Council on environmental quality conveys intention to. Ceq processes foia requests in accordance with its regulations for implementing foia 40 c. Impact significance, not size or cost, dictates the class of action, and thereby, the nepa process and requirements for documentation and public. A means by which you use existing nepa to cover your proposed action without doing additional nepa analysis. National historic preservation act of 1966, as amended, 16 u. Environmental policy act of 19691 and the commissions regulations implementing the national environmental policy act 18 cfr, part 380. A very brief summary of the nepa process along with an.
The nepa program area provides guidance, policies, and examples of federal regulations and agency policies for the implementation of nepa, including the development of environmental assessments ea, environmental impact statements eis, findings of no significant impact fonsis, and other nepa related documentation. Parts 1500 through 1508 of this title provide regulations applicable to and binding on all federal agencies for implementing the procedural provisions of the national environmental policy act of i 969, as amended pub. Rural development rural business cooperative service, rural housing service, rural utilities service commerce. Final guidance clarifying use of categorical exclusions. Implementing the inrmp would conserve and protect natural resources, build upon.
Section 10 application of categorical exclusions for multimodal projects allows the lead authority to apply categorical exclusions in implementing regulations or procedures of a cooperating authority for multimodal projects. Implement the council on environmental quality ceq regulations and agency regulations. Nepa regulations uapply nepa early in process utypes of environmental documentation ulead agency uscoping ueis ucommenting udecision making upublic involvement utiming essence of nepa regulations uuse systematicinterdisciplinary approach to evaluate consequences uinclude this analysis in environmental documents ugive appropriate consideration to. On january 9, 2020, the council on environmental quality ceq announced a. The doe nepa regulations list categories of actions which doe determined did not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and would. National environmental policy act national environmental. Agency nepa procedures are procedural guidance to assist agencies in the fulfillment of agency responsibilities under nepa, but are not the agencys final determination of what. Nepa national environmental policy act agency nepa. National environmental policy act nepa of 1969, the presidents council on environmental quality regulations to implement nepa 40 code of federal regulations parts 15001508, and femas regulations implementing nepa 44 cfr part 10. The ceq does not direct agencies to prepare a nepa analysis or document before establishing agency procedures that supplement the ceq regulations for implementing nepa. Nepa national environmental policy act nhpa national historic preservation act. National environmental policy act implementing procedures. National environmental policy act national environmental policy act nepa requires agency and public participation in planning process requires disclosure about the action, alternatives, environmental effects,and mitigation brings out environmental concerns of the affected publics.
Nepa process more useful to agency decision makers and the public 1500. It was designed to ensure that agencies establish and. Developed in consultation with ceq, a federal agencys nepa procedures must be consistent with the ceq regulations while reflecting the agencys mandate and mission. Department of the interior process not specifically described in the council on environmental quality ceq nepa regulations. Federal energy regulatory commission the ferc is an independent agency that regulates the interstate transmission of 1 16 u. Usda departmental policy for the national environmental. Categorical exclusion, environmental assessment and finding. Council on environmental quality ceq for agency records under the freedom of information act foia, 5 u. Council on environmental quality regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the national environmental. National environmental policy act of 1969, as amended, 42 u.
The nepa program area provides guidance, policies, and examples of federal regulations and agency policies for the implementation of nepa, including the development of environmental assessments ea, environmental impact statements eis, findings of no significant impact fonsis, and other nepa related documentation please use the links below to quickly jump to the information area needed. Nepa purpose and implementation purpose the national environmental policy act of 1969 nepa is the cornerstone of our nations environmental laws and was enacted to ensure that information on the environmental impacts of any federal, or federally funded, action is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken. Implementation of the national environmental policy act. The mission of the bureau of reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an envi ronmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the american public. Nepa or the act except where compliance would be inconsistent with other statutory requirements. National environmental policy act 32 cfr part 775 defense logistics agency regulation dlar. Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the national environmental policy act of 1969, 40 cfr 15001508, 29 november 1978, council on environmental quality. These regulations are issued pursuant to nepa, the environmental quality improvement. Nepa regulatory framework and process categorical exclusion the national environmental policy act, known as nepa, requires the analysis of environmental impacts for all federally funded projects. Council on environmental quality conveys intention to update. Ceq regulations for implementing the procedural provisions. Summary of the national environmental policy act laws. Emergencies and the national environmental policy act nepa.
These include new and emerging guidance on 1 mitigation measures, 2 categorical exclusions, and 3 climate change and greenhouse gases. Placing forest service nepa procedures in the code of federal regulations is consistent with other federal agencies. Ceq oversees implementation of nepa, principally through issuance and interpretation of nepa regulations that implement the procedural requirements of nepa. Nepa s basic policy is to assure that all branches of government give proper consideration to the environment prior to undertaking any major federal action that significantly affects.
Guidelines for preparing an environmental assessment for fema. Excluded activity and then called for each federal agency to issue its own individual implementing regulations department of energy doe nepa regulations 10 cfr part 1021. The ceq regulations implementing the procedural provisions of nepa are designed to ensure that this national policy, environmental considerations, and associated public concerns are given careful attention and appropriate weight in all decisions of the federal government. National environmental policy act nepa compliance checklist. Instruction manual 0230100101 instruction manual provides the procedures for implementing. Nepa s purpose is not to generate paperworkeven excellent paperworkbut to foster excellent action. Ceqs proposal to modernize its nepa implementing regulations. The ceq regulations direct federal agencies to implement procedures to make the. The regulations included new provisions not required by safetealu that specifically addressed the integration of transportation planning and the nepa processes.
