I'll give you the short version of this bill.
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Replaces the section heading and text of NEPA's declaration of purpose to add explicit subsections on purposes, intent (stating NEPA is procedural and does not mandate particular results), and effect (stating NEPA does not mandate specific environmental outcomes or confer substantive rights or duties beyond procedural requirements).
Modifies threshold determinations and levels-of-review provisions: adds categorical exclusions established by Congress to adoption/exception language; changes certain standards (e.g., 'does not' → 'is not likely to'); adds exceptions where compliance with another statute serves a similar function to NEPA; allows reliance on prior State or Tribal environmental reviews if lead agency determines they meet NEPA requirements; limits when agencies must undertake new scientific/technical research; adds a scope-of-review rule limiting considered effects to those proximately caused by the immediate project; and prohibits agencies from rescinding or otherwise rendering ineffective completed environmental documents except when ordered by a court.
Alters timely and unified Federal review provisions: inserts a new consideration-timing paragraph that prohibits requiring agencies to consider scientific or technical research made public after specified NEPA deadlines (earlier of application receipt or publication of notice of intent/decision to prepare); clarifies applicability to other administrative-review law; prohibits delaying issuance of environmental documents or final agency actions to await new research not available by those deadlines; modifies extension procedures to require applicant approval for certain extensions and limits project sponsors' ability to seek review after approving an extension unless the lead agency fails to meet the new deadline or delays for improper reasons.
Makes unspecified replacements in paragraphs (1) and (2) of the programmatic environmental document provision (paragraph text is struck and new text inserted as indicated in the amendment language).
Amends the adoption-of-categorical-exclusions provisions by inserting additional text (including references to categorical exclusions established by Congress) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) and by inserting text after paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) as indicated.
Revises and reorganizes definition paragraphs, redesignates certain paragraphs, modifies clauses in paragraph (9) (as redesignated) including terminology edits (e.g., 'sufficient' → 'complete'), adds explicit mention that farm ownership and operating loan guarantees by the Farm Service Agency (pursuant to specified authorities) are covered, adds an express rule that provision of Federal funds (grants, loans, loan guarantees, funding assistance) alone cannot make an agency action a 'major Federal action', and inserts a new paragraph defining 'Reasonably foreseeable' (limiting effects to those proximately caused by the immediate project and excluding speculative, attenuated, separate in time or place, or related to separate existing or potential future projects).
Inserts additional text after paragraph (4) of the Council's duties (the amendment indicates insertion but the inserted text is not shown in this excerpt).
Title I of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end a new section titled '113 Judicial review' that establishes definitions, a standard of review, limits on judicial substitution of agency judgment, remand procedures and deadlines, claim filing limitations (including a 150-day filing limit and public-comment standing requirements), deadlines for court judgments and appeals, and rules about what constitutes a final agency action.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced November 19, 2025 by John Neely Kennedy · Last progress November 19, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate