Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, DC – Late yesterday, reports broke that drastic changes to federal permitting requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) could be included in must-pass legislation Congress will take up this fall.
In response, Sierra Club Deputy Legislative Director Mahyar Sorour released the following statement:
“Ensuring our communities and our clean air and water are protected is not a trade chip. Requiring a robust review of how a project will impact a community or the environment is not an impediment, but rather a lifeline to ensure people are put above polluter profits.
“The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes $369 billion directed to over 100 programs that will address the climate crisis, invest in clean energy, create jobs, and safeguard our communities from pollution. Included among these programs are funding for NEPA implementation that will ensure effective review and community engagement. These investments, like the others throughout the IRA, are paramount to addressing the interconnected crises we face. The Senate must continue to advance this bill and send it to President Biden’s desk without delay.
“For decades, the Sierra Club has fought tirelessly to defend NEPA and ensure every project receives the review necessary before it can be approved. And we will always work to stop polluting projects, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline. That will never change. Just as we have from the courtroom to the halls of Congress, we will always fight to put communities, the environment, and our future above corporate polluters’ profits.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.