Interior Department moves its environmental review rules to a private handbook

The Interior Department is taking its specific rules for environmental reviews out of public federal regulations. These rules will now live in an internal handbook, making them easier for the department to change without public input.

The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of their actions. By moving its specific procedures for these assessments into an internal handbook, the Interior Department can now change how it conducts these reviews without public notice or comment. This means less transparency for environmental groups and the public trying to track or challenge federal projects.