WASHINGTON DC (10/20/2026) – The Institute for Energy Research (IER) today released its newest paper, National Environmental Policy Act: An Obstacle to Affordable and Reliable Energy.
As permitting reform dominates the conversation in Washington, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is rightly in the spotlight. Originally designed to review and disclose the environmental effects of federal projects, NEPA has devolved into one of the most consequential obstacles to energy development and infrastructure construction in the United States. The question is no longer whether this law needs to be reexamined, but rather how. IER’s latest report examines how NEPA has been weaponized over time and outlines the steps needed to fix it.
Tom Pyle, President of the Institute for Energy Research, released the following statement:
“Realizing America’s energy potential requires a permitting process that matches the scale of the projects we need to build, but outdated policies like NEPA continue to stand in the way. For too long, NEPA has trapped critical energy and infrastructure projects in years of review and litigation, delaying or killing projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline, the Willow project in Alaska, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, and Keystone XL. The courts and, more recently, Congress have recognized this reality. Our paper reminds policymakers how we got here and lays out much-needed reforms, including the possibility of full repeal.
“Washington has spent decades talking about the need to reset our bedrock environmental laws like NEPA. What started out as a modest law that would evaluate and disclose the environmental impacts of projects undertaken, funded, or approved by the federal government is now one of the most consequential procedural barriers to the construction of highways, bridges, dams, and other major infrastructure projects in America. The permitting reform discussion now before Congress puts NEPA front and center. It is time for Congress to act boldly.”
IER Experts Available For Interview On This Topic:
- Tom J. Pyle, President
- Kenny Stein, Vice President of Policy
- Alex Stevens, Manager of Policy and Communications
Additional Background Resources From IER:
- National Environmental Policy Act: An Obstacle to Affordable and Reliable Energy
- Appeals Court Rules that Federal Agencies and Courts Have Misinterpreted NEPA
- Supreme Court Sides With Energy Production in Latest NEPA Ruling
- Permitting Reform for a Freer and More Prosperous Nation
For media inquiries, please contact THOMAS.PYLE@IERDC.ORG
