American Sustainable Business Council Says White House Rollback of Environmental Regulations Will Hasten Climate Crisis and Harm Business

Washington, DC – The American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) today condemned the Trump Administration’s proposal to roll back environmental protections in the National Environmental Policy Act, saying it will harm business by hastening the climate crisis.

The proposed changes to National Environmental Policy Act will weaken the bedrock environmental law’s ability to ensure that federally permitted infrastructure projects consider impacts on air, water and wildlife.

“Contrary to claims from the administration and the Chamber of Commerce that the rule change will be good for the economy, it will have negative consequence for businesses across sectors,” said Jeffrey Hollender, CEO of ASBC. “Our planet is on fire and this move simply adds fuel to the fire.”

Hollender noted that clean waterways are vital for sectors like breweries, the seafood industry and the hospitality industry; loss of wildlife can force outdoor tourism and sporting companies to shut their doors; and the effects of climate change, such as rising oceans and disruptions to supply chains, pose existential threats to our entire economy.

Some of the “reckless changes” being proposed by the administration, according to Hollender, include imposing a unnecessary time limit for agencies to make a decision on permits, allowing companies to conduct their own environmental review, preventing agencies from considering cumulative environmental effects like climate change when approving projects, and reducing the ability for the public to provide input on the permitting process.

A weakened NEPA will greatly increase the risk of oil spills and other environmental disasters and hasten the onset of climate change. ASBC urges the administration to reconsider its decision and seek input on future environmental policy changes from the rapidly growing responsible and sustainable business community.