Summary of Week 4

• The Magna Carta of U.S. environmental law
• Declaration of national policy and goals
• Set out action agenda for agencies
  • Environmental review process (E.g. EIS preparation)
    • For Major Federal Actions Significantly Affecting the Quality of the Human Environment
  • Address Environmental Impact
  • Unavoidable Adverse Environmental Effects
  • Alternatives to the proposed action
  • Short term use of environment vs. long term productivity
  • Irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources
• Mandated public participation
• Established Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)

The Review Process

• Lead Agency designation
• Environmental Assessment (EA)
• EITHER make a FONSI
  • Finding Of No Significant Impact
• OR Commence NEPA review process
  • Scoping Session
    • commencement of public input
    • frame the issues to be addressed by DEIS
  • Collect Information
  • Draft EIS(DEIS) preparation
  • DEIS review & comment period
  • Final EIS(FEIS) preparation
  • FEIS review
  • Acceptance of FEIS completes agency process
  • Subject to Judicial Review