National Environmental Policy

National Environmental Policy Act, 1969 The National Environmental Pohcy Act (NEPA) of 1969 was the first federal act that required coordination of federal projects and their impacts with the nation s resources. The act specified the creation of Council on Environmental Quahty in the Executive Office of the President. This body has the authority to force eveiy federal agency to submit to the council an environmental impact statement on eveiy activity or project which it may sponsor or over which it has jurisdic tion. 

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review is performed concurreruly by the staff. After completion, a Draft Environmental Statement (DES) is issued and eirculated lor review and comments by the appropriate Federal, State and local agencies, individuals and public. After receipt of comments and their resolution, the Final Environmental Statement (FES) is issued... 

In the U.S., three pieces of federal legislation that were passed from 1969 to 1980, and the implementing rules and regulations that followed, initiated a series of fundamental changes in the management of waste and byproduct materials. They presently affect the way in which regulatory agencies address waste and byproduct material use. These acts include the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 1969), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA, 1976, 1980), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liabilities Act (CERCLA) or Superfund (1980). 

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 10 228 21 590 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 15 767 24 284 National Formulary, 18 701 National Highway Traffic Safety... 

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 1969 Provides basic national charter for the protection of the environment by providing a mechanism to interact with government on proposed actions that may affect the environment... 

Those federal regulations of interest and importance for addressing subsurface environmental issues in chronological order of establishment include the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Resource, Conservation, and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FTFRA), and the Petroleum Safety Act (PSA). These regulations are discussed below. 

The purpose of the EDS phase is threefold (1) to support the development of a request for proposal (RFP) for a full-scale facility (2) to support the certification decision of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, as directed by Public Law 105-261 and (3) to support documentation required for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the data required for a permit under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Each EDS comprises two parts an EDP and engineering tests and studies to generate required data that were not obtained during the earlier demonstration test phase. 

The U.S. National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 required careful analysis of the consequences of any federally funded project. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 established guidelines for handling, transport, and hauling of hazardous materials, such as required in cleanup of soil contaminants. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 established, for the hrst time, strict mles on legal liability for soil contamination. CERCLA stimulated identihcation and cleanup of thousands of contaminated land sites, and consequently raised awareness of property buyers and sellers to make soil contamination a focal issue of land use and management practices (US-EPA 2007c). 

Provides that an environmental impact statement prepared in accordance with the FDA regulations shall be considered to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, notwithstanding any other provision of law. 

The National Environmental Policy Act requires certain procedures for public input on and documentation concerning the preparation of a thorough environmental impact statement regarding activities undertaken by the federal government that have environmental impacts. 

Council on Environmental Quality CEQ provides policy advice on environmental matters implements National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) coordinates environmental concerns among other agencies... 

Clean Air Act and its amendments in 1970, 1977, and 1990 1967 Air Quality Standards and National Air Pollution Acts and 1970 National Environmental Policy Act) (2) better waste disposal practices (1965 Solid Waste Disposal Act 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) (see Wastes, industrial Waste treatment, hazardous wastes) (S) reduced noise levels (1972 Noise Control Act) (4) improved control of the manufacture and use of toxic materials (1976 Toxic Substances Control Act) and (5) assignment of responsibility to manufacturers for product safety (1972 Consumer Product Safety Act) (15,16). 

Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodentid.de Act Food. Drug, and Cosmetic Act Hazardous Materials Transportation Act National Environmental Policy Act Occupational Safety and Health Act Resource Conservation and Recoveiy Act Safe Drinking Water Act Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act Toxic Substances Control Act... 

The process to select a technology for the Pueblo Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (PUCDF) was defined in a notice of intent (NOI) published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2000. Environmental impact statements required by the National Environmental Policy Act will be developed for all the candidate technologies. The final choice will be made by the DoD from the technologies certified to be as safe and cost efficient as the baseline incineration system, as well as capable of completing destruction of the Pueblo stockpile either by the CWC treaty deadline (April 29, 2007) or the date that would be achievable by the baseline system, whichever is later. The decision tentatively will be made in early fiscal year 2002. 

In April 2000, the Army published a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare a site-specific environmental impact statement (EIS) for a facility to destroy the mustard agent and munitions stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. Four technology options are under consideration the baseline incineration system, a modified baseline process, and the two neutralization-based2 processes noted... 

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