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CEQ Regulations

Council on Environmental Quality Regulations

40 C.F.R.  Part 1500-1508

(a)     The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is our basic national charter for protection of the environment.  It establishes policy, sets goals (section 101), and provides means (section 102) for carrying out the policy.  Section 102(2) contains “action-forcing” provisions to make sure that federal agencies act according to the letter and spirit of the Act.  The regulations that follow implement section 102(2).  Their purpose is to tell federal agencies what they must do to comply with the procedures and achieve the goals of the Act.  The President, the federal agencies, and the courts share responsibility for enforcing the Act so as to achieve the substantive requirements of section 101.

(b)     NEPA procedures must insure that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken.  The information must be of high quality.  Accurate scientific analysis, expert agency comments, and public scrutiny are essential to implementing NEPA.  Most important, NEPA documents must concentrate on the issues that are truly significant to the action in question, rather than amassing needless detail.

(c)     Ultimately, of course, it is not better documents but better decisions that count.  NEPA’S purpose is not to generate paperwork - even excellent paperwork - but to foster excellent action.  The NEPA process is intended to help public officials make decisions that are based on understanding of environmental consequences, and take actions that protect, restore, and enhance the environment.  These regulations provide the direction to achieve this purpose.

Federal agencies shall to the fullest extent possible:

(a)     Interpret and administer the policies, regulations, and public laws of the United States in accordance with the policies set forth in the Act and in these regulations.

(b)     Implement procedures to make the NEPA process more useful to decisionmakers and the public; to reduce paperwork and the accumulation of extraneous background data; and to emphasize real environmental issues and alternatives.  Environmental impact statements shall be concise, clear, and to the point, and shall be supported by evidence that agencies have made the necessary environmental analyses.

(c)     Integrate the requirements of NEPA with other planning and environmental review procedures required by law or by agency practice so that all such procedures run concurrently rather than consecutively.

(d)     Encourage and facilitate public involvement in decisions which affect the quality of the human environment.

(e)     Use the NEPA process to identify and assess the reasonable alternatives to proposed actions that will avoid or minimize adverse effects of these actions upon the quality of the human environment.

(f)      Use all practicable means, consistent with the requirements of the Act and other essential considerations of national policy, to restore and enhance the quality of the human environment and avoid or minimize any possible adverse effects of their actions upon the quality of the human environment.

Parts 1500-1508 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 1969, as amended (Pub. L. 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et SEQ.)(NEPA or the Act) except where compliance would be inconsistent with other statutory requirements.  These regulations are issued pursuant to NEPA, the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.) section 309 of the Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7609) and Executive Order 11514, Protection and Enhancement of Environmental These regulations, unlike the predecessor guidelines, are not confined to sec. 102(2)(C)(environmental impact statements).  The regulations apply to the whole of section 102(2).  The provisions of the Act and of these regulations must be read together as a whole in order to comply with the spirit and letter of the law.  It is the Council’s intention that judicial review of agency compliance with these regulations not occur before an agency has filed the final environmental impact statement, or has made a final finding of no significant impact (when such a finding will result in action affecting the environment), or takes action that will result in irreparable injury.  Furthermore, it is the Council’s intention that any trivial violation of these regulations not give rise to any independent cause of action by Quality (March 5, 1970, as amended Executive Order 11991, May 24, 1977). 

Agencies shall reduce excessive paperwork by:

(a)     Reducing the length of environmental impact statements (Section 1502.2(c)), by means such as setting appropriate page limits (Sections 1501.7(b)(1) and 1502.7).

(b)     Preparing analytic rather than encyclopedic environmental impact statements (Section 1502.2(a)).

(c)     Discussing only briefly issues other than significant ones (Section 1502.2(b)).

(d)     Writing environmental impact statements in plain language (Section 1502.8).

(e)     Following a clear format for environmental impact statements (Section 1502.10).

(f)      Emphasizing the portions of the environmental impact statement that are useful to decisionmakers and the public (Sections 1502.14 and 1502.15) and reducing emphasis on background material (Section 1502.16).

(g)     Using the scoping process, not only to identify significant environmental issues deserving of study, but also to deemphasize insignificant issues, narrowing the scope of the environmental impact statement process accordingly (Section 1501.7)

(h)     Summarizing the environmental impact statement (Section 1502.12) and circulating the summary instead of the entire environmental impact statement if the latter is unusually long (Section 1502.19).

(i)      Using program, policy, or plan environmental impact statements and tiering from statements of broad scope to those of narrower scope, to eliminate repetitive discussions of the same issues (Sections 1502.4 and 1502.20)

 (j)     Incorporating by reference (Section 1502.21).

(k)     Integrating NEPA requirements with other environmental review and consultation requirements (Section 1502.25).

(l)      Requiring comments to be as specific as possible (Section 1503.3).

(m)    Attaching and circulating only changes to the draft environmental impact statement, rather than rewriting and circulating the entire statement when changes are minor (Section 1503.4(c)).

(n)     Eliminating duplication with State and local procedures, by providing for joint preparation (Section 1506.2), and with other Federal procedures, by providing that an agency may adopt appropriate environmental documents prepared by another agency (Section 1506.3).

(o)     Combining environmental documents with other documents (Section 1506.4).

(p)     Using categorical exclusions to define categories of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which are therefore exempt from requirements to prepare an environmental impact statement (Section 1508.4).

(q)     Using a finding of no significant impact when an action not otherwise excluded will not have a significant effect on the human environment and is therefore exempt from requirements to prepare an environmental impact statement (Section 1508.13).

Agencies shall reduce delay by:

(a)     Integrating the NEPA process into early planning (Section 1501.2).

(b)     Emphasizing interagency cooperation before the environmental impact statement is prepared, rather than submission of adversary comments on a completed document (Section 1501.6).

(c)     Insuring the swift and fair resolution of lead agency disputes (Section 1501.5).

(d)     Using the scoping process for an early identification of what are and what are not the real issues (Section 1501.7).

(e)     Establishing appropriate time limits for the environmental impact statement process (Sections 1501.7(b)(2) and 1501.8).

(f)      Preparing environmental impact statements early in the process (Section 1502.5).

(g)     Integrating NEPA requirements with other environmental review and consultation requirements (Section 1502.25).

(h)     Eliminating duplication with State and local procedures by providing for joint preparation (Section 1506.2) and with other Federal procedures by providing that an agency may adopt appropriate environmental documents prepared by another agency (Section 1506.3).

(i)      Combining environmental documents with other documents(Section 1506.4).

(j)      Using accelerated procedures for proposals for legislation (Section 1506.8).

(k)     Using categorical exclusions to define categories of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment (Section 1508.4) and which are therefore exempt from requirements to prepare an environmental impact statement.

(l)      Using a finding of no significant impact when an action not otherwise excluded will not have a significant effect on the human environment (Section 1508.13) and is therefore exempt from requirements to prepare an environmental impact statement.

Each agency shall interpret the provisions of the Act as a supplement to its existing authority and as a mandate to view traditional policies and missions in the light of the Act’s national environmental objectives.  Agencies shall review their policies, procedures, and regulations accordingly and revise them as necessary to insure full compliance with the purposes and provisions of the Act.  The phrase “to the fullest extent possible” in section 102 means that each agency of the Federal Government shall comply with that section unless existing law applicable to the agency’s operations expressly prohibits or makes compliance impossible.

The purposes of this part include:

(a)     Integrating the NEPA process into early planning to insure appropriate consideration of NEPA’s policies and to eliminate delay.

(b)     Emphasizing cooperative consultation among agencies before the environmental impact statement is prepared rather than submission of adversary comments on a completed document.

(c)     Providing for the swift and fair resolution of lead agency disputes.

(d)     Identifying at an early stage the significant environmental issues deserving of study and deemphasizing insignificant issues, narrowing the scope of the environmental impact statement accordingly.

(e)     Providing a mechanism for putting appropriate time limits on the environmental impact statement process.

Agencies shall integrate the NEPA process with other planning at the earliest possible time to insure that planning and decisions reflect environmental values, to avoid delays later in the process, and to head off potential conflicts.  Each agency shall:

(a)    Comply with the mandate of section 102(2)(A) to “utilize a systematic, interdisciplinary approach which will insure the integrated use of the natural and social sciences and the environmental design arts in planning and in alternative uses of available resources as provided by section 102(2)(E) of the Act.

(b)    Identify environmental effects and values in adequate detail so they can be prepared to economic and technical analyses.  Environmental documents and appropriate analyses shall be circulated and reviewed at the same time as other planning documents.

(c)    Study, develop, and describe appropriate alternatives to recommended courses of action in any proposal which involves unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources as provided by section (102)(2)(E) of the Act.

(d)    Provide for cases where actions are planned by private applicants or other non-Federal entities before Federal involvement so that:

(1)   Policies or designated staff are available to advise potential applicants of studies or other information foreseeably required for later Federal action.

(2)   The Federal agency consults early with appropriate State and local agencies and Indian tribes and with interested private persons and organizations when its own involvement is reasonably foreseeable.

(3)   The Federal agency commences its NEPA process at the earliest possible time.

(a)     Agencies shall prepare an environmental assessment (Section 1508.9) when necessary under the procedures adopted by individual agencies to supplement these regulations as described in Section 1507.3.  An assessment is not necessary if the agency has decided to prepare an environmental impact statement.

(b)     Agencies may prepare an environmental assessment on any action at any time in order to assist agency planning and decisionmaking.

