Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region

Boise River Basin Feasibility Study
Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 requires the Federal Government to use all practicable means and measures to protect environmental values. It establishes policy, sets goals and provides means for carrying out the policy. NEPA encourages the wise use of natural resources by requiring the consideration of environmental factors in federal agency decision-making. NEPA also provides opportunities for the public, private organizations, state and local agencies, and Native American tribal governments be involved in and be informed about the decision-making process. NEPA requires full disclosure about major actions taken by federal agencies, including alternatives to the actions, impacts, and possible mitigation. NEPA also requires that environmental concerns and impacts be evaluated during planning and decision making. For any proposed federal action, federal agencies such as the Bureau of Reclamation prepare a NEPA compliance document to provide this full disclosure to the public.

The Council of Environmental Quality’s “A Citizen's Guide to NEPA” states that hundreds of Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) are prepared by federal agencies each year. These documents provide people an opportunity to learn about and be involved in environmental impact assessments that are part of the federal agency decision-making process. It is important to understand that commenting on a proposal is not a “vote” on whether the proposed action should take place. Nonetheless, feedback received during the EIS development process can influence decisionmakers and their final decisions, because NEPA does require that federal decisionmakers be informed of the environmental consequences of their decisions.