What are NEPA and CEQA?

NEPA and CEQA are two important laws related to environmental protection in Virginia. NEPA stands for the National Environmental Policy Act, which is a federal law enacted in 1970. This law requires that federal agencies evaluate the environmental impacts of their actions and consider alternatives to those actions. Agencies must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that describes the potential impacts of the proposed action and evaluates how those impacts could be reduced or avoided. CEQA, or the California Environmental Quality Act, is a state law enacted in 1973. It requires state, regional, and local governments in California to evaluate the environmental impacts of their proposed actions and consider possible alternatives before approving them. It is the most stringent environmental law in the country and requires agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that assesses potential impacts, suggests ways to avoid or reduce those impacts, and identifies feasible alternatives. Both NEPA and CEQA are important pieces of environmental legislation in Virginia. They require agencies to evaluate how their actions may affect the environment and come up with ways to reduce or avoid potential impacts. This helps ensure that environmental protection is taken into consideration when government decisions are made.

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