In determining whether to prepare an environmental impact statement the Federal agency shall:

(a)     Determine under its procedures supplementing these regulations (described in Section 1507.3) whether the proposal is one which:

(1)  Normally requires an environmental impact statement, or

(2)  Normally does not require either an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment (categorical exclusion).

(b)     If the proposed action is not covered by paragraph (a) of this section, prepare an environmental assessment (Section 1508.9).  The agency shall involve environmental agencies, applicants, and the public, to the extent practicable, in preparing assessments required by Section 1508.9(a)(1).

(c)     Based on the environmental assessment make its determination whether to prepare an environmental impact statement.

(d)     Commence the scoping process (Section 1501.7), if the agency will prepare an environmental impact statement.

(e)     Prepare a finding of no significant impact (Section 1508.13), if the agency determines on the basis of the environmental assessment not to prepare a statement.                

(1)  The agency shall make the finding of no significant impact available to the affected public as specified in Section 1506.6.

(2)  In certain limited circumstances, which the agency may cover in its procedures under Section 1507.3, the agency shall make the finding of no significant impact available for public review (including State and areawide clearinghouses) for 30 days before the agency makes its final determination whether to prepare an environmental impact statement and before the action may begin.  The circumstances are:

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(i)   The proposed action is, or is closely similar to, one which normally requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement under the procedures adopted by the agency pursuant to Section 1507.3, or

(ii) The nature of the proposed action is one without precedent.

(i)   The proposed action is, or is closely similar to, one which normally requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement under the procedures adopted by the agency pursuant to Section 1507.3, or

(ii) The nature of the proposed action is one without precedent.

(a)     A lead agency shall supervise the preparation of an environmental impact statement if more than one Federal agency either:

(1)  Proposes or is involved in the same action; or

(2)  Is involved in a group of actions directly related to each other because of their functional interdependence or geographical proximity.

(b)     Federal, State, or local agencies, including at least one Federal agency, may act as joint lead agencies to prepare an environmental impact statement (Section 1506.2).

(c)     If an action falls within the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section the potential lead agencies shall determine by letter or memorandum which agency shall be the lead agency and which shall be cooperating agencies.  The agencies shall resolve the lead agency question so as not to cause delay.  If there is disagreement among the agencies, the following factors (which are listed in order of descending importance) shall determine lead agency designation:

(1)  Magnitude of agency’s involvement.

(2)  Project approval/disapproval authority.

(3)  Expertise concerning the action’s environmental effects.

(4)  Duration of agency’s involvement.

(5)  Sequence of agency’s involvement.

(d)     Any Federal agency, or any State or local agency or private person substantially affected by the absence of lead agency designation, may make a written request to the potential lead agencies that a lead agency be designated.

(e)     If Federal agencies are unable to agree on which agency will be the lead agency or if the procedure described in paragraph (c) of this section has not resulted within 45 days in a lead agency designation, any of the agencies or persons concerned may file a request with the Council asking it to determine which Federal agency shall be the lead agency.  A copy of the request shall be transmitted to each potential lead agency.  The request shall consist of:

(1)   A precise description of the nature and extent of the proposed action.

(2)   A detailed statement of why each potential lead agency should or should not be the lead agency under the criteria specified in paragraph (c) of this section.

(f)      A response may be filed by any potential lead agency concerned within 20 days after a request is filed with the Council.  The Council shall determine as soon as possible but not later than 20 days after receiving the request and all responses to it which Federal agency shall be the lead agency and which other Federal agencies shall be cooperating agencies.

The purpose of this section is to emphasize agency cooperation early in the NEPA process.  Upon request of the lead agency, any other Federal agency which has jurisdiction by law shall be a cooperating agency.  In addition any other Federal agency which has special expertise with respect to any environmental issue, which should be addressed in the statement may be a cooperating agency upon request of the lead agency.  An agency may request the lead agency to designate it a cooperating agency.

(a)     The lead agency shall:

(1)   Request the participation of each cooperating agency in the NEPA process at the earliest possible time.

(2)   Use the environmental analysis and proposals of cooperating agencies with jurisdiction by law or special expertise, to the maximum extent possible consistent with its responsibility as lead agency.

(3)   Meet with a cooperating agency at the latter’s request.

(b)     Each cooperating agency shall:

(1)   Participate in the NEPA process at the earliest possible time.

(2)   Participate in the scoping process (described below in Section 1501.7).

(3)   Assume on request of the lead agency responsibility for developing information and preparing environmental analyses including portions of the environmental impact statementconcerning which the cooperating agency has special expertise.

(4)   Make available staff support at the lead agency’s request to enhance the latter’s interdisciplinary capability.

(5)   Normally use its own funds.  The lead agency shall, to the extent available funds permit, fund those major activities or analyses it requests from cooperating agencies.  Potential lead agencies shall include such funding requirements in their budget requests.

(c)     A cooperating agency may in response to a lead agency’s request for assistance in preparing the environmental impact statement (described in paragraph (b)(3), (4), or (5) of this section) reply that other program commitments preclude any involvement or the degree of involvement requested in the action that is the subject of the environmental impact statement.  A copy of this reply shall be submitted to the Council.

There shall be an early and open process for determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action.  This process shall be termed scoping.  As soon as practicable after its decision to prepare an environmental impact statement and before the scoping process the lead agency shall publish a notice of intent (Section 1508.22) in the Federal Register except as provided in Section 1507.3(e).

(a)     As part of the scoping process the lead agency shall:

(1)  Invite the participation of affected Federal, State, and local agencies, any affected Indian tribe, the proponent of the action, and other interested persons (including those who might not be in accord with the action on environmental grounds), unless there is a limited exception under Section 1507.3(c).  An agency may give notice in accordance with Section 1506.6.

(2)  Determine the scope (Section 1508.25) and the significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the environmental impact statement.

(3)  Identify and eliminate from detailed study the issues which are not significant or which have been covered by prior environmental review (Section 1506.3), narrowing the discussion of these issues in the statement to a brief presentation of why they will not have a significant effect on the human environment or providing a reference to their coverage elsewhere.

(4)  Allocate assignments for preparation of the environmental impact statement among the lead and cooperating agencies, with the lead agency retaining responsibility for the statement.

(5) Indicate any public environmental assessments and other environmental impact statements which are being or will be prepared that are related to but are not part of the scope of the impact statement under consideration.

(6)  Identify other environmental review and consultation requirements so the lead and cooperating agencies may prepare other required analyses and studies concurrently with, and integrated with, the environmental impact statement as provided in Section 1502.25.

(7)  Indicate the relationship between the timing of the preparation of environmental analyses and the agency’s tentative planning and decisionmaking schedule.

(b)    As part of the scoping process the lead agency may:

(1)  Set page limits on environmental documents (Section 1502.7).

(2)  Set time limits (Section 1501.8).

(3)  Adopt procedures under Section 1507.3 to combine its environmental assessment process with its scoping process.

(4)  Hold an early scoping meeting or meetings which may be integrated with any other early planning meeting the agency has.  Such a scoping meeting will often be appropriate when the impacts of a particular action are confined to specific sites.

(c)    An agency shall revise the determinations made under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section if substantial changes are made later in the proposed action, or if significant new circumstances or information arise which bear on the proposal or its impacts.

Although the Council has decided that prescribed universal time limits for the entire NEPA process are too inflexible, Federal agencies are encouraged to set time limits appropriate to individual actions (consistent with the time intervals required by Section 1506.10).  When multiple agencies are involved the reference to agency below means lead agency.

(a)    The agency shall set time limits if an applicant for the proposed action requests them: Provided, that the limits are consistent with the purposes of NEPA and other essential considerations of national policy.

(b)    The agency may:

(1)   Consider the following factors in determining time limits:

(i)      Potential for environmental harm.

(ii)     Size of the proposed action.

(iii)     State of the art of analytic techniques.

(iv)     Degree of public need for the proposed action, including the consequences of delay.

(v)     Number of persons and agencies affected.

(vi)     Degree to which relevant information is known and if not known the time required for obtaining it.

(vii)    Degree to which the action is controversial.

(viii)   Other time limits imposed on the agency by law, regulations, or executive order.

(2)   Set overall time limits or limits for each constituent part of the NEPA process, which may include:

(i)      Decision on whether to prepare an environmental impact statement (if not already decided).

(ii)      Determination of the scope of the environmental impact statement.

(iii)     Preparation of the draft environmental impact statement.

(iv)     Review of any comments on the draft environmental impact statement from the public and agencies.

(v)      Preparation of the final environmental impact statement.

(vi)     Review of any comments on the final environmental impact statement.

(vii)    Decision on the action based in part on the environmental impact statement.

(3)   Designate a person (such as the project manager or a person in the agency’s office with NEPA responsibilities) to expedite the NEPA process.

(c)     State or local agencies or members of the public may request a Federal Agency to set time limits.

The primary purpose of an environmental impact statement is to serve as an action-forcing device to insure that the policies and goals defined in the Act are infused into the ongoing programs and actions of the Federal Government.  It shall provide full and fair discussion of significant environmental impacts and shall inform decisionmakers and the public of the reasonable alternatives which would avoid or minimize adverse impacts or enhance the quality of the human environment.  Agencies shall focus on significant environmental issues and alternatives and shall reduce paperwork and the accumulation of extraneous background data.  Statements shall be concise, clear, and to the point, and shall be supported by evidence that the agency has made the necessary environmental analyses.  An environmental impact statement is more than a disclosure document.  It shall be used by Federal officials in conjunction with other relevant material to plan actions and make decisions.

