Trump weakens environmental law to speed up permits for pipelines, freeways

The 210 freeway in Southern California.
(Image credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

President Trump announced on Wednesday he will overhaul the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act, weakening it so federal infrastructure projects can be pushed through faster.

Under the law, federal agencies must consider the environmental impact of a project before it is approved, with the public and interest groups allowed to comment. Trump's new regulations limit the review time so permits for projects like power plants, pipelines, and freeways can be issued quickly, The New York Times reports. Speaking in Atlanta, Trump said there are "mountains and mountains of red tape" that block infrastructure projects, and "all of that ends today."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.