ConDig (20-Feb-25) US construction companies have welcomed a decision by The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to revoke all National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations previously issued by the agency.

Ben Brubeck, ABC’s vice president of regulatory, labor, and state affairs, applauded the decision, calling it a “bold new approach” to addressing what he described as a burdensome and inefficient system that has slowed infrastructure development and driven up costs.

“This action represents a bold new approach to reforming our nation’s deeply flawed and onerous federal environmental review process, which for many years has slowed the development of critical infrastructure and unnecessarily increased costs,” Brubeck said in a statement.

The repeal is the first step in what is expected to be a broader effort to overhaul how NEPA is implemented. Brubeck urged the Trump administration to ensure that federal agencies adopt a streamlined, predictable, and transparent process moving forward—one that balances expedited permitting with environmental protections.

The decision marks a significant shift in federal environmental policy, with implications for industries reliant on large-scale infrastructure projects. Critics of NEPA have long argued that its regulatory requirements create excessive delays, while environmental advocates contend that the law is essential for ensuring responsible development.

CEQ has not yet detailed what regulatory framework will replace the repealed rules, but the move signals a commitment to revising the federal government’s approach to environmental permitting.

The NEPA is a US environmental law enacted in 1969 that requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of their actions before making decisions. Often referred to as the “Magna Carta” of environmental laws, NEPA ensures that government projects—such as highways, pipelines, and energy developments—undergo environmental review to consider potential impacts on land, water, air, wildlife, and communities.