To achieve the purposes set forth in Section 1502.1 agencies shall prepare environmental impact statements in the following manner:

(a)     Environmental impact statements shall be analytic rather than encyclopedic.

(b)     Impacts shall be discussed in proportion to their significance.  There shall be only brief discussion of other than significant issues.  As in a finding of no significant impact, there should be only enough discussion to show why more study is not warranted.

(c)     Environmental impact statements shall be kept concise and shall be no longer than absolutely necessary to comply with NEPA and with these regulations.  Length should vary first with potential environmental problems and then with project size.

(d)     Environmental impact statements shall state how alternatives considered in it and decisions based on it will or will not achieve the requirements of sections 101 and 102(1) of the Act and other environmental laws and policies.

(e)     The range of alternatives discussed in environmental impact statements shall encompass those to be considered by the ultimate agency decisionmaker.

(f)      Agencies shall not commit resources prejudicing selection of alternatives before making a final decision (Section 1506.1).

(g)     Environmental impact statements shall serve as the means of assessing the environmental impact of proposed agency actions, rather than justifying decisions already made.

As required by Sec. 102(2)(C) of NEPA environmental impact statements (Section 1508.11) are to be included in every recommendation or report.  On proposals (Section 1508.23) for legislation and (Section 1508.17) other major Federal actions (Section 1508.18) significantly (Section 1508.27) affecting (Sections 1508.3, 1508.8) the quality of the human environment (Section 1508.14).

(a)     Agencies shall make sure the proposal which is the subject of an environmental impact statement is properly defined.  Agencies shall use the criteria for scope (Section 1508.25) to determine which proposal(s) shall be the subject of a particular statement.  Proposals or parts of proposals which are related to each other closely enough to be, in effect, a single course of action shall be evaluated in a single impact statement.

(b)     Environmental impact statements may be prepared, and are sometimes required, for broad Federal actions such as the adoption of new agency programs or regulations (Section 1508.18).  Agencies shall prepare statements on broad actions so that they are relevant to policy and are timed to coincide with meaningful points in agency planning and decisionmaking.

(c)     When preparing statements on broad actions (including proposals by more than one agency), agencies may find it useful to evaluate the proposal(s) in one of the following ways:

(1)   Geographically, including actions occurring in the same general location, such as body of water, region, or metropolitan area.

(2)   Generically, including actions which have relevant similarities, such as common timing, impacts, alternatives, methods of implementation, media, or subject matter.

(3)   By stage of technological development including federal or federally assisted research, development or demonstration programs for new technologies which, if applied, could significantly affect the quality of the human environment.  Statements shall be prepared on such programs and shall be available before the program has reached a stage of investment or commitment to implementation likely to determine subsequent development or restrict later alternatives.

(d)     Agencies shall as appropriate employ scoping (Section 1501.7), tiering (Section 1502.20), and other methods listed in Sections 1500.4 and 1500.5 to relate broad and narrow actions and to avoid duplication and delay.

An agency shall commence preparation of an environmental impact statement as close as possible to the time the agency is developing or is presented with a proposal (Section 1508.23) so that preparation can be completed in time for the final statement to be included in any recommendation or report on the proposal.  The statement shall be prepared early enough so that it can serve practically as an important contribution to the decisionmaking process and will not be used to rationalize or justify decisions already made (Sections 1500.2(c), 1501.2, and 1502.2).  For instance:

(a)     For projects directly undertaken by Federal agencies the environmental impact statement shall be prepared at the feasibility analysis (go – no go) stage and may be supplemented at a later stage if necessary.

(b)     For applications to the agency appropriate environmental assessments or statements shall be commenced no later than immediately after the application is received.  Federal agencies are encouraged to begin preparation of such assessments or statements earlier, preferably jointly with applicable State or local agencies.

(c)     For adjudication, the final environmental impact statement shall normally precede the final staff recommendation and that portion of the public hearing related to the impact study.  In appropriate circumstances the statement may follow preliminary hearings designed to gather information for use in the statements.

(d)     For informal rulemaking the draft environmental impact statement shall normally accompany the proposed rule.

Environmental impact statements shall be prepared using an interdisciplinary approach which will insure the integrated use of the natural and social sciences and the environmental design arts (section 102(2)(A) of the Act).  The disciplines of the preparers shall be appropriate to the scope and issues identified in the scoping process (Section 1501.7).

The text of final environmental impact statements (e.g., paragraphs (d) through (g) of Section 1502.10) shall normally be less than 150 pages and for proposals of unusual scope or complexity shall normally be less than 300 pages.

Environmental impact statements shall be written in plain language and may use appropriate graphics so that decisionmakers and the public can readily understand them.  Agencies should employ writers of clear prose or editors to write, review, or edit statements, which will be based upon the analysis and supporting data from the natural and social sciences and the environmental design arts.

Except for proposals for legislation as provided in Section 1506.8 environmental impact statements shall be prepared in two stages and may be supplemented.

(a)     Draft environmental impact statements shall be prepared in accordance with the scope decided upon in the scoping process.  The lead agency shall work with the cooperating agencies and shall obtain comments as required in Part 1503 of this chapter.  The draft statement must fulfill and satisfy to the fullest extent possible the requirements established for final statements in section 102(2)(C) of the Act.  If a draft statement is so inadequate as to preclude meaningful analysis, the agency shall prepare and circulate a revised draft of the appropriate portion.  The agency shall make every effort to disclose and discuss at appropriate points in the draft statement all major points of view on the environmental impacts of the alternatives including the proposed action.

(b)     Final environmental impact statements shall respond to comments as required in Part 1503 of this chapter.  The agency shall discuss at appropriate points in the final statement any responsible opposing view which was not adequately discussed in the draft statement and shall indicate the agency’s response to the issues raised.

(c)     Agencies:

(1)     Shall prepare supplements to either draft or final environmental impact statements if:

(i)     The agency makes substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns; or

(ii)    There are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts.

(2)     May also prepare supplements when the agency determines that the purposes of the Act will be furthered by doing so.

(3)     Shall adopt procedures for introducing a supplement into its formal administrative record, if such a record exists.

(4)     Shall prepare, circulate, and file a supplement to a statement in the same fashion (exclusive of scoping) as a draft and final statement unless alternative procedures are approved by the Council.

Agencies shall use a format for environmental impact statements which will encourage good analysis and clear presentation of the alternatives including the proposed action.  The following standard format for environmental impact statements should be followed unless the agency determines that there is a compelling reason to do otherwise:

(a)     Cover sheet

(b)     Summary

(c)     Table of contents

(d)     Purpose of and need for action

(e)     Alternatives including proposed action (secs. 102(2)(C)(iii) and 102(2)(E) of the Act)

(f)      Affected environment

(g)     Environmental consequences (especially sections 102(2)(C)(i), (ii), (iv), and (v) of the Act)

(h)     List of preparers

(i)      List of Agencies, Organizations, and persons to whom copies of the statement are sent

(j)      Index

(k)     Appendices (if any)

If a different format is used, it shall include paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (h), (i), and (j), of this section and shall include the substance of paragraphs (d), (e), (f), (g), and (k) of this section, as further described in Sections 1502.11-1502.18, in any appropriate format.

The cover sheet shall not exceed one page.  It shall include:

(a)     A list of the responsible agencies including the lead agency and any cooperating agencies.

(b)     The title of the proposed action that is the subject of the statement (and if appropriate the titles of related cooperating agency actions), together with the State(s) and county(ies) (or other jurisdiction if applicable) where the action is located.

(c)     The name, address, and telephone number of the person at the agency who can supply further information.

(d)     A designation of the statement as a draft, final, or draft or final supplement.

(e)     A one paragraph abstract of the statement.

(f)      The date by which comments must be received (computed in cooperation with EPA under Section 1506.10).  The information required by this section may be entered on Standard Form 424 (in items 4, 6, 7, 10, and 18).

Each environmental impact statement shall contain a summary which adequately and accurately summarizes the statement.  The summary shall stress the major conclusions, areas of controversy (including issues raised by agencies and the public), and the issues to be resolved (including the choice among alternatives).  The summary will normally not exceed 15 pages.

The statement shall briefly specify the underlying purpose and need to which the agency is responding in proposing the alternatives including the proposed action.

This section is the heart of the environmental impact statement.  Based on the information and analysis presented in the sections on the Affected Environment (Section 1502.15) and the Environmental Consequences (Section 1502.16), it should present the environmental impacts of the proposal and the alternatives in comparative form, thus sharply defining the issues and providing a clear basis for choice among options by the decisionmaker and the public.  In this section agencies shall:

(a)     Rigorously explore and objectively evaluate all reasonable alternatives, and for alternatives which were eliminated from detailed study, briefly discuss the reasons for their having been eliminated.

(b)     Devote substantial treatment to each alternative considered in detail including the proposed action so that reviewers may evaluate their comparative merits.

(c)     Include reasonable alternatives not within the jurisdiction of the lead agency.

(d)     Include the alternative of no action.

(e)     Identify the agency’s preferred alternative or alternatives, if one or more exists, in the draft statement and identify such alternative in the final statement unless another law prohibits the expression of such a preference.

(f)      Include appropriate mitigation measures not already included in the proposed action or alternatives.

