Environmental Defense Praises Bush Executive Order

(19 September 2002 -Washington, DC)  Environmental Defense today voiced support for an Executive Order on Environmental Stewardship and Transportation Infrastructure Project Reviews issued by President Bush last evening. 

“We appreciate the President’s support for enhanced environmental stewardship by transportation agencies.  The Federal Highway Administration has encouraged a cooperative approach to expediting project delivery on a case-by-case basis in recent years, but this Executive Order can foster further effective interagency cooperation promoting stewardship,” said Michael Replogle, transportation director of Environmental Defense.

“We urge the Secretary of Transportation to give great weight to the environmental benefits and impacts of projects when designating high-priority transportation infrastructure initiatives for expedited review, consistent with all applicable laws,” said Replogle.  “Expediting reviews for projects with large adverse impacts on the environment, environmental justice, public health, or communities would be counterproductive.”

“The Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Don Young (R-Alaska), has pressed for legislation to speed up project reviews.  Such legislation is unnecessary since environmental reviews generally account for little or no delay in project delivery.  However, the President’s action now makes it even clearer that there is no need for such Congressional action,” said Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense executive director.

Environmental Defense and others have been critical of project review streamlining proposals that would establish arbitrary deadlines for agency action, curtail public involvement, limit the role of resource agencies in determining project purpose and need or reasonable alternatives, or curb judicial review of final decisions.