On May 21, 20 states led by Iowa and North Dakota joined in a lawsuit against the Council on Environmental Quality, seeking to overturn the ABC-opposed National Environmental Policy Act Phase 2 revisions. The complaint asserts that the CEQ’s new regulations impose unnecessarily burdensome and unworkable new rules that will delay critical projects across the country.

The final rule, which takes effect July 1, implements wide-ranging changes to the federal environmental review and permitting process. The changes reverse important streamlining provisions from the ABC-supported 2020 NEPA rule and add new layers of complexity to the NEPA process.

ABC previously joined a coalition submitting comments opposing the rule, and issued a statement condemning the final rule upon its release.