ENVS 2256 Lecture Notes - Lecture 39: National Environmental Policy Act, Environmental Impact Statement, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
19 May 2018
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National Environmental Policy Act!
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SECTION 102(c) requires [environmental impact statements] for legislation or other major •
federal action significantly affecting the [quality of the] environment!
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NEPA!
broad, no specific content!•
lots of opportunity to avoid !•
avoid ultimate outcome of producing an environmental impact statement!◦
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Background!
became something far different than Congress intended!•
responsibility of federal government to use all practical means to protect the environment!•
goal of wanting to protect the environmental at all costs!◦
statute became something different!◦
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NEPA -> statute that doesn't necessarily require you to change actions but produce info prior •
to going forth on an action you are trying to do!
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Section 102(c), any major federal action, significantly affecting quality of human environment!•
NEED AN EIS!◦
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wanted to put burden on agencies to do their research and investigation to see how actions •
would affect!
requires more transparency, spend money to find out the impact!◦
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shifts the cost of investigating how harms will arise to private citizens to the agency!•
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT!
triggered by condition in 102(c)!•
whenever "major federal action" -> requires agency to produce EIS before they can ◦
complete the project!
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very expensive!•
time consuming!•
shift burden to gain agency!•
reveals information on impacts relevant under other statutes!•
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WHAT GOES IN AN EIS?!
cultural impacts!•
ecological impacts!•
socioeconomic!•
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describe potential violations !•
