Clean Water Current

(March 11, 2020) – The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) proposed the first updates in over four decades to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on January 10, 2020. The rulemaking proposes various updates to the manner in which federal agencies conduct reviews on major or significant actions that could affect the quality of public health or the environment.

With a limited 60-day comment window, NACWA submitted comments that highlight broader concerns that the proposed rule may not consider resiliency, such as stormwater management, when federal agencies are planning and reviewing major public infrastructure projects, like roads or bridges. NACWA raised the benefits of greater coordination between federal agencies but also commented that the review process should maintain an evidence-based science approach to ensure continued public health and environmental protection.

If members have questions, please contact Emily Remmel, NACWA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs.