[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 40, Volume 28] [Revised as of July 1, 2002] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 40CFR1508.23] [Page 492] TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT CHAPTER V--COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PART 1508--TERMINOLOGY AND INDEX--Table of Contents Sec. 1508.23 Proposal. Proposal exists at that stage in the development of an action when an agency subject to the Act has a goal and is actively preparing to make a decision on one or more alternative means of accomplishing that goal and the effects can be meaningfully evaluated. Preparation of an environmental impact statement on a proposal should be timed (Sec. 1502.5) so that the final statement may be completed in time for the statement to be included in any recommendation or report on the proposal. A proposal may exist in fact as well as by agency declaration that one exists.