New England Aquarium opposes continued weakening of U.S. environmental laws

BOSTON, MASS. (July 2020) — On Wednesday, President Trump and his Administration moved to significantly gut the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—our country’s foundational environmental law.

The New England Aquarium emphatically objects to the Administration’s actions to undermine a process that promotes responsible economic growth by protecting people, communities, and the environment upon which we all depend.

This 50-year-old, bipartisan law requires that the government assess environmental impacts when approving federal projects. What this means in practice is that decisions about industrial development, such as pipelines, airports, and offshore and onshore energy ventures, will no longer be subject to a rigorous process that enables public input, relies on science, and assesses the cumulative impacts of climate change.

As a member of the Boston community, we honor the role NEPA has played for decades in guiding responsible development decisions and promoting the health and well-being of all communities, especially those disproportionately affected by climate change.

We stand together in our support to do more—not less—to address the threat of climate change, the degrading state of our ocean and freshwater, and the alarming loss of wildlife globally. We pledge to continue to advocate strongly on behalf of a healthy and equitable environment for all; one that values public health and is anchored in public trust.

The New England Aquarium stands with 19 of the nation’s leading aquariums in opposition to the final rule announced by the Trump Administration to modify the regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Read the statement.