Activists Say Agencies' NEPA Drilling Pact Fails To Address Air Concerns

摘要

Environmentalists say a recent agreement between EPA and other agencies on a uniform method for assessing air quality impacts from oil and gas operations as part of streamlined National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews appears to do little to resolve EPA's concerns about air quality impacts that have stymied prior reviews. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between EPA, the Interior Department (DOI) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is also prompting activists' concerns because it says that if a NEPA review follows the steps for analyzing air impacts in the MOU, EPA must rate the air quality portion of that project "adequate," allowing it to move forward. Activists say this is "worrisome" because it might limit the scope for EPA to highlight substantive air quality issues.