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For Immediate Release
October, 06 2021, 01:50pm EDT
Contact:
Geoffrey Nolan, Earthjustice, 202-740-7030
Biden Administration's Proposal a Positive First Step Forward in Restoring NEPA and Protecting Environmental Justice Communities
The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) took the first step in rolling back former President Donald Trump’s sweeping changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
WASHINGTON
Today, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) took the first step in rolling back former President Donald Trump's sweeping changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that fundamentally undermined federal agency responsibilities to consider the health and environmental impacts of government actions. The Biden Administration's proposed rule will restore long-standing provisions in NEPA that require comprehensive analysis of project impacts and reinstate meaningful public input in the decision-making process.
The following is a statement from Stephen Schima, a senior legislative counsel leading NEPA advocacy work for Earthjustice:
"This proposal from CEQ is a positive first step toward restoring the integrity of NEPA and giving environmental justice communities the voice and the agency to determine what projects are built in their neighborhoods. This critical law has played an undeniable role in giving communities the legal recourse to fight for their access to clean air, clean water, and land free from contaminants and pollution.
"By reversing the Trump regulations that put polluter interests over those of the public, the Biden Administration is demonstrating a willingness to listen to those on the frontlines of the climate crisis whose lives and livelihoods are on the line. However, this rule is only a partial down payment on a more comprehensive and much-needed overhaul of the 2020 Trump regulations that sought to weaken NEPA and cut communities out of the decision-making process. We look forward to working with CEQ throughout the rulemaking process to ensure that the federal government is taking an active role in addressing the immediate and future impacts of climate change and its impacts on environmental justice communities.
"We are pleased the Administration is taking these steps to restore equity and certainty in federal decision-making under NEPA and hope Congress will build on this effort by providing for meaningful funding for NEPA implementation in the reconciliation bill. NEPA must remain a critical tool that current and future generations rely upon to safeguard their communities."
Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment. We bring about far-reaching change by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws on behalf of hundreds of organizations, coalitions and communities.
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'This Is Oligarchy': Nearly 100 Billionaires Are Funding Susan Collins' Reelection Bid
"While Susan Collins’ campaign is backed by billionaire donors, our campaign is built on a movement funded by the people, with an average donation of $26," said Graham Platner's campaign manager.
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A new analysis of campaign finance data shows that nearly 100 billionaires and their spouses have contributed to Republican Sen. Susan Collins' reelection bid so far, funneling nearly $10 million to the incumbent's campaign committee and PACs supporting her effort to fend off progressive challenger Graham Platner.
The Maine Monitor on Thursday published a list of billionaires who have donated to Collins and Platner, who has called his Republican opponent a "corrupt" protector and beneficiary of an oligarchic political system. The outlet noted that Collins' billionaire donation total "stands in stark contrast with the fundraising of her opponent... whose campaign has mostly attracted smaller amounts of funds but from many more people."
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this is oligarchy — pass it on pic.twitter.com/hU3nsRx9w4
— David Sirota (@davidsirota) June 12, 2026
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