Land Use Planning and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) establishes a public, interdisciplinary framework for Federal decision-making and ensures that agencies (BLM and all other agencies) take environmental factors into account when considering Federal actions. NEPA does not mandate protection of the environment. Instead, it requires agencies to follow a particular process in making decisions and to disclose the information/data that was used to support those decisions. For a detailed description of this process, please link here.
This webpage is provided as a source of information on the status of environmental reviews for the BLM-Carson City District, which administers 5.3 million acres of Federal public lands in western Nevada & portions of eastern California. We are interested in hearing your views and concerns as different analyses are being developed and during public comment periods. Early participation in this process helps to ensure that your concerns are addressed.
The list to the right are projects which are being planned, constructed or have been completed by the BLM-Carson City District Office. The levels of analysis are:
Environmental Assessment (EA) - the purpose of an EA is to determine if an EIS level analysis is needed. The EA analyzes impacts to the quality of the human environment, serves as a vehicle for interdisciplinary review of the proposal, identifies appropriate mitigation measures, and facilitates the preparation of an EIS when one is necessary.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) - this level of analysis is conducted for major Federal actions, which significantly affect the quality of the human environment. DEIS refers to draft EIS)
All proposed actions affecting public lands or resources must be reviewed for NEPA compliance. NEPA procedures must ensure that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken.
Public comments are accepted on all projects during scoping periods and during the analysis process. After the Decision Record (DR) and Finding of No significant Impact (FONSI) are signed the interested publics may appeal.
To find out more information about the appeal process or the dates of appeal for any project, please contact the Carson City District Office Webmaster or call (775) 885-6000.
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