White House CEQ outlines “CE-first” approach to streamline NEPA reviews.
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has issued new guidance today for Federal departments and agencies on the implementation of categorical exclusions (CE) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This initiative aims to alleviate the excessive permitting challenges faced by infrastructure projects, aligning with the President’s agenda to reduce costs, stimulate economic growth, and save billions for Americans.
NEPA allows agencies to establish “categorical exclusions” for actions generally deemed not to have significant environmental impacts. This provision enables agencies to meet NEPA requirements more efficiently by avoiding the need to draft lengthy analyses from scratch for each action.
“Permitting critical infrastructure projects should not take longer than building them. Federal permitting processes must improve, and the Trump administration is dedicated to ensuring this progress,” stated Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Katherine Scarlett. “Today, we introduce guidance to assist agencies in identifying when extensive environmental reviews are unnecessary. By targeting analysis where it is truly needed, American infrastructure projects can advance more swiftly while upholding essential environmental standards.”
The guidance considers the changes introduced by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 to NEPA and follows CEQ’s recent repeal of its NEPA implementing regulations. CEQ has consistently highlighted the significance of CEs as a fundamental aspect of NEPA practice, promoting efficient and effective reviews in line with congressional intent.
In addition to this guidance, CEQ has recently introduced technological tools designed to streamline the application of CEs. These tools include the Categorical Exclusion Explorer, an online searchable database of existing CEs across Federal agencies, and a pilot program, CE Works, a technology platform that digitizes the process of completing a CE.