The environmental impact statement shall succinctly describe the environment of the area(s) to be affected or created by the alternatives under consideration.  The descriptions shall be no longer than is necessary to understand the effects of the alternatives.  Data and analyses in a statement shall be commensurate with the importance of the impact, with less important material summarized, consolidated, or simply referenced.  Agencies shall avoid useless bulk in statements and shall concentrate effort and attention on important issues.  Verbose descriptions of the affected environment are themselves no measure of the adequacy of an environmental impact statement.

This section forms the scientific and analytic basis for the comparisons under Section 1502.14.  It shall consolidate the discussions of those elements required by secs. 102(2)(C)(i), (ii), (iv), and (v) of NEPA which are within the scope of the statement and as much of sec. 102(2)(C)(iii) as is necessary to support the comparisons.  The discussion will include the environmental impacts of the alternatives including the proposed action, any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided should the proposal be implemented, the relationship between short-term uses of man’s environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity, and any irreversible or irretrievable commitments of resources which would be involved in the proposal should it be implemented.  This section should not duplicate discussions in Section 1502.14.  It shall include discussions of:

(a)     Direct effects and their significance (Section 1508.8).

(b)     Indirect effects and their significance (Section 1508.8).

(c)     Possible conflicts between the proposed action and the objectives of Federal, regional, State, and local (and in the case of a reservation, Indian tribe) land use plans, policies and controls for the area concerned. (See Section 1506.2(d)).

(d)     The environmental effects of alternatives including the proposed action. The comparisons under Section 1502.14 will be based on this discussion.

(e)     Energy requirements and conservation potential of various alternatives and mitigation measures.

(f)      Natural or depletable resource requirements and conservation potential of various alternatives and mitigation measures.

(g)     Urban quality, historic and cultural resources, and the design of the built environment, including the reuse and conservation potential of various alternatives and mitigation measures.

(h)     Means to mitigate adverse environmental impacts (if not fully covered under Section 1502.14(f)).

The environmental impact statement shall list the names, together with their qualifications (expertise, experience, professional disciplines), of the persons who were primarily responsible for preparing the environmental impact statement or significant back- ground papers, including basic components of the statement (Sections 1502.6 and 1502.8).  Where possible the persons who are responsible for a particular analysis, including analyses in background papers, shall be identified.  Normally the list will not exceed two pages.

If an agency prepares an appendix to an environmental impact statement the appendix shall:

(a)     Consist of material prepared in connection with an environmental impact statement (as distinct from material which is not so prepared and which is incorporated by reference (Section 1502.21)).

(b)     Normally consist of material which substantiates any analysis fundamental to the impact statement.

(c)     Normally be analytic and relevant to the decision to be made.

(d)     Be circulated with the environmental impact statement or be readily available on request.

Agencies shall circulate the entire draft and final environmental impact statements except for certain appendices as provided in Section 1502.18(d) and unchanged statements as provided in Section 1503.4(c).  However, if the statement is unusually long, the agency may circulate the summary instead, except that the entire statement shall be furnished to:

(a)     Any Federal agency which has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved and any appropriate Federal, State or local agency authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards.

(b)     The applicant, if any.

(c)     Any person, organization, or agency requesting the entire environmental impact statement.

(d)     In the case of a final environmental impact statement any person, organization, or agency which submitted substantive comments on the draft.  If the agency circulates the summary and thereafter receives a timely request for the entire statement and for additional time to comment, the time for that requestor only shall be extended by at least 15 days beyond the minimum period.

Agencies are encouraged to tier their environmental impact statements to eliminate repetitive discussions of the same issues and to focus on the actual issues ripe for decision at each level of environmental review (Section 1508.28). Whenever a broad environmental impact statement has been prepared (such as a program or policy statement) and a subsequent statement or environmental assessment is then prepared on an action included within the entire program or policy (such as a site specific action) the subsequent statement or environmental assessment need only summarize the issues discussed in the broader statement and incorporate discussions from the broader statement by reference and shall concentrate on the issues specific to the subsequent action.  The subsequent document shall statewhere the earlier document is available.  Tiering may also be appropriate for different stages of actions (Sec. 1508.28). 

Agencies shall incorporate material into an environmental impact statement by reference when the effect will be to cut down on bulk without impeding agency and public review of the action.  The incorporated material shall be cited in the statement and its content briefly described.  No material may be incorporated by reference unless it is reasonably available for inspection by potentially interested persons within the time allowed for comment.  Material based on proprietary data which is itself not available for review and comment shall not be incorporated by reference.

When an agency is evaluating reasonably foreseeable significant adverse effects on the human environment in an environmental impact statement and there is incomplete or unavailable information, the agency shall always make clear that such information is lacking.

(a)     If the incomplete information relevant to reasonably foreseeable significant adverse impacts is essential to a reasoned choice among alternatives and the overall costs of obtaining it are not exorbitant, the agency shall include the information in the environmental impact statement.

(b)     If the information relevant to reasonably foreseeable significant adverse impacts cannot be obtained because the overall costs of obtaining it are exorbitant or the means to obtain it are not known, the agency shall include within the environmental impact statement:

(1)     a statement that such information is incomplete or unavailable;

(2)     a statement of the relevance of the incomplete or unavailable information to evaluating reasonably foreseeable significant adverse impacts on the human environment;

(3)     a summary of existing credible scientific evidence which is relevant to evaluating the reasonably foreseeable significant adverse impacts on the human environment, and

(4)     the agency’s evaluation of such impacts based upon theoretical approaches or research methods generally accepted in the scientific community.  For the purposes of this section, “reasonably foreseeable” includes impacts which have catastrophic consequences, even if their probability of occurrence is low, provided that the analysis of the impacts is supported by credible scientific evidence, is not based on pure conjecture, and is within the rule of reason.

(c)     The amended regulation will be applicable to all environmental impact statements for which a Notice of Intent (40 CFR 1508.22) is published in the Federal Register on or after May 27, 1986.  For environmental impact statements in progress, agencies may choose to comply with the requirements of either the original or amended regulation.

If a cost-benefit analysis relevant to the choice among environmentally different alternatives is being considered for the proposed action, it shall be incorporated by reference or appended to the statement as an aid in evaluating the environmental consequences.  To assess the adequacy of compliance with sec. 102(2)(B) of the Act the statement shall, when a cost-benefit analysis is prepared, discuss the relationship between that analysis and any analyses of unquantified environmental impacts, values, and amenities.  For purposes of complying with the Act, the weighing of the merits and drawbacks of the various alternatives need not be displayed in a monetary cost-benefit analysis and should not be when there are important qualitative considerations.  In any event, an environmental impact statement should at least indicate those considerations, including factors not related to environmental quality, which are likely to be relevant and important to a decision.

Agencies shall insure the professional integrity, including scientific integrity, of the discussions and analyses in environmental impact statements.  They shall identify any methodologies used and shall make explicit reference by footnote to the scientific and other sources relied upon for conclusions in the statement.  An agency may place discussion of methodology in an appendix.

(a)     To the fullest extent possible, agencies shall prepare draft environmental impact statements concurrently with and integrated with environmental impact analyses and related surveys and studies required by the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and other environmental review laws and executive orders.

(b)     The draft environmental impact statement shall list all Federal permits, licenses, and other entitlements which must be obtained in implementing the proposal.  If it is uncertain whether a Federal permit, license, or other entitlement is necessary, the draft environmental impact statement shall so indicate.

(a)     After preparing a draft environmental impact statement and before preparing a final environmental impact statement the agency shall:

(1)      Obtain the comments of any Federal agency which has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved or which is authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards.

(2)      Request the comments of:

(i)     Appropriate State and local agencies which are authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards;

(ii)    Indian tribes, when the effects may be on a reservation; and

(iii)   Any agency which has requested that it receive statements on actions of the kind proposed.  Office of Management and Budget Circular A-95 (Revised), through its system of clearinghouses, provides a means of securing the views of State and local environmental agencies.  The clearinghouses may be used, by mutual agreement of the lead agency and the clearinghouse, for securing State and local reviews of the draft environmental impact statements.

(3)      Request comments from the applicant, if any.

(4)      Request comments from the public, affirmatively soliciting comments from those persons or organizations who may be interested or affected.

(b)     An agency may request comments on a final environmental impact statement before the decision is finally made.  In any case other agencies or persons may make comments before the final decision unless a different time is provided under Section 1506.10.

Federal agencies with jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved and agencies which are authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards shall comment on statements within their jurisdiction, expertise, or authority.  Agencies shall comment within the time period specified for comment in Section 1506.10.  A Federal agency may reply that it has no comment.  If a cooperating agency is satisfied that its views are adequately reflected in the environmental impact statement, it should reply that it has no comment.

(a)     Comments on an environmental impact statement or on a proposed action shall be as specific as possible and may address either the adequacy of the statement or the merits of the alternatives discussed or both.

(b)     When a commenting agency criticizes a lead agency’s predictive methodology, the commenting agency should describe the alternative methodology which it prefers and why.

(c)     A cooperating agency shall specify in its comments whether it needs additional information to fulfill other applicable environmental reviews or consultation requirements and what information it needs.  In particular, it shall specify any additional information it needs to comment adequately on the draft statement’s analysis of significant site-specific effects associated with the granting or approving by that cooperating agency of necessary Federal permits, licenses, or entitlements.

(d)     When a cooperating agency with jurisdiction by law objects to or expresses reservations about the proposal on grounds of environmental impacts, the agency expressing the objection or reservation shall specify the mitigation measures it considers necessary to allow the agency to grant or approve applicable permit, license, or related requirements or concurrences.

