The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was enacted in 1970 to promote the enhancement of environmental interests.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is among the first strong environmental protection acts that curbed widespread abuse of the environment. It helped establish the baseline for the United State’s current environmental policies. The purpose of the act is widespread, however its main purpose is to promote the interests of the environment regardless of which political party remains in power.
Furthermore, this bill was also passed to give one agency of the government the sole function to lobby on behalf of the environment by passing legislation, regulations, and conducting studies to monitor the environment. This function remains central to everything the agencies tasked with implementing the act are tasked with.
Purpose of National Environmental Act
One of the main functions of the act is create a mechanism for the government to assess the relative risk of conducting a certain activity such as burning coal, transmitting oil, releasing omissions and others. Agencies are tasked with determining the impact of certain actions and determining whether the act is worth the risk. The act aims to promote the interests of consumers, while at its core aiming to reduce environmental impact.
The Act requires federal agencies to prepare environmental assessments and impact reports prior to implementing proposed federal actions. Based on their findings, federal agencies must develop policy that both protects the environment and maintains consumer and property rights.
There is great division among people’s regarding the reach of the bill and whether to scale back or increase environmental protection acts.
Background Behind the Creation of the National Environmental Act
National concern for the environment had grown throughout the 1960s. Protests against the demolition of ecosystems during the construction of an interstate highway and the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill heightened the demand for environmental protections. The Act was passed in an effort to balance environmental concerns with commercial activity.
