Arlington, VA-The American Consumer Institute (ACI) submitted comments supporting the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) proposed reforms to modernize the environmental review and permitting process. The STB’s proposed comprehensive permitting reforms are both necessary and timely to address a fragmented, outdated environmental review system that is slowing or blocking critical rail infrastructure. NEPA-driven delays inflate costs, deter investment, and undermine supply‑chain reliability. Recent legal and legislative developments—including the Supreme Court’s Seven County decision, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, CEQ guidance, and the pending SPEED Act—collectively narrow NEPA’s scope, expand categorical exclusions, and impose clearer timelines.
Aligning STB’s processes with these modernized standards will reduce litigation risk, accelerate project delivery, and support the rail capacity needed for rising freight demand. Streamlined permitting is essential for economic competitiveness, network fluidity, and long‑term consumer welfare.
Read ACI’s comments here.
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The American Consumer Institute is a nonprofit education and research organization.