Trump permitting reforms wouldn’t have saved Big Oil and gas pipelines, analysts say

Published July 7, 2020 4:00am ET



A Trump administration overhaul of requirements that developers conduct environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects isn’t likely to help oil and gas pipelines if federal agencies continue to cut corners to try to speed construction, analysts say.

The Dakota Access and Atlantic Coast pipelines faced major setbacks in recent days because the Trump administration skirted environmental review requirements, leading to unfavorable court rulings that either blocked the projects or made them uneconomical. Those procedural missteps matter because the requirements to conduct environmental reviews would remain in place even with pending Trump administration changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, regulations seeking to shorten and streamline the process, analysts say.

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