Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA
By
Russell E. Chazell
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Rockville, MD
April 2014
Capstone paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the Certificate in NEPA
Duke Environmental Leadership Program
Nicholas School of the Environment at
Duke University
2014
Disclaimer
This paper was prepared by an employee of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on
his own time apart from his regular duties. The NRC has neither approved nor disapproved of its
content. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and not necessarily those of
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA i
Abstract
Section 102(2)(C) of the NEPA statute requires that significant effects to the human environment
be documented in “a detailed statement by the responsible official” for “major Federal actions”.
The statute itself does not plainly define what constitutes a major Federal action other than to say
that “recommendation[s] and report[s] on proposals” qualify.
This capstone paper will discuss the legislative history, case law, and practical application of
NEPA’s “major Federal action” concept as it has been interpreted by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) and Federal court litigation. This author is particularly interested in the
recent decision by the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit which
vacated the NRC’s 2010 Waste Confidence Rule. One of the bases for vacating the rule was the
fact that the Court considered the Waste Confidence Rule a major Federal action under NEPA.
The paper will conclude with a discussion of the appropriateness, under NEPA, of deeming a
policy decision like the Waste Confidence Rule, a major Federal action when the final Agency
action, issuing or renewing a license, relies on a separate and distinct environmental impact
statement (EIS).
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA ii
Table of Contents
I. Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1
II. Context of a Major Federal Action under NEPA .................................................................2
III. Definition of a Major Federal Action ..................................................................................3
IV. Interpretation of the Definition ............................................................................................3
a. CEQ..........................................................................................................................3
b. NRC .........................................................................................................................4
c. Case Law ..................................................................................................................5
d. Other Thoughts ........................................................................................................7
V. Why licensing actions are considered Major Federal Actions .............................................8
VI. Is NRC Waste Confidence Rule a Major Federal Action? ................................................10
VII. Case Study: New York v. NRC ...........................................................................................12
VIII. Discussion of the Ruling ....................................................................................................12
IX. Conclusion .........................................................................................................................14
X. References ..........................................................................................................................15
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 1
I. Introduction
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)i was enacted by Congress in an
attempt to stop and reverse, where possible, the worsening damage to America’s air, water, and
biota from decades of industrial pollution beginning at the start of the industrial revolution in the
19th
century. NEPA was intended to force Federal government decision makers to stop and think
about how proposed actions bear on the sustainability of the environment. The courts call it
taking a “hard look” at the proposed action to inform agency decision making.ii Regardless of
what one calls the process, it is intended to drive governmental behavior to reasonable and
responsible environmental stewardship.
NEPA is not a directive piece of legislation; rather, it is a procedural statute. NEPA
cannot force a Federal agency to abandon a proposed project; it can only force the agency to
consider the impacts of the proposal on the environment. Of course, if an agency finds itself in
Federal court defending its process, it would be prudent for that agency to be able to
substantively demonstrate that it carried out the “hard look”iii
required by NEPA and that the
agency had considered the information derived from the process before making the final decision
to proceed with the proposal or not. That substantive demonstration takes the form of a “detailed
statement”, now known as an environmental impact statement (EIS), an environmental
assessment (EA) or a categorical exclusion (CatX).iv
Without such a substantive demonstration,
the agency is likely to be enjoined from pursuing the project, or required to readdress the aspects
of the agency’s NEPA process the court found lacking.v
Additionally, NEPA served as the gateway to a plethora of other environmental laws (or
amendments to existing laws) such as CERCLA, RCRA, TSCA, CAA, and CWA.vi
These
statutes have the legal “teeth” necessary to force individual, corporate, and governmental
compliance with their provisions as well as hold actors accountable, civilly and criminally, for
their actions.vii
The question of whether NEPA – and its follow-on statutory daughters – has worked to
improve America’s environment is debatable and outside the scope of this paper. Suffice it to
say that there are those that believe, at a minimum, the environment is cleaner and healthier than
it was in 1969. Others might even say that today’s American environment is cleaner and
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 2
healthier than it has been since the beginning of the industrial revolution.viii
NEPA has played a
part in this success and therefore, viewed in that light, NEPA is an unqualified success.
This paper will focus on how an agency decision maker determines which proposals
require the “hard look” necessary under NEPA. On its face, the test is simple – “major Federal
actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment….”ix
In practicality,
defining what constitutes a “major Federal action” is far from simple or straightforward.
II. Context of a Major Federal Action under NEPA
The primary driver for triggering a NEPA analysis is the undertaking, by the Federal
government, of a major Federal action. As stated in the introduction, determining what
constitutes a major Federal action was somewhat unclear in the beginning days of NEPA
practice. There has been litigation on the issue with the primary question coming down to – as it
often does in legal interpretation – defining the concept of “major Federal action” by looking at
the different aspects of the definition. This is sort of like “integration by parts” in mathematics.
One takes a complex expression, breaks it down into smaller parts, applies a resolution method
to each of the parts individually, and then adds those individual resolutions together to arrive at a
comprehensive result. In the case of a major Federal action, the NEPA practitioner – usually
some Federal agency or its contractor – will determine whether or not the contemplated action
constitutes a major Federal action for NEPA purposes. Then, if that action is deemed to be a
major Federal action, determining what level of scrutiny – categorical exclusion, environmental
analysis, or environmental impact statement – is required.
