Modernize Without Fast-Tracking Harm

WASHINGTON – President Trump is expected to sign an Executive Order today that would significantly weaken environmental review and public transparency requirements in the permitting process for infrastructure projects. The following is a statement by Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“We can modernize our country without rubber-stamping hazard and fast-tracking harm. We can’t afford to short-change our future by short-circuiting common sense safeguards that protect clean water and air. Arbitrary decisions and artificial deadlines can lead to costly mistakes we’ll all pay for down the line.

“With smart infrastructure investments, we can create good-paying jobs, spur better transportation options, fix dangerous and outdated water systems, make our communities more resilient to climate change and produce more clean energy to power real growth. That’s how to make public investments that deliver public benefits that truly strengthen our economy and improve our lives.”

For a recent blog post by NRDC’s Stephanie Gidigbi about a new survey showing Americans’ resistance to infrastructure funding cuts, see here.

For a previous blog post by NRDC’s Rob Moore about the need for flood protection standards, see here.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Chicago; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.