[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 31]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR1502.1]

[Page 1117-1118]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
               CHAPTER V--COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
 
PART 1502_ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  1502.1  Purpose.

Sec.
1502.1 Purpose.
1502.2 Implementation.
1502.3 Statutory requirements for statements.
1502.4 Major Federal actions requiring the preparation of environmental 
          impact statements.
1502.5 Timing.
1502.6 Interdisciplinary preparation.
1502.7 Page limits.
1502.8 Writing.
1502.9 Draft, final, and supplemental statements.
1502.10 Recommended format.
1502.11 Cover sheet.
1502.12 Summary.
1502.13 Purpose and need.
1502.14 Alternatives including the proposed action.
1502.15 Affected environment.
1502.16 Environmental consequences.
1502.17 List of preparers.
1502.18 Appendix.
1502.19 Circulation of the environmental impact statement.
1502.20 Tiering.
1502.21 Incorporation by reference.
1502.22 Incomplete or unavailable information.
1502.23 Cost-benefit analysis.
1502.24 Methodology and scientific accuracy.
1502.25 Environmental review and consultation requirements.

    Authority: NEPA, the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970, 
as amended (42 U.S.C. 4371 et seq.), sec. 309 of the Clean Air Act, as 
amended (42 U.S.C. 7609), and E.O. 11514 (Mar. 5, 1970, as amended by 
E.O. 11991, May 24, 1977).

    Source: 43 FR 55994, Nov. 29, 1978, unless otherwise noted.


    The primary purpose of an environmental impact statement is to serve 
as an action-forcing device to insure that the policies and goals 
defined in the

[[Page 1118]]

Act are infused into the ongoing programs and actions of the Federal 
Government. It shall provide full and fair discussion of significant 
environmental impacts and shall inform decisionmakers and the public of 
the reasonable alternatives which would avoid or minimize adverse 
impacts or enhance the quality of the human environment. Agencies shall 
focus on significant environmental issues and alternatives and shall 
reduce paperwork and the accumulation of extraneous background data. 
Statements shall be concise, clear, and to the point, and shall be 
supported by evidence that the agency has made the necessary 
environmental analyses. An environmental impact statement is more than a 
disclosure document. It shall be used by Federal officials in 
conjunction with other relevant material to plan actions and make 
decisions.