Fema is required to consider potential environmental impacts. Ceq processes foia requests in accordance with its regulations. Under nepa, congress established the white house council on environmental quality ceq to ensure that federal agencies meet their obligations of the act. Nepa are in the council on environmental quality regulations for implementing nepa. Forest service natural resources conservation service. A discussion of the implementation of the national. All definitions contained in the council on environmental quality ceq regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the national environmental policy act nepa 40 code of federal regulations cfr parts 15001508 apply to this instruction manual. National environmental policy act nepa documentation.
The council on environmental quality ceq, the us federal agency tasked with coordinating and overseeing federal agency implementation of the national environmental policy act nepa, has signaled its intention to update the ceqs longstanding nepa implementing regulations 40 cfr parts 15001508. Federal register update to the regulations implementing. Governing statutes, regulations, and executive orders nasa. Nasa governing statutes, regulations, and executive orders. The supreme court has afforded the ceq regulations substantial deference. Instruction manual 0230100101 instruction manual provides the procedures for implementing this directive. The national environmental policy act of 1969, as amended pub. The council on environmental quality ceq, the us federal agency tasked with coordinating and overseeing federal agency implementation of the national environmental policy act nepa, has signaled its intention to update the ceqs longstanding nepaimplementing regulations 40 cfr parts 15001508. The guidance recommends best practices for appropriate use of categorical exclusions and was developed as part of ceqs effort to modernize and reinvigorate federal agency implementation of nepa. Any federal agency, state agency, local government, or tribal government with such qualifications may become a cooperating agency on an eis by agreement with the lead federal. The nepa process is intended to help public officials make decisions that are based on understanding of environmental conse quences, and take actions that protect, restore, and enhance the environment. Definitions from the ceq regulations of some of the terms and. Manage the national environmental policy act nepa process as it pertains to the department of defense, so that the spirit and the letter of the act are fulfilled legally and efficiently implement the council on environmental quality ceq regulations and agency regulations.
Ceq regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of. The regulations included new provisions not required by safetealu that specifically addressed the integration of transportation planning and the nepa. Ongoing revision of npr after the federal nepa regulations have been revised scheduled for fall 2010, npr 8580. Instruction manual on implementation of the national. Nepa or the act, except where compliance would be inconsistent with other statutory requirements. National environmental policy act nepa implementing instructions for airport actions order 5050. Categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and environmental impact statements. Preamble pdf, 657 kb editorially updated 552006 to be consistent with version published in federal register complete order with appendices pdf, 2. National environmental policy act nepa implementing. Manage the national environmental policy act nepa process as it pertains to the department of defense, so that the spirit and the letter of the act are fulfilled legally and efficiently. Final guidance clarifying use of categorical exclusions the. National environmental policy act nepa implementing procedures. Dhs policy for implementing the requirements of the national environmental policy act nepa and the council on environmental quality ceq regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of nepa.
Pursuant to the council on environmental quality regulations, the provisions of the national environmental policy act of 1969 40 cfr parts 15001508, and environmental impact analysis process 32 cfr part 989, the united states air force. Section 2 of nepa declares that the purpose of the act is to promote efforts which will. Highlights of the final nepa procedures forest service procedures for implementing the national environmental policy act nepa are now included in the code of federal regulations cfrs. Doi implementation of the national environmental policy act of 1969 43 cfr part 46 national park service directors order 12, conservation planning, environmental impact analysis department of the interior departmental manual, environmental quality programs, national environmental policy act 516 dm 115 department of the interior. Animal and plant health inspection service farm service agency. In 1978, ceq promulgated its regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the national environmental policy act, 40 cfr parts 15001508 ceq regulations or nepa regulations, to reduce paperwork, to reduce delays, and at the same time to produce better decisions that further the national policy to protect and enhance the quality of the human environment. Ceq is considering updating its nepa implementing regulations and has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to modernize and clarify the regulations to facilitate a more efficient, effective, and timely nepa. Nepa was signed into law in 1970 and is a procedural statute that requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of proposed major federal actions. Statements shall be concise, clear, and to the point, and shall be supported by evidence that.
Nepa established ceq as an agency within the executive. That intention is reflected in the spring 2018 version of the semiannual unified agenda of. In february 2007, the fhwa and fta issued final transportation planning regulations implementing the changes in safetealu. White house council on environmental quality ceq regulations implementing the national environmental policy act nepa, 40 cfr parts 15001508. The national environmental policy act of 1969, 42 u. It is these regulations, which have as their basis the earlier guidelines, that specify the procedural requirements outlined in nepa section 1022c. Agency nepa implementing procedures each federal agency is required to develop nepa procedures that supplement the ceq regulations. Ceq regulations for implementing nepa agencies shall focus on significant environmental issues and alternatives and shall reduce paperwork and the accumulation of extraneous background data. Nepa, the environmental quality improvement act of 1970, as amended 42 u. The council on environmental quality ceq initially issued guidelines for implementing nepa in 1970, revised those guidelines in 1973, and subsequently promulgated its nepa implementing regulations in 1978. The national environmental policy act of 1969 the national environmental policy act of 1969, as amended pub. To assist federal agencies in effectively implementing the environmental policy and action forcing provisions of nepa, ceq issued regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the national environmental policy act 40 cfr 15001508.
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