Techniques and guidelines for streamlining NEPA: Four ideas, nine tools

The Council on Environmental Quality`s (CEQ`S) principal aims in implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are (1) to reduce paperwork, (2) to reduce delay, and (3) to produce better decisions. However, almost since the passage of NEPA, the quality and quantity of information typically found in NEPA documents have been criticized. The quality of NEPA documents could be greatly enhanced through improved planning and acquisition, organization, and presentation of information. The authors offer ideas for streamlining the NEPA process and documents for preparers of NEPA documents. These ideas address the issues of improved planning and information handling. Although most of these ideas are not new, stricter adherence to them would address many of the criticisms of Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements.