National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) – Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Overview

YEAR
2026
DOCUMENT TYPE
GEOGRAPHY

Document Summary

This webpage (ceq.doe.gov) is a federal information portal for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), supported by the U.S. Department of Energy but tied to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). It serves as a central access point for NEPA-related resources, guidance, and tools used by federal agencies when evaluating environmental impacts of major projects.

The CEQ is a federal body within the Executive Office of the President, created by NEPA in 1970 to oversee environmental policy and to ensure that agencies consider environmental impacts before taking action.

This webpage is not a law or regulation, but it explains and supports the implementation of NEPA, a binding federal statute.

  • CEQ is responsible for coordinating how federal agencies comply with NEPA, including environmental reviews for major projects.
  • Under NEPA, agencies must prepare Environmental Assessments (EAs) or Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) before approving actions that may significantly affect the environment.
  • CEQ provides guidance, policy direction, and dispute resolution when agencies disagree about environmental impacts.
  • Materials on this site help agencies comply with required procedures and create the administrative record used for permitting and litigation.

While the site itself does not authorize projects, it supports the legal framework that determines how federal decisions are reviewed and justified.

WHY THIS MATTERS

NEPA is often described as a tool for public input, but it does not guarantee public control. For Protect the Basin, the concern is that communities may participate in a process that ultimately does not reflect their decisions. In places like West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, NEPA reviews are a key battleground for raising concerns about nuclear waste projects. Understanding both the power and the limits of NEPA is essential to understanding how these decisions are made.

Key Excerpts

“NEPA requires federal agencies to consider the environmental effects of their proposed actions.” – Page 1

“The Council on Environmental Quality oversees the implementation of NEPA across federal agencies.” – Page 1

“Public involvement is a key component of the NEPA process.” – Page 2

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CITATION

Council on Environmental Quality. (n.d.). National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

2021 TEXAS AQUIFER LONGEVITY STUDY
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