(a)     An agency preparing a final environmental impact statement shall assess and consider comments both individually and collectively, and shall respond by one or more of the means listed below, stating its response in the final statement.  Possible responses are to:

(1)      Modify alternatives including the proposed action.

(2)      Develop and evaluate alternatives not previously given serious consideration by the agency.

(3)      Supplement, improve, or modify its analyses.

(4)      Make factual corrections.

(5)      Explain why the comments do not warrant further agency response, citing the sources, authorities, or reasons which support the agency’s position and, if appropriate, indicate those circumstances which would trigger agency reappraisal or further response.

(b)     All substantive comments received on the draft statement (or summaries thereof where the response has been exceptionally voluminous), should be attached to the final statement whether or not the comment is thought to merit individual discussion by the agency in the text of the statement.

(c)     If changes in response to comments are minor and are confined to the responses described in paragraphs (a)(4) and (5) of this section, agencies may write them on errata sheets and attach them to the statement instead of rewriting the draft statement.  In such cases only the comments, the responses, and the changes and not the final statement need be circulated (Section 1502.19).  The entire document with a new cover sheet shall be filed as the final statement (Section 1506.9).

(a)     This part establishes procedures for referring to the Council Federal interagency disagreements concerning proposed major Federal actions that might cause unsatisfactory environmental effects.  It provides means for early resolution of such disagreements.

(b)     Under section 309 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7609), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is directed to review and comment publicly on the environmental impacts of Federal activities, including actions for which environmental impact statements are prepared.  If after this review the Administrator determines that the matter is “unsatisfactory from the standpoint of public health or welfare or environmental quality,” section 309 directs that the matter be referred to the Council (hereafter “environmental referrals”).

(c)     Under section 102(2)(C) of the Act other Federal agencies may make similar reviews of environmental impact statements, including judgments on the acceptability of anticipated environmental impacts.  These reviews must be made available to the President, the Council and the public.

Environmental referrals should be made to the Council only after concerted, timely (as early as possible in the process), but unsuccessful attempts to resolve differences with the lead agency.  In determining what environmental objections to the matter are appropriate to refer to the Council, an agency should weigh potential adverse environmental impacts, considering:

(a)     Possible violation of national environmental standards or policies.

(b)     Severity.

(c)     Geographical scope.

(d)     Duration.

(e)     Importance as precedents.

(f)      Availability of environmentally preferable alternatives.

(a)     A Federal agency making the referral to the Council shall:

(1)      Advise the lead agency at the earliest possible time that it intends to refer a matter to the Council unless a satisfactory agreement is reached.

(2)      Include such advice in the referring agency’s comments on the draft environmental impact statement, except when the statement does not contain adequate information to permit an assessment of the matter’s environmental acceptability.

(3)      Identify any essential information that is lacking and request that it be made available at the earliest possible time.

(4)      Send copies of such advice to the Council.

(b)     The referring agency shall deliver its referral to the Council not later than twenty-five (25) days after the final environmental impact statement has been made available to the Environmental Protection Agency, commenting agencies, and the public.  Except when an extension of this period has been granted by the lead agency, the Council will not accept a referral after that date.

(c)     The referral shall consist of:

(1)      A copy of the letter signed by the head of the referring agency and delivered to the lead agency informing the lead agency of the referral and the reasons for it, and requesting that no action be taken to implement the matter until the Council acts upon the referral.  The letter shall include a copy of the statement referred to in (c)(2) below.

(2)      A statement supported by factual evidence leading to the conclusion that the matter is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of public health or welfare or environmental quality.  The statement shall:

(i)     Identify any material facts in controversy and incorporate (by reference if appropriate) agreed upon facts,

(ii)    Identify any existing environmental requirements or policies which would be violated by the matter,

(iii)     Present the reasons why the referring agency believes the matter is environmentally unsatisfactory,

(iv)     Contain a finding by the agency whether the issue raised is of national importance because of the threat to national environmental resources or policies or for some other reason,

(v)     Review the steps taken by the referring agency to bring its concerns to the attention of the lead agency at the earliest possible time, and

(vi)     Give the referring agency’s recommendations as to what mitigation alternative, further study, or other courses of action (including abandonment of the matter) are necessary to remedy the situation.

(d)     Not later than twenty-five (25) days after the referral to the Council the lead agency may deliver a response to the Council, and the referring agency.  If the lead agency requests more time and gives assurance that the matter will not go forward in the interim, the Council may grant an extension.  The response shall:

(1)     Address fully the issues raised in the referral.

(2)     Be supported by evidence.

(3)     Give the lead agency’s response to the referring agency’s recommendations.

(e)     Interested persons (including the applicant) may deliver their views in writing to the Council.  Views in support of the referral should be delivered not later than the referral.  Views in support of the response shall be delivered not later than the response.

(f)      Not later than twenty-five (25) days after receipt of both the referral and any response or upon being informed that there will be no response (unless the lead agency agrees to a longer time), the Council may take one or more of the following actions:

(1)     Conclude that the process of referral and response has successfully resolved the problem.

(2)     Initiate discussions with the agencies with the objective of mediation with referring and lead agencies.

(3)     Hold public meetings or hearings to obtain additional views and information.

(4)     Determine that the issue is not one of national importance and request the referring and lead agencies to pursue their decision process.

(5)     Determine that the issue should be further negotiated by the referring and lead agencies and is not appropriate for Council consideration until one or more heads of agencies report to the Council that the agencies’ disagreements are irreconcilable.

(6)     Publish its findings and recommendations (including where appropriate a finding that the submitted evidence does not support the position of an agency).

(7)     When appropriate, submit the referral and the response together with the Council’s recommendation to the President for action.

(g)     The Council shall take no longer than 60 days to complete the actions specified in paragraph (f)(2), (3), or (5) of this section.

(h)     When the referral involves an action required by statute to be determined on the record after opportunity for agency hearing, the referral shall be conducted in a manner consistent with 5 U.S.C. 557(d)(Administrative Procedure Act).

Agencies shall adopt procedures (Section 1507.3) to ensure that decisions are made in accordance with the policies and purposes of the Act.  Such procedures shall include but not be limited to:

(a)     Implementing procedures under section 102(2) to achieve the requirements of sections 101 and 102(1).

(b)     Designating the major decision points for the agency’s principal programs likely to have a significant effect on the human environment and assuring that the NEPA process corresponds with them.

(c)     Requiring that relevant environmental documents, comments, and responses be part of the record in formal rulemaking or adjudicatory proceedings.

(d)     Requiring that relevant environmental documents, comments, and responses accompany the proposal through existing agency review processes so that agency officials use the statement in making decisions.

(e)     Requiring that the alternatives considered by the decisionmaker are encompassed by the range of alternatives discussed in the relevant environmental documents and that the decisionmaker consider the alternatives described in the environmental impact statement.  If another decision document accompanies the relevant environmental documents to the decisionmaker, agencies are encouraged to make available to the public before the decision is made any part of that document that relates to the comparison of alternatives.

At the time of its decision (Section 1506.10) or, if appropriate, its recommendation to Congress, each agency shall prepare a concise public record of decision.  The record, which may be integrated into any other record prepared by the agency, including that required by OMB Circular A-95 (Revised), part I, sections 6 (c) and (d), and part II, section 5(b)(4), shall:

(a)     State what the decision was.

(b)     Identify all alternatives considered by the agency in reaching its decision, specifying the alternative or alternatives which were considered to be environmentally preferable.  An agency may discuss preferences among alternatives based on relevant factors including economic and technical considerations and agency statutory missions.  An agency shall identify and discuss all such factors including any essential considerations of national policy which were balanced by the agency in making its decision and state how those considerations entered into its decision.

(c)     State whether all practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm from the alternative selected have been adopted, and if not, why they were not.  A monitoring and enforcement program shall be adopted and summarized where applicable for any mitigation.

Agencies may provide for monitoring to assure that their decisions are carried out and should do so in important cases.  Mitigation (Section 1505.2(c)) and other conditions established in the environmental impact statement or during its review and committed as part of the decision shall be implemented by the lead agency or other appropriate consenting agency.  The lead agency shall:

(a)     Include appropriate conditions in grants, permits or other approvals.

(b)     Condition funding of actions on mitigation.

(c)     Upon request, inform cooperating or commenting agencies on progress in carrying out mitigation measures which they have proposed and which were adopted by the agency making the decision.

(d)     Upon request, make available to the public the results of relevant monitoring.

(a)     Until an agency issues a record of decision as provided in Section 1505.2 (except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section), no action concerning the proposal shall be taken which would:

(1)     Have an adverse environmental impact; or

(2)     Limit the choice of reasonable alternatives.

(b)     If any agency is considering an application from a non-Federal entity, and is aware that the applicant is about to take an action within the agency’s jurisdiction that would meet either of the criteria in paragraph (a) of this section, then the agency shall promptly notify the applicant that the agency will take appropriate action to insure that the objectives and procedures of NEPA are achieved.

(c)     While work on a required program environmental impact statement is in progress and the action is not covered by an existing program statement, agencies shall not undertake in the interim any major Federal action covered by the program which may significantly affect the quality of the human environment unless such action:

(1)     Is justified independently of the program;

(2)     Is itself accompanied by an adequate environmental impact statement; and

(3)     Will not prejudice the ultimate decision on the program.  Interim action prejudices the ultimate decision on the program when it tends to determine subsequent development or limit alternatives.

