US Agriculture Department cuts its own environmental review rules

The US Department of Agriculture has removed its specific rules for environmental reviews. This means the department will now follow broader federal guidelines instead of its own detailed procedures.

For decades, federal agencies had their own detailed rules for how to conduct environmental reviews, adding layers to the general federal law. This change removes those extra layers for the Agriculture Department. It means projects involving agriculture, forestry, or rural development could now face a simpler, faster environmental review process.