Blackburn proposes sweeping regulation removals for America’s rural communities

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) recently introduced a bill that would remove specific environmental, endangered species, and historic preservation regulations for certain regions of the country that planned federally funded projects or activities.

“Tennessee’s rural communities are the heart of our state’s agriculture businesses. We should not have laws in place that hinder, rather than help, economic development in these areas,” Sen. Blackburn said. 

On Aug. 1, she sponsored the Paving the Way for Rural Communities Act of 2019, S. 2430, with cosponsors U.S. Sens. David Perdue (R-GA) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) to increase rural communities’ access to better economic opportunities and infrastructure projects, according to a statement released by Blackburn’s office.

Specifically, S. 2430 would remove federal requirements in the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the National Historic Preservation Act from federally funded projects or activities in any area of the country that’s not part of a metropolitan statistical area, as designated by the Office of Management and Budget, according to a statement from Sen. Blackburn.

“The Paving the Way for Rural Communities Act provides much needed relief to those who do not have the means to pay for unnecessary and burdensome compliance costs,” Sen. Blackburn said. “This bill will help to lift up Tennesseans in rural communities and encourage economic growth.”

S. 2430 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for consideration.