TagCouncil on Environmental Quality(6)
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2005-06-24Guidance on the consideration of past actions in cumulative effects analysis
★ 32This 2005 memo from the White House Council on Environmental Quality instructs federal agencies on how to handle past actions when analyzing cumulative environmental impacts under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Agencies are not required to exhaustively catalog every past action, but must describe their current combined effects when those effects are relevant to a proposed action's foreseeable environmental impacts. The guidance emphasizes using the scoping process to focus analysis on truly significant cumulative effects rather than accumulating unnecessary background data. -
CEQ Scoping for Cumulative Effects
This document outlines principles and steps for conducting cumulative effects analysis in environmental impact assessments. It covers identifying cumulative effects issues, establishing geographic and temporal boundaries, and determining which effects are important from a cumulative perspective. https://ceq.doe.gov/docs/ceq-publications/ccenepa/sec2.pdf -
2025-05-30U.S. Supreme Court Narrows NEPA Review
Court removes “indirect effects” requirement The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision, on May 29, 2025, narrowing the scope of environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado, the Court reversed in part the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals’ finding that the Surface Transportation -
2024-06-01
Council on Environmental Quality Substantially Rewrites NEPA Regulations
Highlights The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recently published its Phase II regulations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Amendments to the NEPA regulations are significant in scope and affect virtually all aspects of the NEPA review process, with many potentially contributing to Biden Administration goals of efficiencies and streamlined reviews, while others possibly -
1997-01-01Considering Cumulative Effects Under NEPA (Executive Summary)
A handbook by the Council on Environmental Quality providing framework and methods for analyzing cumulative effects in environmental assessments and impact statements under NEPA. The document outlines principles, steps, and data sources for cumulative effects analysis but does not establish new legal requirements. -
1980-06-01Guidelines for considering noise in land use planning and control
Published in June 1980 by the Federal Interagency Committee on Urban Noise, this document provides guidelines for incorporating noise considerations into land use planning and control decisions. It was produced jointly by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Housing and Urban Development. The guidelines are intended to help planners and policymakers manage the impact of noise—such as that generated by airports like Sea-Tac—on surrounding communities through zoning and land use strategies.