NEPA : What Lies Ahead?

from Transportation Radio Hosted by Bernie Wagenblast

Episode Summary The latest episode of the “The Stream by AASHTO” podcast features Ted Boling, a partner with Perkins Coie, with over 30 years of public service – who discusses recent changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, and the removal of regulations by the Council on Environmental Quality, or CEQ. Episode Notes This podcast series is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state departments of transportation and the infrastructure programs they oversee. In February 2025, the CEQ announced an Interim Final Rule that removes its longstanding NEPA implementing regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations. This shift places the responsibility for NEPA compliance directly on individual federal agencies, allowing them to follow their own procedures rather than a centralized set of rules. In this podcast episode, Boling delves into how, if NEPA is revoked, it removes a “universal framework” that will prevent federal agencies working in tandem on environmental reviews. Boling also outlines the potential impact of mass layoffs within the federal government, especially among senior leadership and recent hires, and how that could slow down decision-making regarding environmental reviews for infrastructure projects.

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