The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) removed the CEQ National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), effective April 11, 2025. Below are links to past (archived) versions of the CEQ NEPA regulations and guidance, and related documents. This page also includes links to certain other historical documents broadly applicable to NEPA.
Also see, on NEPA.gov, web pages on CEQ guidance and the CEQ NEPA regulations.
Development of Regulations
2025 Rulemaking
Phase 2 Update to CEQ NEPA regulations
Phase 1 Update to CEQ NEPA regulations
2020 Update to CEQ NEPA regulations
- Extension of Deadline for Agencies to Proposed Updates to NEPA Procedures (June 2021)
- Memorandum for Heads of Federal Departments and Agencies: Implementation of Updated NEPA Regulations (July 2020, withdrawn 2021)
- Final Rule (July 16, 2020)
- Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (January 10, 2020)
- Extension of Comment Period (July 11, 2018)
- Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (June 20, 2018)
- Replaced version of CEQ NEPA regulations (aka, the 1978 regulations) (archived)
Address Change (revision to 40 CFR 1506.9)
Removal of "worst case analysis" (revision to 40 CFR 1502.22)
Update to Appendices I, II, III
Original Regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508)
- Notice of Final Rulemaking (November 29, 1978)
- Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (June 9, 1978)
- EO 11514 (as amended): Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality (as amended by EO 11911; May 24, 1977) directed CEQ to issue regulations
NEPA Guidelines (replaced by regulations)
- Revised CEQ NEPA Guidelines (August 1, 1973)
- Proposed Revisions to CEQ NEPA Guidelines (May 2, 1973)
- CEQ NEPA Guidelines (April 23, 1971)
- EO 11514: Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality (March 5, 1970) directed CEQ to issue guidelines
Archived Guidance
- Draft CEQ NEPA Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CEQ, 2019) (archived)
- Emergencies and the National Environmental Policy Act (CEQ, 2016) (archived)
- Memorandum for Heads of Federal Departments and Agencies: Emergencies and NEPA (CEQ, 2010) (archived)
- Memorandum for Federal NEPA Contacts: Emergency Actions and NEPA (CEQ, 2005) (archived)
- Reporting Cooperating Agencies in Implementing the Procedural Requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (CEQ, 2004) (archived)
Reports and Other Documents
- EIS Timelines Report (CEQ, 2018)
- Federal Flood Risk Management Standard
- Final Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in National Environmental Policy Act Reviews (Revoked) (CEQ, 2016)
- Revised Draft Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change in NEPA Reviews
- CEQ 's Response to a Petition for Rulemaking and Issuance of Guidance to Require Inclusion of Climate Change Analyses in NEPA Documents (CEQ, 2014)
- GAO Report -- National Environmental Policy Act: Little Information Exists on NEPA Analyses (GAO, 2014)
- NEPA and CEQA: Integrating State and Federal Environmental Reviews (CEQ, 2014)
- Presidential Proclamation on the 40th Anniversary of the National Environmental Policy Act (2009)
- EPA's Section 309 Review: The Clean Air Act and NEPA (EPA, 1999)
- Guidance on the Application of NEPA to Proposed Federal Actions in the United States with Transboundary Effects (CEQ, 1997)
- Agreed to Report of March 31, 1994 Meeting Regarding the Application of NEPA to CERCLA Cleanups (Department of Justice, 1995)
- Partially Superceded - Frequently Asked Questions on Filing EISs with EPA's Office of Federal Activities (EPA, 1994)
- Guidance on Incorporating EPA's Pollution Prevention Strategy into the Environmental Review Process (EPA, 1993)
- Habitat Evaluation: Guidance for the Review of Environmental Impact Assessment Documents (EPA, 1993)
- NEPA at 19: A Primer on an "Old" Law with Solutions to New Problems (1989)
- Policy and Procedures for the Review of Federal Actions Impacting the Environment (EPA, 1984)
- Unified Procedures Applicable to Major Federal Actions Relating to Nuclear Activities Subject to Executive Order 12114 (State Department, 1979)