In another attack on coal and other traditional fuels, the Obama White House is now calling on federal agencies to consider the climate-change impact of a wide range of energy projects that require government approval.
The draft guidelines, released Thursday by the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, are likely to affect fossil-fuel projects the most, such as pipelines, terminals that export coal and liquefied natural gas, and production of oil, natural gas and coal on public lands.
The draft guidance spells out how different agencies, such as the Interior Department, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Army Corps of Engineers, should consider the greenhouse-gas emissions of projects that require environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. It also encourages agencies to consider alternatives that have smaller carbon footprints.
If an agency determines it doesn’t want to weigh such climate impacts, it must explain why not.
Current law requires the government to consider local environmental concerns about projects, but not global problems such as climate change.
“Climate change is a fundamental environmental issue, and the relation of Federal actions to it falls squarely within NEPA’s focus,” states the guidance, while acknowledging that climate is a “particularly complex challenge given its global nature.”
How significant of an impact the guidelines could have will become clearer as projects go through the normal government review with this additional consideration. The White House is seeking comment for 60 days and then will issue final guidance, though it isn’t clear when that would occur.