Washington • The White House on Thursday will introduce the first major changes to the nation’s bench mark environmental protection law in more than three decades, moving to ease approval of pipelines and other major energy and infrastructure projects without detailed environmental review.
Many of the changes to the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act, a landmark measure that touches nearly every significant construction project in the country, have been long sought by the oil and gas industry, whose members applauded the move and called it long overdue.
White House officials Thursday morning declined to comment on the proposed regulations, which will be formally released later in the day.