Trump fast-tracks pipeline permits at the expense of environmental review

President Donald Trump is speeding up the permitting process for infrastructure projects, including oil pipelines such as Dakota Access and Keystone XL. He signed an executive order today that gives governors the ability to hasten a project by deeming it a “national priority.” A rushed approval process would bypass more thoughtful public participation and environmental review.  Similarly, Trump issued presidential memoranda asking agencies to expedite review of domestic manufacturing projects. The Commerce Department, for instance, will now have to focus on finding ways to reduce or remove “regulatory burdens.” The reason behind these moves is to undermine the National Environmental Policy Act, a law that ensures more informed decision-making and meaningful public participation.