The Energy Department moved its environmental rules out of public view

The Department of Energy has moved most of its environmental review procedures out of the Code of Federal Regulations. This means the public will no longer have easy access to the full details of how the department assesses the environmental impact of its projects.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impacts of their actions and involve the public. By moving its detailed NEPA procedures into a separate guidance document, the Energy Department makes it harder for the public to track how it makes these decisions. This shift could make it easier for the department to approve projects with less public scrutiny, potentially speeding up energy infrastructure development.