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The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 is a basic charter for the protection of the environment. All proposed actions affecting public lands or resources must be reviewed for NEPA compliance. NEPA procedures ensure that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken. The levels of review are:
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) - This level of analysis is conducted for major federal actions that significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The purpose of an EIS is to ensure that the policies and goals of the National Environmental Policy Act are used in the ongoing programs and actions of the federal government.
- Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) - The purpose of an EA is to determine if an Environmental Impact Statement level analysis is needed. The EA analyzes impacts to the quality of the human environment, serves as a vehicle for interdisciplinary review of the proposal, identifies appropriate mitigation measures and facilitates the preparation of an EIS when one is necessary.
- Categorical Exclusion (CX) - A category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a Federal agency in implementation of these procedures.
- Determination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) – A process that confirms that an action is adequately analyzed in existing NEPA document(s) and is in conformance with the land use plan.
Public comments are accepted on all projects during scoping and review periods for an EA or EIS. Regardless of the level of NEPA review, interested publics may appeal a BLM decision to implement a proposed activity plan or project.