Charleston Leader

Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have confirmed to Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito that the Biden administration's climate regulations are causing delays in vital infrastructure projects across the nation. During a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, highlighted the challenges posed by requirements such as the "social cost of carbon" and "greenhouse gas emissions."

Responding to Ranking Member Capito's questions about compliance with new statutory requirements, Lieutenant General Spellmon stated, "No one wants to get through NEPA within two years more than the Army Corps of Engineers. Unfortunately, this is very litigious on a number of projects... Social cost of carbon, greenhouse gas emissions, multiple options in each one of these and that level of effort simply takes time."

Ranking Member Capito queried whether the social cost of carbon is a statutory part of NEPA, to which Michael Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, clarified, "It's part of the NEPA Regulations now to do that." The discussions also delved into the challenges faced in project development due to these regulatory requirements that prolong timelines and increase costs.

Inquiring about the figures causing delays, Ranking Member Capito asked General Spellmon if the Interagency Working Group consulted the Corps during the development of these numbers. Despite not having personal interaction with the group, General Spellmon assured that all calculations are included in the draft EISs and regulatory products for public visibility.

When pressed about the specific dollar figures associated with the social cost of carbon, Assistant Secretary Connor confirmed the existence of such figures but stated, "I don't have that. We're happy to respond about our interactions with the Interagency Working Group as well."

The exchange between Ranking Member Capito and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sheds light on the challenges faced by infrastructure projects due to the Biden administration's climate policies. The delays caused by regulatory requirements like the social cost of carbon and greenhouse gas emissions are impacting the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of crucial developments nationwide.