NEPA

President Donald Trump’s proposal to reform the National Environmental Policy Act has won the backing of the National Association of Realtors.

NAR President Vince Malta (pictured) said the proposed changes should help to modernize environmental standards while also helping to alleviate housing shortages.

The NEPA changes would be the first serious amendment to the Act in more than 40 years.

The
White House said the Act needs to be reformed in order to streamline
the approval of new infrastructure and housing projects, as well as
highways and energy pipelines. The proposed changes are still subject
to public hearings before being approved, but Malta said they should
help to reduce regulatory burdens will still retaining strong
environmental quality standards.

“The
NAR has long advocated for common-sense reforms to promote
infrastructure development and streamline review processes without
compromising on critical environmental protections,” Malta said in
a statement. “Since NEPA was last updated nearly four decades ago,
the housing industry has seen countless infrastructure modernization
projects paralyzed by arbitrary delays and unreasonable cost
increases.”

The
NAR has in recent months intensified its calls for major reforms of
the nation’s infrastructure.

“The
National Association of Realtors is confident that the reforms will
remove the barriers standing in the way of infrastructure
improvements that stimulate economic growth and create jobs,” Malta
said. “We look forward to partnering with the White House as it
works to implement these changes in the most responsible and
effective way possible.”

The
NAR’s sentiments were echoed by other housing groups, including the
National Association of Home Builders, which said the NEPA reforms
could help spur new-home construction.

“This
proposal to modernize and reform the NEPA review process will
streamline the permitting process and reduce unnecessary costs and
delays for vital infrastructure projects that are needed to support
residential land development projects,” said NAHB CEO Jerry Howard.
“For the housing industry, those uncertainties and delays create
challenges for communities, businesses, and builders, and further
exacerbate the current housing affordability crisis. We welcome the
latest action by the administration to remove regulatory barriers
that hinder housing and economic growth.”

Source: realtybiznews.com