Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, left, and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., confer just before a news conference to discuss their efforts to rescind recent Biden administration rules on the National Environmental Policy Act, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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UPDATED 3:40 PM PT – Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) decried President Biden’s latest environmental regulations while speaking at the Senate Republican Leadership Conference on Tuesday. He called out Biden for slowing down Americas economic growth and claimed the President’s new National Environmental Policy Act increased restrictions on infrastructure projects, which in turn burdened the US economy.
Joined @SenDanSullivan in support of his resolution to overturn @POTUS‘ disastrous NEPA regulations. We need relief from the environmental extremists running this admin. Democrats should join us in making infrastructure projects get done better, faster, cheaper & smarter. pic.twitter.com/ZdNLTbHRWp
— Sen. John Barrasso (@SenJohnBarrasso) August 2, 2022
The Senator went on to claim that prior to Biden taking office, the environmental reviews mandated under NEPA took less than one year to complete. He said similar reviews now could take as long as six years to complete.
The new regulations, which took effect on May 20, require federal agencies to calculate both the indirect and cumulative impacts of construction projects. Also included are the analysis of air and water quality as well the affects that it has on wild life and so-called climate change.
The Wyoming Republican lamented Biden’s move as counterproductive to the bipartisan infrastructure bill as he claims it slows down the construction of new roads, rails and broadband equipment.
“The administration claims, ‘well we passed this bipartisan infrastructure act,’ and they did sign, work together. Is any of that stuff ever gonna get built? Any of it?” Barrasso asked. “Not with what the administration is trying to do with the NEPA regulations revisions. To me it’s not revisions, these are reversals.”
The Senators denunciation of President Biden’s revisions are agreed upon by other GOP members. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) championed this effort in July. He introduced a joint resolution that nullified Biden’s updated NEPA revisions and reinstated Former President Trump’s 2020 regulations.
How do we restore American energy dominance?
✅ Put ANWR, NPR-A, Cook Inlet, Gulf leasing back on table
✅ Streamline permitting of energy infrastructure
✅ Stop pushing the financial sector to blackball US energy
✅ Appoint pro-US energy officials to senior financial posts pic.twitter.com/6kGoDc9Qhp— Sen. Dan Sullivan (@SenDanSullivan) July 19, 2022
If the joint resolution is approved by both houses of Congress as well as signed by Biden, these revisions could be reversed.