The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is proposing this “Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule” to revise its regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including to implement the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s amendments to NEPA. CEQ proposes the revisions to provide for an effective environmental review process that promotes better decision making; ensure full and fair public involvement; provide for an efficient process and regulatory certainty; and provide for sound decision making grounded in science, including consideration of relevant environmental, climate change, and environmental justice effects. CEQ proposes these changes to better align the provisions with CEQ’s extensive experience implementing NEPA; CEQ’s perspective on how NEPA can best inform agency decision making; longstanding Federal agency experience and practice; NEPA’s statutory text and purpose, including making decisions informed by science; and case law interpreting NEPA’s requirements. CEQ invites comments on the proposed revisions.
DATES:
Comments: CEQ must receive comments by September 29, 2023.
Public meetings: CEQ will conduct four virtual public meetings for the proposed rule on Saturday, August 26, 2023, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT; Wednesday, August 30, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT; Monday, September 11, 2023, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT; and Thursday, September 21, 2023, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. For additional information and to register for the meetings, please visit CEQ’s website at www.nepa.gov.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments, identified by docket number CEQ–2023–0003, by any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: 202–456–6546.
