DOW, including USACE, have updated their NEPA processes to significantly impact the nation's energy and infrastructure agenda.
As part of these reforms, agencies have adopted a "Categorical Exclusions-First Approach," resulting in more frequent use of categorical exclusions to expedite environmental reviews and focus analysis where necessary. Since the start of the Administration, 195 categorical exclusions have been implemented to accelerate the NEPA process. Additionally, the Department of the Interior (DOI) instituted emergency NEPA procedures allowing domestic energy and critical mineral projects to proceed in under 28 days.
Further initiatives under President Trump include Executive Order 14318 to speed federal permitting for data center infrastructure, Executive Order 14394 calling for guidance to remove barriers to home construction under NEPA, and Executive Order 14335 focused on expediting environmental reviews for commercial space launch and reentry licenses and permits.
The reforms also seek to enhance investment in American infrastructure and energy projects. USDA and DOI have finalized policies estimated to save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Over 60 federal agencies and departments have undertaken or are pursuing NEPA procedural reforms to return to the law's core requirements and reduce unnecessary project delays.