The Art of the StealA project of the Save America Movement
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★ Government Action

Trump order scraps the rules behind federal environmental reviews

The Climate Rollback

Filed January 2025

★ The Brief

What happened

The same January 20, 2025 order directed the White House environmental council to repeal the regulations that carry out the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act, which requires environmental review of major federal actions; the council finalized that repeal in January 2026.

Who enabled it

Donald TrumpCQCouncil on Environmental Quality

Who benefits

Real Estate & Property Development

Companies in this industry that have contributed to Trump

BB Investments, Hillwood Development, M&M Realty

Deal or steal?

Stripping the environmental-review rulebook clears the slowest step in federal permitting for the projects the administration is fast-tracking, from expedited AI data centers to Alaska oil and mining roads; developers who funded the inauguration, including Hillwood's $1M, build in the cleared lane.

★ Cast your vote

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14154, titled 'Unleashing American Energy,' which directed the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to propose rescinding its longstanding NEPA implementing regulations and to provide new guidance on NEPA implementation. In response to this direction, CEQ published an Interim Final Rule on February 25, 2025, and a Final Rule in January 2026, formally removing the prior regulatory framework. Prior rulemakings, including Biden-era Phase 1 (April 2022) and Phase 2 (May 2024) final rules, were rescinded and are no longer in effect.

Sources

Further reading