United States SRES 537: A 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.

Bill Text

III
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 fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Environment
and Public Works
RESOLUTION
Encouraging the Trump Administration to maintain protec-
tions under the National Environmental Policy Act and
reverse ongoing administrative actions to weaken this
landmark law and its protections for American commu-
nities.
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act is one of the
Nation’s bedrock environmental laws that has helped pro-
tect 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;
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•SRES 537 IS
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act has a basic
but critical purpose of directing Federal agencies to iden-
tify and disclose the significant environmental and public
health impacts of major Federal actions before such ac-
tions are taken, encouraging a ‘‘look before you leap’’ ap-
proach in Federal decision making;
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act appro-
priately gives the public a chance to review and give
input on major projects before building and development
starts, resulting in improved, more democratic govern-
ment 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 cli-
mate crisis;
Whereas efforts to block the enforcement of the National En-
vironmental 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 En-
vironmental Policy Act will undermine critical building
requirements that make our roads, bridges, and other in-
frastructure safer and better prepared to withstand nat-
ural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and storms, which
are getting more destructive and severe as a result of cli-
mate change;
Whereas efforts to block the enforcement of the National En-
vironmental 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;
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•SRES 537 IS
Whereas the National Environmental Policy Act is a critical
civil rights tool that gives all Americans a voice in Fed-
eral decision making by allowing communities to be in-
formed 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 pro-
posed projects affect air quality, water quality, public
health, and public safety in nearby communities and con-
sider 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 dis-
advantaged communities to become aware of, much less
have their voices heard on, major projects that would re-
sult in disproportionate health and environmental im-
pacts in their neighborhoods;
Whereas that when the National Environmental Policy Act’s
public input process is cut short or weakened, ill-con-
ceived 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, sustain-
able development, and deliberate Federal decision making
was, and remains, visionary: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate— 1
(1) reaffirms the value of the National Environ-2
mental Policy Act; 3
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(2) supports the continued enforcement of long-1
standing legal requirements of the National Environ-2
mental Policy Act, including the required consider-3
ation of climate change when developing and plan-4
ning Federal infrastructur