What are NEPA and SEPA?
NEPA is the National Environmental Policy Act, and it went into effect in 1970. It established a process to ensure that information on the environmental effects of a federally funded project is available to the public and decision-makers before a project is implemented. For large projects, NEPA requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement that evaluates environmental effects and identifies any reasonable alternatives that could eliminate or reduce these effects. Smaller projects, or those with fewer impacts, may be required to develop an Environmental Assesment, or qualify for a categorical exclusion. Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act legislation went into effect in 1971 and established an environmental review process consistent with NEPA for all state projects that are likely to have significant effects on the environment. A blue heron in the Lake Washington wetlands. Which environmental topics does WSDOT evaluate?
