[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 40, Volume 31]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 40CFR1501.2]



[Page 870]

 

                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT

 

               CHAPTER V--COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

 

PART 1501_NEPA AND AGENCY PLANNING--Table of Contents

 

Sec.  1501.2  Apply NEPA early in the process.



    Agencies shall integrate the NEPA process with other planning at the 

earliest possible time to insure that planning and decisions reflect 

environmental values, to avoid delays later in the process, and to head 

off potential conflicts. Each agency shall:

    (a) Comply with the mandate of section 102(2)(A) to ``utilize a 

systematic, interdisciplinary approach which will insure the integrated 

use of the natural and social sciences and the environmental design arts 

in planning and in decisionmaking which may have an impact on man's 

environment,'' as specified by Sec.  1507.2.

    (b) Identify environmental effects and values in adequate detail so 

they can be compared to economic and technical analyses. Environmental 

documents and appropriate analyses shall be circulated and reviewed at 

the same time as other planning documents.

    (c) Study, develop, and describe appropriate alternatives to 

recommended courses of action in any proposal which involves unresolved 

conflicts concerning alternative uses of available resources as provided 

by section 102(2)(E) of the Act.

    (d) Provide for cases where actions are planned by private 

applicants or other non-Federal entities before Federal involvement so 

that:

    (1) Policies or designated staff are available to advise potential 

applicants of studies or other information foreseeably required for 

later Federal action.

    (2) The Federal agency consults early with appropriate State and 

local agencies and Indian tribes and with interested private persons and 

organizations when its own involvement is reasonably foreseeable.

    (3) The Federal agency commences its NEPA process at the earliest 

possible time.