Module 3 Flashcards
collection of laws and regulations pertaining to air quality, water quality, the wilderness, endangered wildlife and other environmental factors
Environmental Legislation
common goal is regulating the interaction between man and the natural world to reduce threats to the environment and increase public health
umbrella of environmental legislation
enacted by the Congress to establish a national policy for the environment and provide for the establishment of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
NEPA
What does CEQ stand for?
Council on Environmental Quality
first major environmental law in the US and is often called the _____ of Federal environmental laws
NEPA, Magna Carta
Who and when was NEPA signed into law?
President Richard Nixon, January 1,1970
What section of NEPA sets forth a national policy “to use all practicable means and measures, including financial and technical assistance, in a manner calculated to foster and promote the general welfare, to create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in a productive harmony, and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations of Americans?”
Section 101
What section of NEPA established procedural requirements, applying that national policy to proposals for major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment by requiring Federal agencies to prepare a detailed statement?
Section 102
In Section 102 of NEPA, what for is the detailed statement?
- the environmental impact of the proposed action
- any adverse effects that cannot be avoided
- alternatives to the proposed action
- relationship between short-term use of environment and long-term maintainability and enhancement
- any irretrievable commitments of resources involved
NEPA ensures agencies consider the significant environmental consequences of their proposed actions and inform the public about their _______.
decision making
Countries and non-governmental organizations all over the globe have created their own environmental impact assessment programs, modeled upon NEPA, making NEPA an ________ in the field of environmental protection.
international catalyst
Where did NEPA establish CEQ to ensure that Federal agencies meet their obligations under NEPA?
within the Executive Office of the President
oversees NEPA implementation
Council on Environmental Quality CEQ)
also reviews and approves Federal agency NEPA procedures, approves alternative arrangements for compliance with NEPA for emergencies, and helps to resolve disputes between Federal agencies and with other governmental entities and members of the public
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
one of its major responsibilities is to develop and recommend national policies to the President that promote the improvement of environmental quality and meet the Nation’s goal
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Oversees implementations through issuing guidance and creating
regulations regarding the NEPA process/procedure
CEQ
Established to ensure that federal agencies meet their obligations
under NEPA
CEQ
Facilitates interagency coordination to resolve environmental issues
present
CEQ
Develop and promote environmental policies and initiatives
CEQ
CEQ comprehensively updated its NEPA implementing regulations ____ CFR Parts ______, first issued in ______
40, 1500-1508, 1978
Why did CEQ comprehensively update its NEPA implementing regulations?
modernize provisions, streamline infrastructure project development, promote better decision making by the Federal government
when was the final rule CEQ published?
July 16, 2020
when did the final rule CEQ become effective?
September 14, 2020
begins when a federal agency develops a proposal to take a major federal action
NEPA process
What is NEPA?
National Environmental Policy Act
3 Different Levels of analysis in NEPA Review Process
Categorical Exclusion Determination (CATEX), Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIS)
A federal action may be “_______” from a detailed environmental analysis when the federal action normally does not have a significant effect on the human environment.
categorically excluded
A proposal can be considered in this level if it has been proven that
the proposed action does not have a significant effect on the
environment.
Categorical Exclusion Determination (CATEX)
A proposal can be considered CATEX due to the reason that the action has been _________ or by common sense that it will not result to a significant impact.
implemented already in the past
What does CATEX mean?
Categorical Exclusion Determination
Examples of CATEX
Research and Data Collection, Routine Activities
conducted to identify whether the proposed action will have a
significant environmental impact or not by means of evaluating these
potential effects and alternatives given
Environmental Assessment (EA)
includes purpose and need of the
proposed action, environmental impacts, alternatives, and list of
agencies consulted
Environmental Assessment (EA)
determines whether or not a federal action has the potential to cause significant environmental effects
Environmental Assessment
The EA includes a brief discussion of:
- the purpose and need for the proposed action
- alternatives (as req’d by section 102(2)(E) of NEPA)
- the environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives
- a listing of agencies and persons consulted
What will be issued by the agency if the agency determines that the action will not have significant environmental impacts?
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)