The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

This chapter discusses both the substantive and procedural parts of NEPA, NEPA’s history, and the NEPA Process. The substantive requirements of NEPA are discussed in detail because they are the foundation of environmental policy that can protect the biosphere even though they are mostly ignored today. Energy requirements analysis in NEPA documents is an overlooked substantive analysis that can help us reach our climate goals. The U.S. Supreme Court’s view of NEPA is discussed as well as Robertson v. Methow Valley, which was a precedent setting case from 1989. The NEPA amendments of June 2023 are discussed in detail.