In its comments on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Procedures, the Niskanen Center supports many of the proposed updates to categorical exclusions, emphasizing their alignment with modern technologies and practices to facilitate a more efficient, resilient, and clean grid. The Center commends DOE’s sensible approach, especially in removing the arbitrary 20-mile limitation for upgrading existing transmission lines and proposing a new exclusion for energy storage systems in previously disturbed areas, which includes electrochemical batteries and flywheels. Niskanen suggests considering the potential expansion to cover other promising technologies if there is sufficient analytical support. Additionally, the support for removing acreage limits for solar photovoltaic installations underlines the focus on local resource sensitivity over installation size. Niskanen emphasizes these changes as crucial for project development while maintaining environmental stewardship and avoiding adverse community impacts.