ABSTRACT
This chapter describes four major elements that need to be understood in implementing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): the environmental documents and what they are, the NEPA process itself, federal and state permits needed to supplement environmental documents, and role of nonfederal agencies in the NEPA process. The process of applying the regulations in a systematic manner to the decision-making procedures is called the NEPA process. The process, depending on the range of impact of the proposed regulations, could require the EPA to comply fully with the NEPA process including preparation of an environmental impact statement and public hearings as part of public participation requirements. Tiering may be defined as a method of reducing paperwork by judicious use of already published Environmental impact statements of broader scope to the best advantage of the NEPA process. If the assessment is included, the finding need not repeat any of the discussion in the assessment, but may incorporate it by reference.
