NEPA Process and Specific Requirements - Environmental Impact Analysis: Process and Methods - page 100

between economic development and the missions of individual federal agen-
cies. Sometimes posing questions regarding what NEPA requires and does
not require is useful in understanding this simple concept and the intent of
the Act and implementing regulations. Under NEPA:
r What is mandated for all federal agencies?
r Take a “hard look” at the impacts of their proposed action and
acknowledge the impacts when making decisions.
r Consider alternatives to the proposed action that might have
fewer or different environmental impacts.
r Evaluate mitigation of all impacts.
r Employ technically defensible and multidiscipline environmen-
tal impact analysis methods and avoid arbitrary and capricious
decisions.
r Conduct a transparent process that engages stakeholders and the
public at large.
r Must an agency of the federal government achieve absolute environ-
mental protection and enhancement? No, but it should be a goal and
the environment must be considered in every decision. Specifically
each agency must:
r Promote efforts to prevent or eliminate damage to the environ-
ment and stimulate health and welfare (note there is no absolute
mandate, just a philosophy).
r Use all practicable means, consistent with other essential consid-
erations of the national policy to improve and coordinate federal
plans, functions, programs, and resources to:
- Fulfill responsibilities of each generation as trustees of the
environment for future generations.
- Assure safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and cul-
turally pleasing surroundings.
- Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment
without degradation, risk to health or safety or other unde-
sirable and unintended consequences.
r Is an agency required to select the alternative with the least impact?
No, but:
r The federal agency proposing the action must identify the alter-
native with the least environmental impact.
r They must explain to all stakeholders in a clear and transpar-
ent manner the selection they made and if they do not select
the environmentally preferable alternative they must explain
why not.