Timeline
June 30, 2025 USDA announced significant changes to its NEPA implementing regulations. Through an interim final rule published on July 3, 2025, USDA rescinded all of its agency- or service-specific NEPA regulations (including those that specific to the U.S. Forest Service) and promulgated a new set of regulations to apply to all USDA agencies. The new regulations limit opportunities for public comment, make the publication of draft environmental impact statements optional, limit the scope and types of environmental effects agencies are required to analyze.
Nov. 19, 2020 The Forest Service finalized amendments to its NEPA implementing regulations to establish new and revised categorical exclusions. The rule established six new categorical exclusions for activities related to recreation special uses, administrative sites, recreation sites, restoration and resilience projects, and certain road management projects. Litigation over the rule is ongoing. Clinch Coal. v. U.S. Forest Service, No. 2:21-cv-00003 (W.D. Va.).
Mar. 23, 2018 In the omnibus spending bill, Congress included categorical exclusions for “hazardous fuels reduction” for certain forested areas to speed up the removal of dead wood that can fuel wildland fires. The bill defined “hazardous fuels reduction” as “crushing, tractor and hand piling, tree removal (to produce commercial or pre-commercial products), and pruning.” The categorical exclusion applies to hazardous fuel reduction on areas up to 3,000 acres.
Sep. 12, 2013 The Forest Service finalized a rule amending its NEPA regulations to add three new categorical exclusions for specific restoration activities.
July 24, 2008 The Forest Service issued a final rule to codify and expand its NEPA implementing procedures, including clarifying the process for conducting environmental analyses.