Policy Impacts

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Our work has made a tangible impact, helping shape important policies at the federal, state, and local levels. Some of our key accomplishments are described below.

Strengthening Environmental Review

Policy Integrity has played a significant role in modernizing environmental reviews conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Our input has helped shape regulations and guidance on these reviews, helping ensure that federal agencies consider a broader range of expected impacts before approving projects or other actions.

Swaying the Supreme Court

Policy Integrity has helped support several major environmental rules that have faced challenges in the Supreme Court, and our legal briefs have received significant attention.

Paving the Way for a Better Electric Grid

Expanding electric transmission is crucial for decarbonization, and we’ve actively and impactfully engaged in regulatory proceedings related to transmission planning. When FERC issued its landmark transmission rule in May 2024, we were pleased to see that the Commission adopted several of our recommendations. FERC also acted on many of our suggestions regarding its backstop siting authority for transmission facilities.

Modernizing Regulatory Policy

Guidance on how federal agencies should assess the economic impacts of regulations went unchanged for two decades. Our research and advocacy helped shape a 2023 update, recommending that agencies place greater weight on long-term environmental and health benefits and analyze impacts on different demographic groups. The result could be a new generation of rules with greater benefits for the public.

Protecting Consumers From Hidden Fees

Our advocacy has prompted government action to address hidden fees in consumer transactions, including a 2023 proposed rule that bans this practice.

Improving the Government’s Valuation of Natural Resources

Policy Integrity’s multi-year effort to improve federal natural resource leasing programs has made a significant impact.

Helping California Improve Energy Decisionmaking

California has long been a trendsetter in clean energy policy, and our input helped inform the state’s approach for evaluating distributed energy resources (DERs), such as rooftop solar installations.

Successfully Challenging (and Tracking) Deregulation

The Institute for Policy Integrity has filed influential amicus briefs in several critical environmental lawsuits related to Trump administration deregulatory efforts.

Modernizing Energy Policy in New York State

Our input is helping to improve energy policy decisionmaking in New York State, which has announced ambitious plans to boost clean energy.

Helping Save Lives in NYC

Our research helped spur New York City to adopt a major air pollution rule that has saved hundreds of lives.

Reforming the Federal Petition Process

Individuals can petition federal agencies to issue, amend, or repeal regulations, but agencies lack a uniform process for handling these petitions. Our efforts have helped improve this system.

Making New York’s Energy System More Resilient

We made a series of policy recommendations in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, submitted as public comments to the New York State Public Service Commission, and many of our suggestions were adopted in the Commission’s order.