Section 60402 of the IRA appropriates $30 million to the Chair of the CEQ to carry out the Council’s functions and engage in training and development activities. The appropriated funds will remain available until September 30, 2026.
Current Status:
Trump Administration Actions:
- Senate Parliamentarian Advises Several Provisions in Republicans’ “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Are Not Permissible, Subject to Byrd Rule [06/19/2025]
- Senate Environment Committee Releases Budget Reconciliation Draft Text [06/16/2025]
- OMB Orders Temporary Pause on Financial Assistance Programs, Later Rescinded [01/27/2025]
- OMB Clarifies Scope of the Order to Halt IRA Spending [01/21/2025]
- Trump Issues Executive Order to Halt All IRA Funding Disbursements [01/20/2025]
Implementation Status at End of Biden Administration:
White House press releases indicate that CEQ has been using its appropriated funds in initiatives to expedite federal agency permitting, which CEQ has complemented with efforts directed by Congress under the Fiscal Responsibility Act and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Program Stakes:
CEQ suggests that improvements to the environmental review process will ensure higher quality public engagement and more efficient project review to accelerate permitting for projects such as wildfire management, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and more. CEQ recently released an analysis demonstrating a reduction in the median time to complete an EIS by eight months, which the Biden administration partially attributes to the IRA’s investment in efficient and effective environmental reviews under this section.