(d)     This section does not preclude development by applicants of plans or designs or performance of other work necessary to support an application for Federal, State or local permits or assistance.  Nothing in this section shall preclude Rural Electrification Administration approval of minimal expenditures not affecting the environment (e.g. long leadtime equipment and purchase options) made by non-governmental entities seeking loan guarantees from the Administration.

(a)     Agencies authorized by law to cooperate with State agencies of statewide jurisdiction pursuant to section 102(2)(D) of the Act may do so.

(b)     Agencies shall cooperate with State and local agencies to the fullest extent possible to reduce duplication between NEPA and State and local requirements, unless the agencies are specifically barred from doing so by some other law.  Except for cases covered by paragraph (a) of this section, such cooperation shall to the fullest extent possible include:

(1)     Joint planning processes.

(2)     Joint environmental research and studies.

(3)     Joint public hearings (except where otherwise provided by statute).

(4)     Joint environmental assessments.

(c)     Agencies shall cooperate with State and local agencies to the fullest extent possible to reduce duplication between NEPA and comparable State and local requirements, unless the agencies are specifically barred from doing so by some other law.  Except for cases covered by paragraph (a) of this section, such cooperation shall to the fullest extent possible include joint environmental impact statements.  In such cases one or more Federal agencies and one or more State or local agencies shall be joint lead agencies.  Where State laws or local ordinances have environmental impact statement requirements in addition to but not in conflict with those in NEPA, Federal agencies shall cooperate in fulfilling these requirements as well as those of Federal laws so that one document will comply with all applicable laws.

(d)     To better integrate environmental impact statements into State or local planning processes, statements shall discuss any inconsistency of a proposed action with any approved State or local plan and laws (whether or not federally sanctioned).  Where an inconsistency exists, the statement should describe the extent to which the agency would reconcile its proposed action with the plan or law.

(a)     An agency may adopt a Federal draft or final environmental impact statement or portion thereof provided that the statement or portion thereof meets the standards for an adequate statement under these regulations.

(b)     If the actions covered by the original environmental impact statement and the proposed action are substantially the same, the agency adopting another agency’s statement is not required to recirculate it except as a final statement.  Otherwise the adopting agency shall treat the statement as a draft and recirculate it (except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section).

(c)     A cooperating agency may adopt without recirculating the environmental impact statement of a lead agency when, after an independent review of the statement, the cooperating agency concludes that its comments and suggestions have been satisfied.

(d)     When an agency adopts a statement which is not final within the agency that prepared it, or when the action it assesses is the subject of a referral under Part 1504, or when the statement’s adequacy is the subject of a judicial action which is not final, the agency shall so specify.

Any environmental document in compliance with NEPA may be combined with any other agency document to reduce duplication and paperwork.

(a)     Information.  If an agency requires an applicant to submit environmental information for possible use by the agency in preparing an environmental impact statement, then the agency should assist the applicant by outlining the types of information required.  The agency shall independently evaluate the information submitted and shall be responsible for its accuracy.  If the agency chooses to use the information submitted by the applicant in the environmental impact statement, either directly or by reference, then the names of the persons responsible for the independent evaluation shall be included in the list of preparers (Section 1502.17).  It is the intent of this paragraph that acceptable work not be redone, but that it be verified by the agency.

(b)     Environmental assessments.  If an agency permits an applicant to prepare an environmental assessment, the agency, besides fulfilling the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, shall make its own evaluation of the environmental issues and take responsibility for the scope and content of the environmental assessment.

(c)     Environmental impact statements.  Except as provided in Sections 1506.2 and 1506.3 any environmental impact statement prepared pursuant to the requirements of NEPA shall be prepared directly by or by a contractor selected by the lead agency or where appropriate under Section 1501.6(b), a cooperating agency.  It is the intent of these regulations that the contractor be chosen solely by the lead agency, or by the lead agency in cooperation with cooperating agencies, or where appropriate by a cooperating agency to avoid any conflict of interest.  Contractors shall execute a disclosure statement prepared by the lead agency, or where appropriate the cooperating agency, specifying that they have no financial or other interest in the outcome of the project.  If the document is prepared by contract, the responsible Federal official shall furnish guidance and participate in the preparation and shall independently evaluate the statement prior to its approval and take responsibility for its scope and contents.  Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit any agency from requesting any person to submit information to it or to prohibit any person from submitting information to any agency.

Agencies shall:

(a)     Make diligent efforts to involve the public in preparing and implementing their NEPA procedures.

(b)     Provide public notice of NEPA-related hearings, public meetings, and the availability of environmental documents so as to inform those persons and agencies who may be interested or affected.

(1)      In all cases the agency shall mail notice to those who have requested it on an individual action.

(2)      In the case of an action with effects of national concern notice shall include publication in the Federal Register and notice by mail to national organizations reasonably expected to be interested in the matter and may include listing in the 102 Monitor.  An agency

           engaged in rulemaking may provide notice by mail to national organizations who have requested that notice regularly be provided.  Agencies shall maintain a list of such organizations.

(3)      In the case of an action with effects primarily of local concern the notice may include:

(i)      Notice to State and areawide clearinghouses pursuant to OMB Circular A-95 (Revised).

(ii)     Notice to Indian tribes when effects may occur on reservations.

(iii)     Following the affected State’s public notice procedures for comparable actions.

(iv)     Publication in local newspapers (in papers of general circulation rather than legal papers).

(v)     Notice through other local media.

(vi)     Notice to potentially interested community organizations including small business associations.

(vii)    Publication in newsletters that may be expected to reach potentially interested persons.

(viii)   Direct mailing to owners and occupants of nearby or affected property.

(ix)    Posting of notice on and off site in the area where the action is to be located.

(c)     Hold or sponsor public hearings or public meetings whenever appropriate or in accordance with statutory requirements applicable to the agency.  Criteria shall include whether there is:

(1)      Substantial environmental controversy concerning the proposed action or substantial interest in holding the hearing.

(2)      A request for a hearing by another agency with jurisdiction over the action supported by reasons why a hearing will be helpful.  If a draft environmental impact statement is to be considered at a public hearing, the agency should make the statement available to the public at least 15 days in advance (unless the purpose of the hearing is to provide information for the draft environmental impact statement).

(d)     Solicit appropriate information from the public.

(e)     Explain in its procedures where interested persons can get information or status reports on environmental impact statements and other elements of the NEPA process.

(f)      Make environmental impact statements, the comments received, and any underlying documents available to the public pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), without regard to the exclusion for interagency memoranda where such memoranda transmit comments of Federal agencies on the environmental impact of the proposed action.  Materials to be made available to the public shall be provided to the public without charge to the extent practicable, or at a fee which is not more than the actual costs of reproducing copies required to be sent to other Federal agencies, including the Council. 

The Council may provide further guidance concerning NEPA and its procedures including:

(a)     A handbook which the Council may supplement from time to time, which shall in plain language provide guidance and instructions concerning the application of NEPA and these regulations.

(b)     Publication of the Council’s Memoranda to Heads of Agencies.

(c)     In conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency and the publication of the 102 Monitor, notice of:

(1)      Research activities;

(2)      Meetings and conferences related to NEPA; and

(3)      Successful and innovative procedures used by agencies to implement NEPA.

(a)     The NEPA process for proposals for legislation (Section 1508.17) significantly affecting the quality of the human environment shall be integrated with the legislative process of the Congress.  A legislative environmental impact statement is the detailed statement required by law to be included in a recommendation or report on a legislative proposal to Congress.  A legislative environmental impact statement shall be considered part of the formal transmittal of a legislative proposal to Congress; however, it may be transmitted to Congress up to 30 days later in order to allow time for completion of an accurate statement which can serve as the basis for public and Congressional debate.  The statement must be available in time for Congressional hearings and deliberations.

(b)     Preparation of a legislative environmental impact statement shall conform to the requirements of these regulations except as follows:

(1)      There need not be a scoping process.

(2)      The legislative statement shall be prepared in the same manner as a draft statement, but shall be considered the “detailed statement” required by statute; Provided, That when any of the following conditions exist both the draft and final environmental impact statement on the legislative proposal shall be prepared and circulated as provided by Sections 1503.1 and 1506.10.

(i)     A Congressional Committee with jurisdiction over the proposal has a rule requiring both draft and final environmental impact statements.

(ii)    The proposal results from a study process required by statute (such as those required by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.) and the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.)).

(iii)   Legislative approval is sought for Federal or federally assisted construction or other projects which the agency recommends be located at specific geographic locations.  For proposals requiring an environmental impact statement for the acquisition of space by the General Services Administration, a draft statement shall accompany the Prospectus or the 11(b) Report of Building Project Surveys to the Congress, and a final statement shall be completed before site acquisition.

(iv)   The agency decides to prepare draft and final statements.

(c)  Comments on the legislative statement shall be given to the lead agency which shall forward them along with its own responses to the Congressional committees with jurisdiction.

Environmental impact statements together with comments and responses shall be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, attention Office of Federal Activities (A-104), 401 M Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20460.  Statements shall be filed with EPA no earlier than they are also transmitted to commenting agencies and made available to the public.  EPA shall deliver one copy of each statement to the Council, which shall satisfy the requirement of availability to the President.  EPA may issue guidelines to agencies to implement its responsibilities under this section and Section 1506.10.

(a)     The Environmental Protection Agency shall publish a notice in the Federal Register each week of the environmental impact statements filed during the preceding week.  The minimum time periods set forth in this section shall be calculated from the date of publication of this notice.

