Timeline
June 27, 2026 EPA issued a proposed rule revising its NEPA implementing regulations, including making publication of draft EAs and EISs optional, limiting the scope of the review to only foreseeable direct effects of its actions, and setting page limits for NEPA documents.
June 24, 2026 EPA issued a memorandum guiding its approach to reviews under Clean Air Act Section 309 and NEPA Section 102(2)(C), both which direct EPA to review or consult on actions taken by other federal agencies. The new guidance directs EPA to limit its comments to its areas of statutory of authority, avoiding “overly broad expressions of preference for any policy or course of action not necessitated by EPA’s relevant statutory authorities.”
Feb. 4, 2009 EPA issued a direct final rule to make corrections to amend its 2007 NEPA implementing procedures. The 2009 rule involved four minor, technical corrections to the rule to address some ambiguities in the 2007 final rule.
Sept. 19, 2007 EPA issued a final rule amending its procedures for implementing NEPA. Among other changes, the rule consolidated and standardized procedural provisions of the environmental review process, clarified the general procedures associated with categorical exclusions, consolidated and amended the list of actions that generally require an EIS, and incorporated revisions consistent with CEQ regulations.