Success Stories and NEPA Benefits

Russell Train, former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the first Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, found that National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) successes demonstrate "how public involvement and careful consideration of alternatives has produced better outcomes-for the agencies themselves, for the nation, and for the human environment." He and Representative Dingell spoke at the September 15, 2010, celebration of the 40th Anniversary of NEPA sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute and the Partnership Project. "NEPA covers every situation that we confront," Representative Dingell said. "Despite attacks over the years, people realized the tremendous success of the statute."

NEPA Success Stories: Celebrating 40 Years of Transparency and Open Government, Environmental Law Institute, 2010.

Efforts to implement the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) include ensuring, and reporting on, timely NEPA reviews prepared in support of projects and activities funded under major provisions of ARRA. In addition to reporting on the status of the NEPA environmental reviews, agencies also report on the benefits of NEPA.

Examples of benefits from the NEPA process for ARRA funded activities