(b)     No decision on the proposed action shall be made or recorded under Section 1505.2 by a Federal agency until the later of the following dates:

(1)      Ninety (90) days after publication of the notice described above in paragraph (a) of this section for a draft environmental impact statement.

(2)      Thirty (30) days after publication of the notice described above in paragraph (a) of this section for a final environmental impact statement.

         An exception to the rules on timing may be made in the case of an agency decision which is subject to a formal internal appeal.  Some agencies have a formally established appeal process which allows other agencies or the public to take appeals on a decision and make their views known, after publication of the final environmental impact statement.  In such cases, where a real opportunity exists to alter the decision, the decision may be made and recorded at the same time the environmental impact statement is published.  This means that the period for appeal of the decision and the 30-day period prescribed in paragraph (b)(2) of this section may run concurrently.  In such cases the environmental impact statement shall explain the timing and the public’s right of appeal.  An agency engaged in rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act or other statute for the purpose of protecting the public health or safety, may waive the time period in paragraph (b)(2) of this section and publish a decision on the final rule simultaneously with publication of the notice of the availability of the final environmental impact statement as described in paragraph (a) of this section.

(c)     If the final environmental impact statement is filed within ninety (90) days after a draft environmental impact statement is filed with the Environmental Protection Agency, the minimum thirty (30) day period and the minimum ninety (90) day period may run concurrently.  However, subject to paragraph (d) of this section agencies shall allow not less than 45 days for comments on draft statements.

(d)     The lead agency may extend prescribed periods.  The Environmental Protection Agency may upon a showing by the lead agency of compelling reasons of national policy reduce the prescribed periods and may upon a showing by any other Federal agency of compelling reasons of national policy also extend prescribed periods, but only after consultation with the lead agency. (Also see Section 1507.3(d).)  Failure to file timely comments shall not be a sufficient reason for extending a period.  If the lead agency does not concur with the extension of time, EPA may not extend it for more than 30 days.  When the Environmental Protection Agency reduces or extends any period of time it shall notify the Council.

Where emergency circumstances make it necessary to take an action with significant environmental impact without observing the provisions of these regulations, the Federal agency taking the action should consult with the Council about alternative arrangements.  Agencies and the Council will limit such arrangements to actions necessary to control the immediate impacts of the emergency.  Other actions remain subject to NEPA review. 

The effective date of these regulations is July 30, 1979, except that for agencies that administer programs that qualify under sec. 102(2)(D) of the Act or under sec. 104(h) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 an additional four months shall be allowed for the State or local agencies to adopt their implementing procedures.

(a)     These regulations shall apply to the fullest extent practicable to ongoing activities and environmental documents begun before the effective date.  These regulations do not apply to an environmental impact statement or supplement if the draft statement was filed before the effective date of these regulations.  No completed environmental documents need be redone by reasons of these regulations.  Until these regulations are applicable, the Council’s guidelines published in the Federal Register of August 1, 1973, shall continue to be applicable.  In cases where these regulations are applicable the guidelines are superseded.  However, nothing shall prevent an agency from proceeding under these regulations at an earlier time.

(b)     NEPA shall continue to be applicable to actions begun before January 1, 1970, to the fullest extent possible.

All agencies of the Federal Government shall comply with these regulations.  It is the intent of these regulations to allow each agency flexibility in adapting its implementing procedures authorized by Section 1507.3 to the requirements of other applicable laws. 

Each agency shall be capable (in terms of personnel and other resources) of complying with the requirements enumerated below.  Such compliance may include use of other’s resources, but the using agency shall itself have sufficient capability to evaluate what others do for it.  Agencies shall:

(a)     Fulfill the requirements of sec. 102(2)(A) of the Act to utilize a systematic, interdisciplinary approach which will insure the integrated use of the natural and social sciences and the environmental design arts in planning and in decisionmaking which may have an impact on the human environment.  Agencies shall designate a person to be responsible for overall review of agency NEPA compliance.

(b)     Identify methods and procedures required by sec. 102(2)(B) to insure that presently unquantified environmental amenities and values may be given appropriate consideration.

(c)     Prepare adequate environmental impact statements pursuant to sec. 102(2)(C) and comment on statements in the areas where the agency has jurisdiction by law or special expertise or is authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards.

(d)     Study, develop, and describe alternatives to recommended courses of action in any proposal which involves unresolved conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources.  This requirement of sec. 102(2)(E) extends to all such proposals, not just the more limited scope of sec. 102(2)(C)(iii) where the discussion of alternatives is confined to impact statements.

(e)     Comply with the requirements of sec. 102(2)(H) that the agency initiate and utilize ecological information in the planning and development of resource-oriented projects.

(f)      Fulfill the requirements of sections 102(2)(F), 102(2)(G), and 102(2)(I), of the Act and of Executive Order 11514, Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality, Sec. 2.  Section 1507.3 Agency procedures.

(a)     Not later than eight months after publication of these regulations as finally adopted in the Federal Register, or five months after the establishment of an agency, whichever shall come later, each agency shall as necessary adopt procedures to supplement these regulations.  When the agency is a department, major subunits are encouraged (with the consent of the department) to adopt their own procedures.  Such procedures shall not paraphrase these regulations. They shall confine themselves to implementing procedures.  Each agency shall consult with the Council while developing its procedures and before publishing them in the Federal Register for comment.  Agencies with similar programs should consult with each other and the Council to coordinate their procedures, especially for programs requesting similar information from applicants. The procedures shall be adopted only after an opportunity for public review and after review by the Council for conformity with the Act and these regulations.  The Council shall complete its review within 30 days.  Once in effect they shall be filed with the Council and made readily available to the public.  Agencies are encouraged to publish explanatory guidance for these regulations and their own procedures.  Agencies shall continue to review their policies and procedures and in consultation with the Council to revise them as necessary to ensure full compliance with the purposes and provisions of the Act.

(b)     Agency procedures shall comply with these regulations except where compliance would be inconsistent with statutory requirements and shall include:

(1)      Those procedures required by Sections 1501.2(d), 1502.9(c)(3), 1505.1, 1506.6(e), and 1508.4.

(2)      Specific criteria for and identification of those typical classes of action:

(i)     Which normally do require environmental impact statements.

(ii)    Which normally do not require either an environmental impact statement or an environmental assessment (categorical exclusions (Section 1508.4)).

(iii)   Which normally require environmental assessments but not necessarily environmental impact statements.

(c)     Agency procedures may include specific criteria for providing limited exceptions to the provisions of these regulations for classified proposals.  They are proposed actions which are specifically authorized under criteria

         established by an Executive Order or statute to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and are in fact properly classified pursuant to such Executive Order or statute.  Environmental assessments and environmental impact statements which address classified proposals may be safeguarded and restricted from public dissemination in accordance with agencies’ own regulations applicable to classified information.  These documents may be organized so that classified portions can be included as annexes, in order that the unclassified portions can be made available to the public.

(d)     Agency procedures may provide for periods of time other than those presented in Section 1506.10 when necessary to comply with other specific statutory requirements.

(e)     Agency procedures may provide that where there is a lengthy period between the agency’s decision to prepare an environmental impact statement and the time of actual preparation, the notice of intent required by Section 1501.7 may be published at a reasonable time in advance of preparation of the draft statement.

The terminology of this part shall be uniform throughout the Federal Government.

“Act” means the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.) which is also referred to as “NEPA.” 

“Affecting” means will or may have an effect on.

 “Categorical Exclusion” means a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a Federal agency in implementation of these regulations (Section 1507.3) and for which, therefore, neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required.  An agency may decide in its procedures or otherwise, to prepare environmental assessments for the reasons stated in Section 1508.9 even though it is not required to do so.  Any procedures under this section shall provide for extraordinary circumstances in which a normally excluded action may have a significant environmental effect.

“Cooperating Agency” means any Federal agency other than a lead agency which has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved in a proposal (or a reasonable alternative) for legislation or other major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.  The selection and responsibilities of a cooperating agency are described in Section 1501.6.  A State or local agency of similar qualifications or, when the effects are on a reservation, an Indian Tribe, may by agreement with the lead agency become a cooperating agency. 

“Council” means the Council on Environmental Quality established by Title II of the Act. 

“Cumulative impact” is the impact on the environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (Federal or non-Federal) or person undertakes such other actions.  Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over a period of time.

“Effects” include:

(a)     Direct effects, which are caused by the action and occur at the same time and place.

(b)     Indirect effects, which are caused by the action and are later in time or farther removed in distance, but are still reasonably foreseeable.  Indirect effects may include growth inducing effects and other effects related to induced changes in the pattern of land use, population density or growth rate, and related effects on air and water and other natural systems, including ecosystems.  Effects and impacts as used in these regulations are synonymous.  Effects includes ecological (such as the effects on natural resources and on the components, structures, and functioning of affected ecosystems), aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic, social, or health, whether direct, indirect, or cumulative.  Effects may also include those resulting from actions which may have both beneficial and detrimental effects, even if on balance the agency believes that the effect will be beneficial. 

“Environmental Assessment”:

(a)      Means a concise public document for which a Federal agency is responsible that serves to:

(1)      Briefly provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an environmental impact statement or a finding of no significant impact.

(2)      Aid an agency’s compliance with the Act when no environmental impact statement is necessary.

(3)      Facilitate preparation of a statement when one is necessary.

