CEQ Press Release - CEQ Submits Third Report to Congress on Environmental Analysis of Recovery Act Activities and Projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 2, 2009

Council on Environmental Quality Submits Third Report to Congress on Environmental Analysis of Recovery Act Activities and Projects

WASHINGTON, DC – In accordance with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) today submitted its third report to Congress regarding the status and progress of projects and activities receiving funds under the Act, and how they have complied thus far with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.

“The third report to Congress continues to confirm that projects and activities receiving Recovery Act funds have received required environmental analysis in a timely and effective manner,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.  “We commend the departments and agencies for continuing to complete over 90 percent of the NEPA reviews for these Recovery Act projects.  This and the previous two reports show that we can contribute to our nation’s economic health while respecting the health of our environment.”

The report is an overview of the fifteen Executive Branch departments and nine agencies required to report on their current NEPA status under the Recovery Act.  As of September 30th, the departments and agencies reported on over 145,000 Recovery Act-funded projects or activities.  More than $131 billion Recovery Act dollars have been obligated for the reported projects and activities.

The departments and agencies reported more than 147,000 NEPA reviews, over 139,000 have been completed and the rest are underway.  The NEPA reviews found that roughly 134,000 of the projects or activities did not have significant individual or cumulative effects on the human environment (otherwise known as categorical exclusions).

The departments and agencies also reported having completed over 4,500 environmental assessments for Recovery Act funded projects or activities.  Those environmental assessments provide the basis for findings of no significant impact.  More than 750 of the projects or activities are the subject of completed environmental impact statements, which is the most intensive NEPA review for projects or activities with significant effects on the human environment.

The full report is available at www.nepa.gov.  Further information regarding the status of agency obligations is available on the Recovery Act website at www.recovery.gov.

###