Washington, D.C. – Ocean Conservancy today sued the Trump administration’s Council on Environmental Quality over its Final Rule undermining regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Ocean Conservancy is one of a wide range of plaintiffs represented by Earthjustice and Western Environmental Law Center. NEPA requires federal agencies to engage in a review process to identify any significant environmental, economic, social, or health impacts a project may have before decisions are made and construction begins. Ocean Conservancy CEO Janis Searles Jones (@InVeritas_Jones) released the following statement:

“NEPA is crucial to ensuring that projects in or around the ocean and our coastal communities are considered responsibly and transparently. It’s often the only opportunity for communities to voice their opinion on federal projects that will impact their ocean, water, land and air. At a time when the impacts of climate change are adding a new layer of threat to our ocean and coastal communities, and ocean uses and users are increasing, we should be strengthening bedrock rules designed to protect the public, environment, public health and vulnerable communities – not dismantling them. The Trump administration’s NEPA regulations have the potential to cause irreparable harm to our coastal communities, and our nation. That’s why we have joined a diverse coalition of interests to challenge these regulations in court.”