ceq.doe.govNEPA | National Environmental Policy Act

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We appreciate your patience. -- MENU Home Home Laws & Regulations Laws Executive Orders CEQ NEPA Regulations State NEPA Information Legislative History of NEPA Agency NEPA Implementing Procedures Guidance CEQ Guidance Get Involved Citizen's Guide to NEPA Collaboration Handbook Agency EIS Filings Tribes and NEPA Success Stories U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution National Environmental Conflict Resolution Advisory Committee Report International EIA NEPA Non-Government Organizations NEPA Practice Alternative Arrangements Agency NEPA Contacts Agency Jurisdiction and Expertise Categorical Exclusions Climate Change Resources Ecosystem Services EIS Length EIS Timelines Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution Environmental Justice Infrastructure Referrals to CEQ Training CEQ Publications Cumulative Effects Incorporating Biodiversity Modernizing NEPA Implementation NEPA & EMS NEPA CEQA Handbook NEPA Effectiveness Study NEPA NHPA Section 106 Handbook CEQ Reports ARRA of 2009 & NEPA Annual Environmental Quality Reports Cooperating Agency Status Reports NEPA Litigation Survey CEQ NEPA Pilot Projects CEQ has proposed updates to its NEPA implementing regulations Read more Citizen's Guide to NEPA & Guía para el Ciudadano sobre NEPA Read more Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Filings Read More Infrastructure Permitting Improvements Read More Welcome President Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) into law on January 1, 1970. Congress enacted NEPA to establish a national policy for the environment, provide for the establishment of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and for other purposes. NEPA was the first major environmental law in the United States and is often called the "Magna Carta" of Federal environmental laws. NEPA requires Federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of proposed major Federal actions prior to making decisions. Section 101 of NEPA sets forth a national policy "to use all practicable means and measures, including financial and technical assistance, in a manner calculated to foster and promote the general welfare, to create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans." 42 U.S.C. 4331(a) . Section 102 of NEPA establishes procedural requirements, applying that national policy to proposals for major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment by requiring Federal agencies to prepare a detailed statement on: (1) the environmental impact of the proposed action; (2) any adverse effects that cannot be avoided; (3) alternatives to the proposed action; (4) the relationship between local short-term uses of man’s environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity; and (5) any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources that would be involved in the proposed action. 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) . NEPA ensures agencies consider the significant environmental consequences of their proposed actions and inform the public about their decision making. Countries and non-governmental organizations all over the globe have created their own environmental impact assessment programs, modeled upon NEPA, making NEPA an international catalyst in the field of environmental protection. The Council on Environmental Quality NEPA established CEQ within the Executive Office of the President to ensure that Federal agencies meet their obligations under NEPA. CEQ oversees NEPA implementation, principally through issuing guidance and interpreting regulations that implement NEPA's procedural requirements. CEQ also reviews and approves Federal agency NEPA procedures, approves alternative arrangements for compliance with NEPA for emergencies, and helps to resolve disputes between Federal agencies and with other governmental entities and members of the public. One of CEQ's major responsibilities is also to develop and recommend national policies to the President that promote the improvement of environmental quality and meet the Nation's goals. Today, CEQ is advancing initiatives to facilitate more efficient, effective, and timely NEPA reviews by Federal agencies in connection with proposals for agency action including the One Federal Decision policy of Executive Order 13807. For more information on CEQ initiatives, please visit WhiteHouse.gov/CEQ . 730 Jackson Place Washington D.C. About This Site Security & Privacy Contact Us Government Sites CEQ -- The White House CEQ acknowledges and appreciates the support and service provided by the Department of Energy Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security supporting the NEPAnet web site. Scroll...