Since 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act has required a detailed environmental impact statement for every major federal action that significantly affects the environment. Until 2023, one item the statement had to list was “any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources which would be involved in the proposed action should it be implemented.”
These studies take years. The White House Council on Environmental Quality reviewed 1,276 statements finalized between 2010 and 2018. On average, one took 4.5 years. One quarter took more than six years.