Amid rapid changes to environmental regulations and policy, maintaining compliance and ensuring project success can feel increasingly uncertain. From ongoing changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and policies, to potential staffing shortages among regulatory agencies and general legal uncertainties, the pace and complexity of change is accelerating. Environmental professionals must stay flexible and proactive to understand and navigate the evolving nuances effectively. R&M champions a flexible approach that relies on proactive planning, teamwork, communication, collaboration and a commitment to excellence to help our clients maintain success in this ever-changing landscape. With an approach grounded in the basics, R&M works with clients as a consistent and reliable partner providing clarity and ease to the project management process.
Landscape of Change
The past year has introduced significant shifts in the environmental compliance framework, including the rescission of Executive Order (EO) 12898 Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (59 FR 7629; February 16, 1994); invalidation and removal of the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations on February 25, 2025; and the requirement that Federal agencies establish new implementing regulations by July 1, 2025.
On the surface this seems like a lot of change for an industry whose founding regulations are decades old – Clean Water Act of 1972, Clean Air Act of 1970 (as amended in 1977 and 1990) and NEPA of 1970. However, in reality, the industry has weathered many changes to how these regulations are interpreted or implemented, either as a function of a better scientific understanding of the systems involved or, more likely, due to changes in the political landscape or public opinion. For instance, one can cite several cases involving the implementation of the Clean Water Act, in particular, the management of wetlands that have led to definitions of what constitutes Waters of the U.S. and what limits the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ ability to regulate them. While the recent and continuing changes create uncertainty, there is a precedent for successfully working through these changes.
The New Reality: Impacts to Projects
As industry leaders in the environmental compliance field in Alaska, R&M understands regulatory uncertainty doesn’t just affect a client’s process, but, ultimately, impacts project scopes, schedules and budgets.
What do these changes mean for clients?
The bad news is that these changes on the national level often take time to get ironed out through agency processes and litigation. So, expect some growing pains as the process for developing NEPA documents evolves. The good news is that the new implementing guidance, developed by the various federal agencies, highlight changes meant to streamline the process of environmental review, which should eventually result in a more efficient and effective NEPA process.
How will we manage the transition that will follow these new policies, as well as any new changes that come along?
Today, success in environmental compliance demands more than just technical expertise in the quickly evolving landscape. For example, the proposal by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to rescind the regulatory definition of ‘harm’ under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) will affect consultation outcomes, as well as NEPA document preparation and obtaining Incidental Take Authorizations. Success requires a thorough understanding of how the multiple compliance processes interrelate, consultation expertise, and a strong network of subject matter experts and agency leaders.
How will we manage the transition that will follow these new policies, as well as any new changes that come along?
The R&M team focuses on collaboration, communication, and finding efficiencies through pro-active planning and structured project management to navigate the regulatory process. R&M will continue to build on our existing relationships with regulatory agency staff to stay on top of internal changes affecting the process and timeline for environmental permitting and work to convey that information to clients.
R&M’s Approach for Success
R&M’s flexible approach during this time of change relies on proactive planning, multi-discipline teamwork, communication, collaboration and a commitment to excellence. These essentials are necessary to maintain project momentum even in the face of the current transition period. Regardless of whether guidance or policy shifts during project development or implementation, this approach allows the project team to quickly interpret the change, pivot and reach desired project outcomes.
Proactive Planning
The R&M team has built a proactive strategy to help clients succeed even when the regulatory path forward isn’t clear. Starting with proactive planning enables us to identify issues and potential timeline snags early, buffering potentially unaccounted for scenarios, and resulting in better management of scope, schedule and budget. The intent is to recognize the potential for policy or guidance shifts, provide a framework for interpreting these shifts quickly and schedule buffers in the initial project timeline to make room for them. This proactive planning helps maintain project timelines while staying compliant with regulatory deadlines even as regulatory requirements and policies change.
Multi-Discipline Teamwork
The R&M team’s multi-discipline structure is a key advantage during uncertain times. Our Engineering, Geomatics, Earth Sciences, Planning and Construction Services Departments are comprised of individuals from a multitude of specialties allowing for the efficient and effective pull of knowledge to address complex problems or challenges. Multi-discipline teamwork is essential to ensure cultural, environmental and technical aspects of a project are considered when navigating environmental compliance. This teamwork allows us to identify interdependencies across compliance areas and adjust strategies as new interpretations or guidance emerge. Hosting many specialists in-house, R&M can effectively integrate these specialties throughout the project planning process as needs arise throughout project implementation. R&M is committed to documentation and internal communication, so we’ve focused on updating our resource library and internal information sharing to ensure all staff have access to the most current regulations and guidance.
Communication
Communication is another essential pillar of the approach. Whether working with clients, regulatory agencies, the public or subcontractors, R&M emphasizes early, frequent, accurate, and clear communication to ensure expectations and regulatory needs are defined and accounted for in project development and implementation. As interpretations of regulatory needs change, frequent and early communication allows the multi-discipline team to be agile, create intentional direction when navigating project execution and set realistic expectations. Accurate communication ensures information is reliable and consistent with current regulations, reducing the risk of delays or missteps. Clear communication minimizes confusion while keeping the team and stakeholders aligned amid regulatory shifts. Especially during times of regulatory change and process uncertainty, communication is key to grounding the team and maintaining momentum down a defined path.
Collaboration
R&M’s long-standing relationships with regulatory agencies are also a major asset during times of change. R&M recognizes the benefit and need for interagency and interorganizational collaboration to streamline permitting and project review. R&M has built long-standing relationships with regulatory agencies – who are also dealing with changes in the regulatory framework – on mutual respect and trust. These well-established relationships provide a great resource to help anticipate challenges, facilitate coordination and adapt effectively to the changing landscape. These relationships are vital moving forward in the new environmental regulatory landscape.
Commitment to Excellence
Finally, R&M is committed to innovation and quality in all projects. This commitment to excellence means our team is always learning and improving, providing the best support to clients. R&M strives to stay up-to-date on the latest publications of rules, judicial opinions and procedural modifications. The team engages with the broader environmental community through professional outreach and training to stay informed of changes, interpretations of changes and agency implementation. R&M realizes the effort required to stay informed and is committed to providing the most up-to-date guidance and advice throughout project development and implementation.
Looking Ahead
While the environmental landscape continues to evolve, R&M’s commitment to supporting clients as a consistent and reliable partner is steadfast. With our flexible approach and dedication to excellence, achieving environmental compliance doesn’t need to feel like a moving target. As the R&M team prepares for the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) 2026 Annual Conference and Training Symposium in Anchorage, we’re reminded of the value of community among environmental professionals. Let’s connect in Anchorage and continue the conversation about how to turn environmental uncertainty into forward momentum.
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