WASHINGTON – Today, the Trump administration announced it is starting a process to change key regulations that guide one of our nation’s most important environmental laws – the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Jim Murphy, the National Wildlife Federation’s senior counsel, responded to today’s news:

“NEPA has led to better, smarter projects nationwide and has saved taxpayers money time and time again. Our rivers are healthier, our air is cleaner and our communities are safer thanks to this historic piece of legislation. The core of the law is that it requires agencies to look at the impacts of major projects like dams, pipelines and highways on wildlife and the environment, and it gives the public meaningful opportunities to be heard on federal decisions. Citizen input has changed a great many projects for the better and has stopped a handful of unwise projects from ever being built. Without NEPA at its full strength, our nation’s quality of life and wildlife heritage will suffer."