The National Environmental Policy Act 1969 (NEPA)NEPA requires all projects financed with Federal dollars to create assessments of the impact that the project will have on the environment. The agency responsible for producing the Environmental Impact Statement is responsible for holding public hearings, submitting a draft for public review, and cannot proceed until there is a final draft.
All EISs in the NEPA Environmental Impact Statement Database are filed with the EPA, and EPA publishes a "Notice of Availability" each week in the Federal Register. The "Notice of Availability" is the start of the 45-day public comment period for Draft EISs. This notice is also the start of the 30-day "wait period" for Final EISs, in which agencies are generally required to wait 30 days before making a decision on a proposed action.