President Joe Biden has finalised a rule that it says will streamline environmental permitting of clean energy facilities, such as wind projects.
The Biden administration’s Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule will speed up project review and modernise the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) of 1970.
The rule sets clear one- and two- year deadlines for agencies to complete environmental reviews. It establishes a lead agency as well as specific expectations for lead and cooperating agencies to create a unified and coordinated federal review process.
Additionally, the rule provides agencies with other tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental reviews and climate change will have to be taken into consideration more than before.
“As we accelerate our clean energy future, we are also protecting communities from pollution and environmental harms that can result from poor planning and decision making while making sure we build projects in the right places,” said Brenda Mallory, chair of the Council on Environmental Quality at the White House.
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