"Federal regulators have been instructed to consider planet-warming pollution before approving large projects like pipelines and airports."
"President Joe Biden’s White House on Friday issued new guidance for federal agencies to assess greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts when reviewing proposed infrastructure projects.
The updated guidance from the White House Council on Environmental Quality furthers the administration’s reversal of a major Trump-era move, the industry-friendly overhaul of the National Environmental Policy Act, one of the country’s bedrock environmental laws. It is a supplement to a White House rule last year that required federal agencies to once again evaluate all climate environmental impacts when reviewing pipelines, power plants, airports and other projects.
NEPA reviews “should quantify proposed actions’ [greenhouse gas] emissions, place GHG emissions in appropriate context and disclose relevant GHG emissions and relevant climate impacts, and identify alternatives and mitigation measures to avoid or reduce GHG emissions,” the new guidance reads.
CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory said in a statement that the guidelines will “ensure we’re building sustainable, resilient infrastructure for the 21st century and beyond.”"
Chris D'Angelo reports for HuffPost January 6, 2023.
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