(a) The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) establishes national policies and goals for the protection and enhancement of the environment. Section 102(2) of NEPA contains certain policy statements and procedural requirements directed toward the attainment of such goals. In particular, all Federal agencies are required to give appropriate consideration to the environmental effects of their proposed actions in their decisionmaking and to prepare detailed environmental statements on recommendations or reports on proposals for legislation and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.

(b) Executive Order 11991 of May 24, 1977, amended E.O. 11514 and directed the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to issue regulations to implement the procedural provisions of NEPA. Accordingly, CEQ issued final NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) on November 29, 1978, which are binding on all Federal agencies as of July 30, 1979. Section 1507.3(a) of CEQ regulations provides that each Federal agency shall as necessary adopt implementing procedures to supplement the regulations. Section 1507.3(b) of the CEQ NEPA regulations identifies those sections of the regulations which must be addressed in agency procedures.