LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Gov. Joe Lombardo and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox led an effort by 17 Republican governors to criticize changes that will make environmental reviews a bigger problem for states.
Lombardo’s signature leads the list as the governors cite the reasons in the letter to the Biden Administration, addressed to Brenda Mallory, chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). It challenges changes to regulations surrounding the National Environmental Policy Act, a required review in many major decisions made by the government.
“The stated purpose for the Proposed Rule is to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the NEPA Process. It fails in both regards. Instead, the Proposed Rule eliminates the clarity of the existing rule, decreases NEPA’s efficiency, and drastically increases the potential for litigation related to NEPA decisions,” the letter said.
The letter also challenges various rule changes that could slow the process down, including changes to accepted rules on public comments.
Governors signing the letter include Lombardo, Cox, Gov. Kay Ivey (Alabama), Gov. Brian Kemp (Georgia), Gov Brad Little (Idaho), Gov. Eric Holcomb (Indiana), Gov. Kim Reynolds (Iowa), Gov. Tate Reeves (Mississippi), Gov. Mike Parson (Missouri), Gov. Greg Gianforte (Montana), Gov. Jim Pillen (Nebraska), Gov. Chris Sununu (New Hampshire), Gov Doug Burgum (North Dakota), Gov Kevin Stitt (Oklahoma), Gov. Kristi Noem (South Dakota), Gov. Greg Abbott (Texas) and Gov. Mark Gordon (Wyoming).
