The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 is a basic charter for the protection of the environment.  All proposed actions affecting public lands or resources must be reviewed for NEPA compliance. NEPA procedures ensure that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken. The levels of review are:

• Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD)
• Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
• Categorical Exclusion (CX)
• Determination of NEPA Adequacy (DNA)

Public comments are accepted on all projects during scoping and review periods for an EA or EIS.  Regardless of the level of NEPA review, interested publics may appeal a BLM decision to implement a proposed activity plan or project.  Additional information about the appeal process, NEPA procedures and the resource management plans that guide all activities of the Elko Field Office is available from the following:

• Information for filing an appeal and petition for stay of decision
• Elko Field Office NEPA Guidebook
• Planning Page

This webpage is provided as a source of information for NEPA reviews currently underway.  For a listing of activities, click on this link for the Elko Project & Planning Schedule.  If you wish to participate in the planning and decision making process, please call the Elko Field Office at 775-753-0200 and ask for the contact listed in this Schedule.

NEPA documents currently available for public review are listed below. Some of the documents are large and may take several minutes to load. Please be patient. (Downloadable files contained on this page require an Adobe Reader. If you don't have an Adobe Reader and would like to obtain a free copy from Adobe...click here.)

Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)

Betze Pit Expansion - Draft SEIS (08/2008) (posted 8/21/2008)

Genesis Project Revised Mine Plan Amendment (Nov 2007) (posted (04/08/2008)

Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for South Operations Area Project Amendment Cumulative Effects (DSEIS) (posted 8/30/2007)

Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Leeville Project Cumulative Effects (DSEIS) (posted 8/30/2007)

Environmental Assessments

Ruby Federal 1-11 Oil Well (10/22/2008)

Northern Communities Fuels Treatment EA  (Sept 2008) (10/1/2008) - Public comments due by Oct 14, 2008

Silver Lake Fuels Treatment EA (Sept 2008) (10/1/2008) - Public comments due by Oct 14, 2008

• Silver Lake Fuels Treatment FONSI & Decision (10/16/2008)

Maverick Silver Exploration Amendment (10/2008)