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National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Signed into law on January 1, 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was the first major environmental law in the United States and established this country’s environmental policies.
How does the Forest Service meet NEPA requirements?
In meeting the requirements of NEPA, the Forest Service seeks to:
- Fully integrate NEPA requirements into agency planning and decision-making (36 CFR 220.4(c)(2));
- Use a systematic, interdisciplinary approach to fully consider the impacts of Forest Service proposed actions on the physical, biological, social, and economic aspects of the human environment (40 CFR 1507.2(a), 40 CFR 1508.14);
- Involve interested and affected agencies, State and local governments, tribes, Alaska Native corporations, organizations, and individuals in planning and decision-making (40 CFR 1500.1(b), 40 CFR 1500.2(b) and (d), 40 CFR 1501.7, 40 CFR 1503.1, 40 CFR 1506.6); and
- Conduct and document environmental analyses and subsequent decisions appropriately, efficiently, and cost effectively.
How do I stay informed?
NEPA procedures also require that environmental information is available to citizens before decisions are made and actions are taken that may affect the human environment. The Forest Service's Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) is one way of providing information to the public.
The Schedule of Proposed Actions is not intended to be a substitute for scoping and public involvement. The SOPA provides a list of proposals that will begin or are undergoing environmental analysis and documentation so that people can become aware of and indicate their interest in specific proposals.
- Olympic National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions.
- List of current projects & sign up for updates at Olympic National Forest.
NEPA Objection process for non-Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) projects
Learn more about the Forest Service Objection process.
Forest Service administrative review procedures require agency officials publish legal notices in newspapers of record for certain opportunities to comment and opportunities to file pre-decisional objections. The newspaper of record for this type of legal notice publications is The Olympian.