(b)     Shall include brief discussions of the need for the proposal, of alternatives as required by sec. 102(2)(E), of the environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives, and a listing of agencies and persons consulted. 

“Environmental document” includes the documents specified in Section 1508.9 (environmental assessment), Section 1508.11 (environmental impact statement), Section 1508.13 (finding of no significant impact), and Section 1508.22 (notice of intent). 

“Environmental Impact Statement” means a detailed written statement as required by sec. 102(2)(C) of the Act.

“Federal agency” means all agencies of the Federal Government.  It does not mean the Congress, the Judiciary, or the President, including the performance of staff functions for the President in his Executive Office.  It also includes for purposes of these regulations States and units of general local government and Indian tribes assuming NEPA responsibilities under section 104(h) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. 

“Finding of no significant impact” means a document by a Federal agency briefly presenting the reasons why an action, not otherwise excluded (Section 1508.4), will not have a significant effect on the human environment and for which an environmental impact statement therefore will not be prepared.  It shall include the environmental assessment or a summary of it and shall note any other environmental documents related to it (Section 1501.7(a)(5)).  If the assessment is included, the finding need not repeat any of the discussion in the assessment but may incorporate it by reference.

“Human Environment” shall be interpreted comprehensively to include the natural and physical environment and the relationship of people with that environment. (See the definition of “effects” (Section 1508.8).)  This means that economic or social effects are not intended by themselves to require preparation of an environmental impact statement.  When an environmental impact statement is prepared and economic or social and natural or physical environmental effects are interrelated, then the environmental impact statement will discuss all of these effects on the human environment.           

“Jurisdiction by law” means agency authority to approve, veto, or finance all or part of the proposal.

 “Lead Agency” means the agency or agencies preparing or having taken primary responsibility for preparing the environmental impact statement.

“Legislation” includes a bill or legislative proposal to Congress developed by or with the significant cooperation and support of a Federal agency, but does not include requests for appropriations.  The test for significant cooperation is whether the proposal is in fact predominantly that of the agency rather than another source.  Drafting does not by itself constitute significant cooperation.  Proposals for legislation include requests for ratification of treaties.  Only the agency which has primary responsibility for the subject matter involved will prepare a legislative environmental impact statement.

“Major Federal action” includes actions with effects that may be major and which are potentially subject to Federal control and responsibility.  Major reinforces but does not have a meaning independent of significantly (Section 1508.27).  Actions include the circumstance where the responsible officials fail to act and that failure to act is reviewable by courts or administrative tribunals under the Administrative Procedure Act or other applicable law as agency action.

(a)     Actions include new and continuing activities, including projects and programs entirely or partly financed, assisted, conducted, regulated, or approved by federal agencies; new or revised agency rules, regulations, plans, policies, or procedures; and legislative proposals (Sections 1506.8, 1508.17).  Actions do not include funding assistance solely in the form of general revenue sharing funds, distributed under the State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, 31 U.S.C. 1221 et seq., with no Federal agency control over the subsequent use of such funds.  Actions do not include bringing judicial or administrative civil or criminal enforcement actions.

(b)     Federal actions tend to fall within one of the following categories:

(1)       Adoption of official policy, such as rules, regulations, and interpretations adopted pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 551 et seq.; treaties and international conventions or agreements; formal documents establishing an agency’s policies which will result in or substantially alter agency programs.

(2)       Adoption of formal plans, such as official documents prepared or approved by federal agencies which guide or prescribe alternative uses of federal resources, upon which future agency actions will be based.

(3)       Adoption of programs, such as a group of concerted actions to implement a specific policy or plan; systematic and connected agency decisions allocating agency resources to implement a specific statutory program or executive directive.

(4)      Approval of specific projects, such as construction or management activities located in a defined geographic area.  Projects include actions approved by permit or other regulatory decision as well as federal and federally assisted activities.

“Matter” includes for purposes of Part 1504:

(a)     With respect to the Environmental Protection Agency, any proposed legislation, project, action or regulation as those terms are used in section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7609).

(b)     With respect to all other agencies, any proposed major federal action to which section 102(2)(C) of NEPA applies.

 “Mitigation” includes:

(a)     Avoiding the impact altogether by not taking a certain action or parts of an action.

(b)     Minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its implementation.

(c)     Rectifying the impact by repairing, rehabilitating, or restoring the affected environment.

(d)     Reducing or eliminating the impact over time by preservation and maintenance operations during the life of the action.

(e)     Compensating for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environments.

 “NEPA process” means all measures necessary for compliance with the requirements of section 2 and Title I of NEPA.

 “Notice of Intent” means a notice that an environmental impact statement will be prepared and considered.  The notice shall briefly:

(a)     Describe the proposed action and possible alternatives.

(b)     Describe the agency’s proposed scoping process including whether, when, and where any scoping meeting will be held.

(c)     State the name and address of a person within the agency who can answer questions about the proposed action and the environmental impact statement.

“Proposal” exists at that stage in the development of an action when an agency subject to the Act has a goal and is actively preparing to make a decision on one or more alternative means of accomplishing that goal and the effects can be meaningfully evaluated.  Preparation of an environmental impact statement on a proposal should be timed (Section 1502.5) so that the final statement may be completed in time for the statement to be included in any recommendation or report on the proposal.  A proposal may exist in fact as well as by agency declaration that one exists.

“Referring agency” means the federal agency which has referred any matter to the Council after a determination that the matter is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of public health or welfare or environmental quality.

Scope consists of the range of actions, alternatives, and impacts to be considered in an environmental impact statement.  The scope of an individual statement may depend on its relationships to other statements (Sections 1502.20 and 1508.28).  To determine the scope of environmental impact statements, agencies shall consider 3 types of actions, 3 types of alternatives, and 3 types of impacts.  They include:

(a)     Actions (other than unconnected single actions) which may be:

(1)      Connected actions, which means that they are closely related and therefore should be discussed in the same impact statement.  Actions are connected if they:

(i)     Automatically trigger other actions which may require environmental impact statements.

(ii)    Cannot or will not proceed unless other actions are taken previously or simultaneously.

(iii)   Are interdependent parts of a larger action and depend on the larger action for their justification.

(2)      Cumulative actions, which when viewed with other proposed actions have cumulatively significant impacts and should therefore be discussed in the same impact statement.

(3)      Similar actions, which when viewed with other reasonably foreseeable or proposed agency actions, have similarities that provide a basis for evaluating their environmental consequences together, such as common timing or geography.  An agency may wish to analyze these actions in the same impact statement.  It should do so when the best way to assess adequately the combined impacts of similar actions or reasonable alternatives to such actions is to treat them in a single impact statement.

(b)     Alternatives, which include:

(1)        No action alternative.

(2)        Other reasonable courses of actions.

(3)        Mitigation measures (not in the proposed action).

(c)     Impacts, which may be:

(1)      Direct;

(2)      Indirect;

(3)      Cumulative.

“Special expertise” means statutory responsibility, agency mission, or related program experience.

“Significantly” as used in NEPA requires considerations of both context and intensity:

(a)     Context. This means that the significance of an action must be analyzed in several contexts such as society as a whole (human, national), the affected region, the affected interests, and the locality.  Significance varies with the setting of the proposed action.  For instance, in the case of a site-specific action, significance would usually depend upon the effects in the locale rather than in the world as a whole.  Both short- and long-term effects arerelevant.

(b)     Intensity. This refers to the severity of impact.  Responsible officials must bear in mind that more than one agency may make decisions about partial aspects of a major action.  The following should be considered in evaluating intensity: 

(1)      Impacts that may be both beneficial and adverse.  A significant effect may exist even if the Federal agency believes that on balance the effect will be beneficial.

(2)      The degree to which the proposed action affects public health or safety.

(3)      Unique characteristics of the geographic area such as proximity to historic or cultural resources, park lands, prime farmlands, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, or ecologically critical areas.

(4)      The degree to which the effects on the quality of the human environment are likely to be highly controversial.

(5)        The degree to which the possible effects on the human environment are highly uncertain or involve unique or unknown risks.

(6)        The degree to which the action may establish a precedent for future actions with significant effects or represents a decision in principle about a future consideration.

(7)        Whether the action is related to other actions with individually insignificant but cumulatively significant impacts.  Significance exists if it is reasonable to anticipate a cumulatively significant impact on the environment.  Significance cannot be avoided by terming an action temporary or by breaking it down into small component parts.

(8)        The degree to which the action may adversely affect districts, sites, highways, structures, or objects listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or may cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historical resources.

(9)        The degree to which the action may adversely affect an endangered or threatened species or its habitat that has been determined to be critical under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

(10)      Whether the action threatens a violation of Federal, State, or local law or requirements imposed for the protection of the environment.

“Tiering” refers to the coverage of general matters in broader environmental impact statements (such as national program or policy statements) with subsequent narrower statements or environmental analyses (such as regional or basinwide program statements or ultimately site-specific statements) incorporating by reference the general discussions and concentrating solely on the issues specific to the statement subsequently prepared.  Tiering is appropriate when the sequence of statements or analyses is:

(a)     From a program, plan, or policy environmental impact statement to a program, plan, or policy statement or analysis of lesser scope or to a site-specific statement or analysis.

(b)     From an environmental impact statement on a specific action at an early stage (such as need and site selection) to a supplement (which is preferred) or a subsequent statement or analysis at a later stage (such as environmental mitigation).  Tiering in such cases is appropriate when it helps the lead agency to focus on the issues which are ripe for decision and exclude from consideration issues already decided or not yet ripe.

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