WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced major reforms to its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations aimed at streamlining project approvals and reducing regulatory delays that impact farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.
Under the changes, USDA will consolidate seven agency-specific regulations into a single department-wide framework, cutting overall regulatory provisions by 66%. The move is intended to accelerate critical infrastructure, energy, and land management projects while preserving environmental oversight.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins described the reforms as long overdue, stating, “President Trump is reforming government to be more responsive to the needs of the American people. We have been hamstrung by overly burdensome regulations for decades. USDA is updating and modernizing NEPA so projects critical to the health of our forests and prosperity of rural America are not stymied and delayed for years.”
The overhaul follows President Trump’s executive order on Unleashing American Energy and aligns with efforts by the Council on Environmental Quality to roll back what the administration views as excessive federal oversight.
By simplifying NEPA procedures, USDA officials aim to focus resources on projects that directly benefit the public and rural economies while maintaining the Department’s commitment to responsible land stewardship.
The updated policy marks a significant shift toward deregulation and reflects the administration’s broader strategy to bolster economic development in rural America by reducing bureaucratic barriers.
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