[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 537 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 537

Encouraging the Trump Administration to maintain protections under the 
 National Environmental Policy Act and reverse ongoing administrative 
 actions to weaken this landmark law and its protections for American 
                              communities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 10, 2020

 Mr. Carper (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Markey, Mr. 
   Cardin, Mr. Booker, and Mrs. Gillibrand) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Environment and 
                              Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Encouraging the Trump Administration to maintain protections under the 
 National Environmental Policy Act and reverse ongoing administrative 
 actions to weaken this landmark law and its protections for American 
                              communities.

Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act is one of the Nation's bedrock 
        environmental laws that has helped protect the Nation's environment and 
        public health for half a century;
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act was passed by an overwhelming 
        bipartisan majority in Congress and has long enjoyed widespread public 
        support;
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act has a basic but critical purpose 
        of directing Federal agencies to identify and disclose the significant 
        environmental and public health impacts of major Federal actions before 
        such actions are taken, encouraging a ``look before you leap'' approach 
        in Federal decision making;
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act appropriately gives the public a 
        chance to review and give input on major projects before building and 
        development starts, resulting in improved, more democratic government 
        decision making on everything from fossil fuel, transportation, and 
        water infrastructure decisions to habitat and ecosystem conservation;
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act is one of the most important tools 
        available in the fight against the climate crisis;
Whereas efforts to block the enforcement of the National Environmental Policy 
        Act will make it easier for corporate polluters to hide the air, water, 
        and climate impacts of major projects;
Whereas efforts to block the enforcement of the National Environmental Policy 
        Act will undermine critical building requirements that make our roads, 
        bridges, and other infrastructure safer and better prepared to withstand 
        natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and storms, which are 
        getting more destructive and severe as a result of climate change;
Whereas efforts to block the enforcement of the National Environmental Policy 
        Act will require the United States to spend billions more taxpayer 
        dollars on infrastructure projects that won't survive the effects of 
        climate change;
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act is a critical civil rights tool 
        that gives all Americans a voice in Federal decision making by allowing 
        communities to be informed and weigh in on major proposed projects 
        affecting their communities;
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act requires Federal agencies to 
        evaluate the degree to which proposed projects affect air quality, water 
        quality, public health, and public safety in nearby communities and 
        consider alternative approaches that would be better for nearby 
        communities and the environment;
Whereas before the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act there was 
        often no way for people living in disadvantaged communities to become 
        aware of, much less have their voices heard on, major projects that 
        would result in disproportionate health and environmental impacts in 
        their neighborhoods;
Whereas that when the National Environmental Policy Act's public input process 
        is cut short or weakened, ill-conceived projects advance that can have 
        devastating public health and environmental consequences for American 
        communities; and
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act's charge to ``foster and maintain 
        conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony'' 
        is timeless and its insistence on meaningful local involvement, 
        sustainable development, and deliberate Federal decision making was, and 
        remains, visionary: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) reaffirms the value of the National Environmental 
        Policy Act;
            (2) supports the continued enforcement of longstanding 
        legal requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, 
        including the required consideration of climate change when 
        developing and planning Federal infrastructure projects; and
            (3) opposes the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to 
        undermine the National Environmental Policy Act through the 
        regulatory process.
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