“Why is American infrastructure so shoddy compared with much of the developed world? The U.S. is one of the wealthiest nations the world has ever seen, and it has the most dynamic economy. Yet Americans don't have the sort of gleaming transportation systems that crisscross many Asian or European countries.
This is a missed opportunity. As usual, the culprit is government -- in particular the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, or NEPA. Congress passed and President Richard Nixon signed this law with the best of intentions -- to require that federal agencies consider and document the environmental effects of any "major federal action," a term that was meant to encompass only truly significant federal approvals and permits.
This modest federal procedural statute expanded into a vast regulatory bog that sucks construction projects into years of paperwork and environmental review, imposing astronomical costs and delays. A 2020 federal study found that it takes on average 4.5 years to complete the environmental impact statement required under NEPA.
Running that gantlet is only the first step. Projects that complete this review must then routinely fend off litigation from climate activists before they can begin building.
The Trump administration last week took a major step toward solving this problem. Led by the Council on Environmental Quality, the entity charged with implementing NEPA, the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Energy and Transportation, along with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, announced an overhaul of NEPA procedures. The new policy eliminates many pointless environmental reviews and simplifies the remaining reviews dramatically. These agencies collectively account for the vast majority of the government's NEPA work, so this is a big deal.
The result compresses the sprawling NEPA process into something sensible that protects the environment without blocking important development. The reforms enforce deadlines and impose tight limits on paperwork. They clarify that NEPA doesn't apply to every action a federal agency takes, only ones in which the agency has meaningful discretion and control over the underlying project. The reforms also exclude certain projects from NEPA review entirely, and they confine agencies to focus on projects that have "truly significant environmental effects."
There is broad political and legal recognition that NEPA has spiraled out of control. In 2023 Congress made significant changes to NEPA as part of the Builder Act, indicating that the process needs to be simple and fast. On the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Council on Environmental Quality to rescind its outdated and overly rigid NEPA regulations. The council did so and has deployed its expertise to fix the governmentwide system via these much-needed reforms.
The Supreme Court recently took on the NEPA issue as well. Issuing its first major NEPA decision in more than two decades, Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, the justices in late May emphasized that the law imposes no "substantive . . . restrictions" on development. Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that NEPA is supposed to be "a procedural cross-check, not a substantive roadblock." What was intended to be a "cross-check" has become an immovable obstacle to progress, which has resulted in "fewer and more expensive railroads, airports, wind turbines, transmission lines, dams, housing developments, highways, bridges, subways, stadiums, arenas, data centers, and the like." The judgment was unanimous, although Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson didn't join Justice Kavanaugh's opinion.
These reforms are soundly grounded in law, but litigation is always possible. Even so, builders shouldn't be deterred. If the executive branch backs new projects, as it has committed to do, such challenges will likely fail. And those failed challenges will move the law further in a pro-growth direction.
Great companies die when they stand still, and nations are no different. America will remain the greatest county on earth only if our builders have the freedom to build. The Trump administration's new NEPA policy gives them a chance to do just that.
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Mr. Burnham served as senior associate counsel to the president (2017), deputy assistant attorney general (2018-20), counselor to the attorney general (2020), and general counsel of the Department of Government Efficiency (2025). He is the managing partner at King Street Legal PLLC.” [1]
Lithuanian government is manipulating prices of housing to the benefit of Scandinavian banks in a similar way. Scandinavian banks are generating Lithuanian mortgages. Several factors related to government policies and economic changes have influenced housing construction and prices in Lithuania:
Shift from state-provided to private housing: After regaining independence, Lithuania transitioned from a system where the state provided housing to one where individuals are responsible for securing their own housing. This change led to a rise in housing prices as the market adapted.
Government policies affecting supply and demand:
Some government policies, like income tax incentives for housing loans and a lack of property tax, might have contributed to credit and housing price growth in the past.
"Red tape" and bureaucratic hurdles within central and municipal governments is distorting the housing market's supply and demand balance, increasing prices of the housing.
Challenges in the construction and renovation sectors:
Obtaining building permits has faced difficulties due to frequently changing and sometimes conflicting legislation, and a shortage of qualified specialists, which can affect construction timelines.
The slow pace of renovation in multi-apartment buildings, which make up a significant portion of the housing stock, presents a challenge for improving housing quality and energy efficiency, despite government programs and partnerships aimed at addressing these issues.
Housing affordability and policies:
While average household spending on housing is relatively low, rising house prices can pose affordability challenges, particularly for certain households.
The government has introduced policies like a housing benefit scheme for low-income tenants and schemes to help young families purchase their first homes, aiming to improve affordability and access to quality housing.
The expansion and formalization of the private rental market are seen as important for addressing housing needs and increasing affordability, given the small social housing sector.
Impact of the geopolitical situation:
The influx of refugees and labor immigrants has also played a role in affecting prices and the availability of housing.
In conclusion, government actions, along with other economic and social factors, have influenced both housing construction and prices in Lithuania, presenting challenges and opportunities for addressing housing needs and affordability concerns.
1. Trump's NEPA Reform Will Get America Building. Burnham, James. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 10 July 2025: A15.
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