What fundamental characteristic defines NEPA beyond being merely an environmental protection law?
Answer
It is a procedural law establishing a national policy.
NEPA is defined as a procedural law whose purpose was to establish a national policy promoting environmental harmony and requiring federal agencies to detail environmental costs and benefits before action.
Related Questions
Which legislation is most widely cited as the "invention" of modern Environmental Impact Assessment?On what exact date was the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) signed into US law?What fundamental characteristic defines NEPA beyond being merely an environmental protection law?What specific document was mandated by NEPA for major federal actions significantly affecting the human environment?What does NEPA primarily dictate regarding environmentally damaging actions?Which body was established by NEPA to develop the procedures for implementing the assessment process?What characterized environmental considerations *before* mandatory assessment became law?How did the US EIA concept primarily diffuse to other countries?What significant addition represented a maturation of the assessment concept beyond purely biophysical parameters?According to the text, when did the true *invention* of effective, useful assessment primarily occur?What fundamental analytical shift defines the modern concept of EIA compared to traditional regulatory practices?