NEPA Origins & History
This 1969 event, shown in a Time magazine photograph, epitomized the environmental movement's sensibilities by showing what can happen to a river with unregulated pollution.
What is the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, catching fire?
According to CEQ regulations, NEPA's purpose is not to generate this, but to foster informed action.
What is paperwork?
An EA must be completed within this time frame unless a senior agency official approves a longer period in writing.
What is one year?
The EIS process begins with this phase, which starts with a Notice of Intent.
What is scoping?
Agencies MUST always analyze this alternative in an EIS.
What is the "no action" alternative?
In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt established this site as the first national wildlife refuge.
What is Pelican Island?
This federal body, housed in the Executive Office of the President, was established by NEPA and issues and interprets NEPA regulations.
What is the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)?
A list of a category of actions an agency has pre-determined do not significantly affect the human environment.
What is a categorical exclusion?
An agency must complete an EIS within this time from the date of the NOI, unless a senior official approves an extension in writing.
What is two years?
For NEPA purposes, "effects" and "impacts" are changes to the human environment that are ________ foreseeable and have a __________ causal relationship to the action.
reasonably & reasonably close
NEPA was signed into law on this date by this president.
What is January 1, 1970, by President Nixon?
NEPA is triggered by these types of actions. Name the two components.
What are major federal actions that may significantly affect the human environment?
This kind of exemption comes from Congress rather than from the agency itself, such as the Stafford Act for FEMA.
What is a statutory exemption?
The minimum public comment period for a Draft EIS and the minimum for a Final EIS.
What are 45 days (Draft) and 30 days (Final)
If an agency has a preferred alternative at the Draft EIS stage, it must do this. At the Final EIS stage, it must do this unless another law prohibits it.
What is identify the preferred alternative?
This 1900 law, the first major federal wildlife law, banned the interstate transport of illegally taken wildlife.
What is the Lacey Act?
The three ways a private company's project can become tied to NEPA.
What are federal permits or licenses, federal funding, or use of federal land or property.
This document presents the reasons an agency concluded no significant impacts will occur, and it must be supported by the EA.
What is a FONSI (Finding of No Significant Impact)?
Name the four main stages of the EIS process, in order.
What are (1) scoping with NOI, (2) Draft EIS and public comment, (3) Final EIS, (4) Record of Decision (ROD)?
This specific type of causal relationship (think legal jargon) is insufficient to make an agency responsible for an effect under NEPA.
What is a "but for" causal relationship?
This 1966 law enables public participation and judicial review of agency actions, a foundation for NEPA-style citizen involvement.
What is the Administrative Procedure Act?
NEPA does NOT require agencies to select this, nor does it prohibit a certain kind of effects. Name both.
What is the most environmentally friendly option, and what are adverse environmental effects? (NEPA is procedural: it requires informed decisions, not specific outcomes.)
One kind of mitigated document must include these two additional elements.
What are a list and description of the mitigation measures, and enforcement and monitoring provisions ensuring implementation?
This agency publishes the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. AND name three kinds of key information that must be included in the NOA
What is the EPA? Any three of: lead agency name, document status (Draft/Final/Supplemental), EIS title and description, comment period dates, contact information, where to access the document, public meeting details.
Name any three items the Environmental Consequences section of an EIS usually discusses.
What are any three of: unavoidable adverse effects; the relationship between short-term uses and long-term productivity; irreversible or irretrievable commitments of resources; conflicts with land use policies, plans, and controls; energy and depletable resource requirements; urban quality, historic and cultural resources, and the built environment; mitigation; and economic and technical considerations?