; . | \ apr PAHCK. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT COUNCIL OF ERVIRONMEETAL QUALITY 722 JACKSON PLACE, N. W. WASHINGTON, O. C. 20006 May 16, 1972 MEMORANDUM FOR AGENCY AND GENERAL COUNSEL LIAISON Or so: NATIONAL ENVIROXMENTAL-POLICYACT-(REPA) wMATERS : Subject: Recommendations for Improving Agency NEPA Procedures In “Fesponse_ to a variety of agency inquiries; we are eee civtulating the attached -recommféndations forimp roving2ot agency KEPA procedures, taking. particular. accounot or judieial Gecisions construing orandum dated February 29, attached) aneereen TEPA. ~-In a previous mem- os FE, 1972° (a copy Of which is also-~ >" Chairman Train arew attention to the continuing need for reviewing and improving agency NEPA procedures and made two basic recommendations: 1. "In particular we are interested in finding _. ways of.consolidating numbers of-impact-state_ _ “hents-into-fever-butbroaderand- more-meaning= ~.ae ful reviews' 2. "On the matter of applying the NEPA statutory language ‘major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment' to your particular agency programs and pinpointing the precise-timing of. the NEPA,..review and interagency..consultations called for, your agency procedures-=must provide the--specifics within the framework of the statute and our Guidelines. These procedures are important both in helping to identify the types of action on which impact statements are likely to be necessary and those where statements are not called for."