The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was signed into law on January 1, 1970. NEPA is a procedural statute that requires all federal agencies to review and analyze the potential environmental effects of major federal actions. The statute emphasizes that NEPA:
- Is our basic national charter for restoring and maintaining environmental quality.
- Is intended to help public officials make decisions that account for environmental consequences in addition to economic and technical considerations.
- Ensures that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken.
- Requires federal agencies to ensure professional and scientific integrity, and use reliable data and resources, in all NEPA documents.
NEPA also established the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to develop an annual report on:
- the status of the environment;
- foreseeable trends in the quality, management, and utilization of the environment;
- available natural resources;
- programs’ and activities’ effect on the environment; and
- recommendations to remedy any deficiencies.
In addition to the NEPA statute, the Department of the Interior (DOI) established implementing regulations (43 C.F.R. Part 46). BOEM also follows NEPA processes outlined in the DOI’s NEPA Handbook (516 DM 1).