In a clear demonstration of how U.S. President Joe Biden's priorities differ from those of his GOP predecessor, the Democrat on Tuesday finalized a two-part push to revive and strengthen a landmark environmental law eviscerated by the Trump administration in 2020.

While in office, former Republican President Donald Trump—who has pledged to "drill, baby, drill" if he wins back the White House—attacked the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which ensures communities can weigh in on projects that are built nearby or otherwise impact them.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality on Tuesday released regulations that "aim to undo Trump's gift to polluters," in the words of Food & Water Watch, one of several groups that applauded the Biden administration's new rules.

"This rule is yet another reminder that we do not have to choose between environmental justice and meeting our energy needs."

NEPA gives communities the power to participate and advocate for themselves when the federal government greenlights polluting projects like factory farms and fossil fuel power plants," said Food & Water Watch legal director Tarah Heinzen. "Today's rule restores strong environmental review of federal actions and will go a long way towards having a meaningful process to assess the health and safety impacts of an array of projects."
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