On January 1, 1970, the NEPA Act was signed into law and mandates that all federal agencies assess proposed federal actions' environmental impacts, including impacts on historic and cultural resources. Federal agencies meet their NEPA review responsibilities by completing the NEPA processes set forth in their NEPA implementing procedures and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, 40 C.F.R. Parts 1500-1508.
NEPA requires all federal agencies to, among other things:
- Assess the environmental impacts of major federal projects, decisions such as issuing permits, spending federal money, or actions on federal lands.
- Consider the environmental impacts in making decisions.
NEPA does not:
- Mandate protection of the environment;
- Require the decision-maker to select the environmentally preferable alternative;
- Prohibit actions that may result in adverse environmental effects.
NEPA serves as a decision-making approach to identify and assess potential environmental impacts as early in the decision-making process as possible. NEPA seeks to educate agency decision-makers on the environmental, socio-economic, and cultural effects of federal actions and to help officials make decisions based on an understanding of the environmental consequences. Further, the NEPA process recognizes the importance and provides an opportunity for the public to be involved in the agency decision-making process. Throughout the NEPA process, local, state, and federal agencies, tribal groups, and interested members of the public are encouraged to participate in the NEPA process.
Veterans Affairs (VA) will prepare NEPA analysis to determine the potential impacts from the proposed redevelopment scope of the Development Parcel. The analysis will be prepared in accordance with Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). As required by a NEPA the public will have an opportunity to participate in the process of analyzing impacts that could result from the proposed redevelopment.
