Steps to Modernize and Reinvigorate NEPA
Enacted in 1970, NEPA is a cornerstone of our Nation's efforts to protect the environment and a fundamental tool to harmonize our economic and environmental aspirations. It recognizes that many Federal activities affect the environment and mandates that Federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their proposed actions before acting. NEPA emphasizes public involvement in government actions affecting the environment by requiring that the benefits and the risks associated with proposed actions be assessed and publicly disclosed.
On February 18, 2010, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) proposed steps to modernize and reinvigorate the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), in conjunction with its 40th Anniversary. (Watch a video of the symposium celebrating the 40th anniversary.) These measures will assist Federal agencies to meet the goals of NEPA, enhance the quality of public involvement in governmental decisions relating to the environment, increase transparency and ease implementation.
On March 17, 2011, CEQ also announced a NEPA Pilot Program to identify and promote more efficient ways to do effective environmental reviews that can be replicated across the Federal Government. CEQ has selected four pilot projects for further study and implementation. In collaboration with the relevant agencies, CEQ will track the implementation of the selected pilot projects, evaluate their outcomes, and highlight and promote lessons learned.
Additionally, the Administration has formed rapid response teams to help expedite the review process for transportation, transmission and renewable energy projects and improve the overall quality and timeliness of federal permitting and environmental reviews. These rapid response teams help to meet the goals of President Obama's memorandum on "Speeding Infrastructure Development through More Efficient and Effective Permitting and Environmental Review".
Steps to Modernize and Reinvigorate NEPA
Quick Links:
Draft CEQ Guidance on NEPA Efficiencies
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Draft CEQ Guidance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change Impacts
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Final CEQ Guidance Clarifying Use of Categorical Exclusions
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Final CEQ Guidance for Mitigation and Monitoring
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Enhanced Public Tools for Reporting on NEPA Activities
Access the updated www.nepa.gov website.
CEQ continues to upgrade this site to include the status of reviews of agency NEPA guidance, Recovery Act NEPA reporting, and real-time NEPA review status. These upgrades are designed to improve public participation and the quality of Federal agency administration of NEPA.
NEPA Pilot Projects Program
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On August 31, 2011, CEQ announced the selection of the first NEPA Pilot. CEQ identified two information technology (IT) tools developed by the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service that have significant potential to reduce costs and save time in Federal NEPA implementation.
On October 19, 2011, CEQ announced the selection of the second and third NEPA Pilots. For the second Pilot, CEQ selected a proposal to gather lessons-learned from agencies that have significant experience preparing Environmental Assessments and create best practice principles to facilitate more efficient and cost-effective NEPA environmental reviews. For the third Pilot, CEQ selected a project to make a NEPA information technology tool more user-friendly and available to the public.
On January 13, 2012, CEQ and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the selection of a fourth NEPA Pilot to implement an innovative, efficient NEPA review process for high-speed passenger rail service in the Northeast Corridor. Through this Pilot project, CEQ and DOT will engage Federal, state and local governments and the public in the environmental review process earlier to set benchmarks that maintain rigorous environmental protections and save time and costs by avoiding conflicts and delays in the later steps of rail-project development.
