A bill aimed at improving transparency and accountability in environmental reviews was introduced on Thursday by Utah Senator John Curtis and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly. The ‘Studying NEPA’s Impact on Projects Act’ requires the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to publish an annual report detailing the impact of NEPA environmental reviews and related litigation. It provides Congress and the public with a clear picture of how NEPA affects project timelines, costs, and legal challenges—allowing for more informed policy debates and potential future reforms to the environmental review process. “Utahns care deeply about protecting the land they have lived on for generations and are frustrated by the antiquated and burdensome federal environmental review process they face in doing so,” said Senator Curtis. “Our bipartisan legislation will bring more transparency to environmental reviews, helping us all better understand how they impact project timelines, costs, and other challenges.” The increase in transparency in environmental reviews is especially of interest to the Uintah Basin energy industry.
