USDA Rural Development Programs Adopt Modernized NEPA Rule as USDA Finalizes Historic Reforms

(Washington, D.C., May 12, 2026) - U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development today announced Rural Development programs will follow the historic reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act regulations effective immediately.

"NEPA implementation had become overly cumbersome and a painful barrier to getting things done for and with rural communities," said USDA Rural Development Acting Under Secretary Todd Lindsey. "USDA's Final Rule, championed by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, marks an important step forward in delivering our programs efficiently and with more accountability."

The Final Rule, published April 3, 2026, removes various agency regulations, including Rural Development 7 CFR 1970. This Final Rule adopts the changes introduced in the Interim Final Rule published on July 3, 2025, which consolidated seven agency-specific NEPA regulations into a single, department wide framework. The changes ensure USDA's NEPA implementation achieves its purpose, ensuring federal agencies consider environmental impacts while also executing flexibility for faster delivery of USDA Rural Development funding.

For more information on USDA Rural Development investments in rural America, visit the Rural Data Gateway. The Rural Data Gateway is an online tool that strengthens USDA Rural Development partnerships with rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and Congress by making RD's investment data accessible to the public.

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