Why is an EIS needed for wind energy development in the Western states?
The Wind Energy Development Programmatic EIS is needed to maintain compliance with federal laws and regulations that require the federal government to evaluate the effects of its actions on the environment and to consider alternative courses of action. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) specifies when an environmental impact statement must be prepared. NEPA requires that an EIS be prepared for major federal actions with the potential for a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. The BLM has determined that amending land use plans and the establishment of a Wind Energy Development Program would be major federal actions as defined by the NEPA, and, thus, the BLM has prepared an EIS. For more information, visit Why the EIS Is Needed.
