I think the author is fundamentally correct on the main point: the interface for environmental review needs to change. The current interface is that you generat

I think the author is fundamentally correct on the main point: the interface for environmental review needs to change. The current interface is that you generate a report and anyone can sue to require that report to have additional details provided a court agrees those details are unaddressed environmental impacts. This leads to 4.5 years for just the environmental assessment and 575 page environmental impact reports. It allows for excessive detail and thoroughness at the expense of time and cost. I’m not sure what the better interface is but it’s quite clear we as a society need to figure it out and halt the current trend of building less and less for more and more cost. Other issues people raise are parts of the problem but it’s clear that 4.5 years on one aspect of planning for a single project is not reasonable.