U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy says that the Department of Transportation (USDOT) will no longer prioritize social justice or environmental issues in infrastructure projects.

In a March 10 statement, Duffy announced that USDOT rescinded two memos issued during the Biden Administration “which injected a social justice and environmental agenda into decisions for critical infrastructure projects.”

The two rescinded memos were issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2021 and both were titled “Policy on Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Resources to Build a Better America.”

The memos encouraged states receiving transportation funding to prioritize infrastructure projects “that upgrade the condition of streets, highways and bridges and make them safe for all users, while at the same time modernizing them so that the transportation network is accessible for all users, provides people with better choices across all modes, accommodates new and emerging technologies, is more sustainable and resilient to a changing climate, and is more equitable.”

USDOT argues that the memos “displaced the long-standing authorities granted to States by law, added meritless and costly burdens related to greenhouse gas emissions and equity initiatives.”

Duffy said that “these Biden-era policies have no basis in statute and have no role in DOT programs going forward.”

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Transportation is getting back to basics — building critical infrastructure projects that move people and move commerce safely. The previous administration flouted Congress in an attempt to push a radical social and environmental agenda on the American people. This was an act of federal overreach. It stops now,” said Duffy.