Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin targeted President Biden’s move to roll back President Trump’s National Environmental Policy Act reforms adopted in July of 2020.
He filed a bill called the “Stop NEPA Expansion Act” which would prevent Biden from requiring federal agencies to take a “hard look” at the impact of major highway, pipeline and oil and gas projects.
“We’re taking back legislative power,” said Rep. Mullin. “This bill ensures the Biden Administration cannot make these sweeping regulatory changes without bringing it to Congress first. If President Biden wants to burden American producers and waste taxpayer dollars, he’ll have to get through the system of checks and balances first.”
The Biden administration’s first rule undoes some of the key changes put in place in 2020 under former President Donald Trump, allowing federal agencies to more broadly consider the climate risks of embarking on major federal projects.
“Americans deserve regulatory certainty from their government,” added the Representative from eastern Oklahoma. “While President Trump maximized efficiencies and prioritized the stewardship of taxpayer dollars, President Biden is pandering to Green New Deal Democrats who have little to no practical understanding of how the permitting process works.”
The Trump-era reform included shortened time frames and page limits for reviews, removed the requirements that agencies consider the “cumulative” impact of the project on the climate, and excluded privately financed projects that have minimal government funding or involvement.
“Burdensome regulation is why I came to Congress in the first place,” he said. “As a small business owner, I know firsthand how heavy regulation can crush a business. Let’s cut the red tape and let our entrepreneurs work.”
To read the full text of the bill, click here.