NEPA Resources

Congress enacted the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969 and President Nixon signed it into law on January 1, 1970. Congress enacted NEPA to establish a national policy for the environment. NEPA also created the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), which oversees implementation of NEPA. NEPA was the first major environmental law in the United States and is often called the “Magna Carta” of Federal environmental laws. NEPA requires Federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of proposed agency activities or decisions, such as permits, grants, or land use plans (termed “major Federal actions”) prior to making decisions.