Senate Bill Seeks to Remove Rural Projects from NEPA, NHPA Review

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Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), David Perdue (R-GA) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced S. 2430, the “Paving the Way for Rural Communities Act of 2019,” to remove outdated, burdensome regulatory hurdles from rural areas. They say the measure will increase rural communities’ access to infrastructure projects and better economic opportunities. 

This bill removes the Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act and National Environmental Policy Act requirements from federally funded projects or activities in any area that’s not part of a metropolitan statistical area as designated by the Office of Management and Budget. 

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.  

“We should not have laws in place that hinder, rather than help, economic development in rural areas,” said Blackburn. “‘The Paving the Way for Rural Communities Act’ provides much needed relief to those who do not have the means to pay for unnecessary and burdensome compliance costs.”

August 12, 2019   

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