Federal agencies must now consider the impact greenhouse gas emissions will have on infrastructure projects, according to a new directive from the Biden administration.
The White House Council on Environmental Quality directive builds on policy created by the Obama administration in 2016 and later rescinded by former President Donald Trump in 2020.
The CEQ issued reforms in April that required federal agencies to consider the cumulative climate impacts, directly and indirectly, of a permit decision under the National Environmental Policy Act. It asked agencies to "provide communities and decision-makers with more complete information about proposed projects, their environmental and public health impacts, and their alternatives."
In its new directive, the CEQ recommends agencies use a "rule of reason" to analyze whether a project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and asks agencies to mitigate emissions "to the greatest extent possible."
It also aims to advance "environmental justice" by encouraging agencies to engage with affected communities and incorporate environmental justice considerations into climate-related analysis.
The directive constitutes a set of recommendations, not requirements.
"Disclosing and reducing emissions will ensure we're building sustainable, resilient infrastructure for the 21st century and beyond," CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory said in a news release. "These updated guidelines will provide greater certainty and predictability for green infrastructure projects, help grow our clean energy economy, and help fulfill President Biden's climate and infrastructure goals."
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