What is the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA)?

The National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) is a United States federal law that was passed in 1970. It is a critical environmental law for the protection of the environment, both nationally and in the state of New York. NEPA is designed to ensure that the federal government considers the potential environmental impacts of their proposed actions before they move forward. NEPA essentially requires the federal government to conduct a thorough assessment of any potentially hazardous or damaging environmental effects of any action they are taking. This includes any action affecting air, land, water, or wildlife. The assessment also includes potential effects on human health. Once the assessment is completed, the government must publicly share the findings and allow citizens to weigh in on the potential impacts. NEPA is an important environmental law in New York because it helps protect the environment and public health from potentially damaging projects. It also gives citizens a say in how the government uses public lands and resources. By requiring an assessment of environmental impacts on proposed actions, NEPA helps protect our environmental resources that are important to us all.

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