President Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) into law on January 1, 1970. Congress enacted NEPA to establish a national policy for the environment, provide for the establishment of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and for other purposes. 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 major Federal actions prior to making decisions.
NEPA established the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to ensure that federal agencies meet their obligations under NEPA. This website provides information on the laws and regulations pertaining to NEPA, specific guidance for implementing NEPA, various resources for getting involved in the NEPA process (Citizen's Guide to NEPA, Collaboration Handbook, working with tribes, etc.), resources to help put NEPA into practice, as well as CEQ publications and reports.
View the Council on Environmental Quality's Handbook for NEPA Practitioners.