Dear Chair Mallory:
The Agricultural Retailers Association, American Chemistry Council, American Exploration & Production Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, American Gas Association, American Public Gas Association, American Public Power Association, American Road & Transportation Builders Association, Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors of America, Association of American Railroads, The Fertilizer Institute, Independent Petroleum Association of America, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Manufacturers, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Lime Association, National Mining Association, National Ocean Industries Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association,
National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Public Lands Council, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce (collectively, the “Coalition”) offer the following comments in response to the Council on Environmental Quality’s (“CEQ’s”) proposed revisions to its regulations (“Proposed Rule”) implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”).1
Our organizations represent a diverse set of economic sectors that form the backbone of the American economy—agriculture, energy, construction, forestry, manufacturing, transportation, and other sectors. Through the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the United States has made the most significant investment in infrastructure since the New Deal. The Act will promote projects that will enable the movement of people, goods, information, and energy to support the American economy. To ensure that the Act succeeds, further efforts are needed. In order to realize this investment, the Administration should ensure an efficient and transparent NEPA review process.