Sierra Club Statement on Interior’s Axing of Environmental Review to Mere Formality

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of the Interior has issued a new policy setting a troublingly short time limit on environmental review.

In a press release Wednesday evening, the department issued new guidance fast-tracking the permitting of drilling and mining projects on public land, effectively reducing environmental review and public input to a formality. The release confirmed that the department would use emergency procedures to limit the timeframe for environmental assessments, which can sometimes take a year to fully complete, to just 14 days with no public comment period required. More thorough environmental impact statements, which usually take two years to fully complete, will be just 28 days, with approximately 10 days for public comment.

The new process is part of the department's response to Donald Trump's order declaring a "national energy emergency" and favoring oil and gas development and mining on public lands.

In response, Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program, released the following statement:

"Donald Trump has spent years trying to make 'environmental review' a four-letter word, but the fact is these assessments keep our communities safe. These arbitrary time limits make a complete review of the risks of potentially hazardous projects impossible. A shoddy review means the true hazards of a project may only be known when the air or water thousands of people rely on is dangerously polluted. Just remember, Donald Trump and his allies are willing to take that risk if it means padding the bottom line of billionaires and corporate polluters."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.