Earthjustice Blasts House Natural Resources Committee Attacks on NEPA

Earthjustice Blasts House Natural Resources Committee Attacks on NEPA

"This hearing and the Manchin-Barrasso permitting bill in the Senate are not real solutions."

Contacts

Geoffrey Nolan, [email protected]

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee held a legislative hearing on various pieces of legislation that would weaken the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). After the hearing, Earthjustice Vice President of Policy and Legislation Raúl García issued the following statement:

"We must be clear: there is no time to waste in addressing environmental injustice and the climate crisis. Our health and climate cannot afford more handouts to dirty industries for meager gains on clean energy. This hearing and the Manchin-Barrasso permitting bill in the Senate are not real solutions. In fact, the House proposal aims to reverse key improvements that already speed up the permitting process while increasing upfront community engagement and prioritizing climate and environmental justice solutions. The improvements the Biden administration has already made will lead to the construction of better, more resilient projects that we need to meet our clean energy goals while protecting communities. Instead of backroom deals granting polluter wish lists, we need to double down on the progress we've already made and come together around real solutions like the Clean Energy Transmission Acceleration Act and the Environmental Justice for All Act."

In anticipation of the hearing, over 60 environmental justice and conservation groups sent a letter to House Natural Resources Committee members urging them to oppose these bill.

Additional Resources

• Earthjustice Responds to Senator Manchin and Barrasso's Permitting Bill
• 360+ Climate & Environmental Organizations Urge Senate to Reject Dirty Permitting Deal
• About the Policy and Legislation Team

About Earthjustice

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.