Title II of NEPA establishes the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) in the
Executive Office of the President.x CEQ is charged with a number of statutory responsibilities
related to the effective implementation and compliance with NEPA by executive branch Federal
agencies. CEQ rules are set out in Title 40 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR)
Parts 1500 to 1508.xi
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent
agency established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended.xii
The NRC has
promulgated administrative rules to implement Section 102(2) of NEPA in Title 10 of the U.S.
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 51.xiii
As an independent agency, the NRC is not
bound, per se, by CEQ regulations. However, the Commission has committed to “[e]xamine any
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 3
future interpretation or change to the Council’s [CEQ] NEPA regulations[.]”xiv
Further, in some
instances, the Commission has adopted CEQ regulations, including the CEQ definition of a
major Federal action.xv
III. Definition of a Major Federal Action
A “major Federal action” is defined in NEPA as an agency action that “significantly
affect[s] the quality of the human environment.”xvi
IV. Interpretation of the Definition
The term “major Federal action”, in its simplest structure, is comprised of three
subordinate terms – “major”, “Federal”, and “action” – all of which require independent
definitions thereby adding multiplicative complexity to what might seemingly be a
straightforward concept. However, to get to the kernel of the concept, one must “integrate by
parts” these varied underlying concepts to attempt to derive a working framework for identifying
what agency actions are truly major Federal actions and then to interpret the NEPA requirement
of preparing “a detailed statement” to that particular action. As one might imagine, this
definitional complexity makes for disparate conclusions between agencies on what, in any given
circ*mstance, qualifies as a major Federal action under NEPA.
a. CEQ
CEQ has interpreted the NEPA definition of “major Federal action” to “include
actions with effects that may be major and which are potentially subject to Federal control and
responsibility.”xvii
CEQ appears to be defining a word – major – by using the same the word in
the definition. Such a practice tends to be problematic as it does not really define the term at
hand. CEQ attempts to resolve that circular logic through qualifying the term “major” by stating
that “[m]ajor reinforces but does not have a meaning independent of significantly (40 CFR
§1508.27).”xviii
The qualification of “major” seems to modify the CEQ definition to actions with
effects that may be both major and significant. Adding the term “significant” to the mix requires
more clarification.
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 4
CEQ goes on to define “significant” both in terms of “context and intensity”.xix
CEQ
defines “context” being “that the significance of an action must be analyzed in several contexts
such as society as a whole …, the affected region, the affected interests, and the locality.
Significance varies with the setting of the proposed action.” “Intensity” is defined as “the
severity of impact” and gives a list of considerations to be evaluated to determine intensity such
as, among others, “beneficial and adverse” impacts, controversy of the proposed action, and
“whether the action is related to other actions with individually insignificant but cumulatively
significant impacts.” xx
Again, CEQ is defining “significance” using the same term in some
evaluations like whether a cumulative impact is “insignificant” but “cumulatively significant.”
Such “dog chasing its tail” definitional logic leaves one to conclude that the determination of
whether an agency action is “major” or “significant” is an inherently subjective determination.
Returning to the base definition from NEPA, one must determine whether the action
is a Federal action. CEQ states that actions are Federal in nature if a Federal agency “partly
financed, assisted, conducted, regulated, or approved” an action.xxi
Further, CEQ also deems
“new or revised agency rules, regulations, plans, policies, or procedures; and legislative
proposals” as Federal actions.xxii
Finally, CEQ defines an action as something that falls into
several categories including “[a]doption of official policy”,xxiii
“[a]doption of formal plans”,xxiv
“[a]doption of programs, such as a group of concerted actions to implement a specific policy or
plan; systematic and connected agency decisions allocating agency resources to implement a
specific statutory program or executive directive”,xxv
and “[a]pproval of specific projects, such as
construction or management activities located in a defined geographic area” to include “actions
approved by permit or other regulatory decision as well as Federal and Federally assisted
activities.”xxvi
b. NRC
The Commission has adopted the CEQ definition of a major Federal action in its
NEPA implementing rules.xxvii
By doing so, the Commission has adopted the circular logic and
subjectivity of the CEQ definition. However, in some NRC actions, that subjectivity has been
resolved because the Commission has dispensed with the exercise of determining whether
certain, specific actions are major Federal actions. In these circ*mstances, the Commission has
directed that a detailed statement, or environmental impact statement (EIS), will be developed,
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 5
by policy, in all instances of similar agency action. Particularly, the Commission has directed
that an EIS will be developed for, among others, construction permits and operating licenses for
nuclear power plants, licenses to possess and use special nuclear materialsxxviii
for processing and
fuel fabrication, and licenses to mill uranium or produce uranium hexafluoride.xxix
Additionally,
the Commission has directed that an EIS may be developed in circ*mstances where a categorical
exclusion would ordinarily suffice.xxx
In special cases, the NRC will prepare an EIS in response,
for example, to a court order, as is the case with the Waste Confidence Rule resulting from the
recent decision by U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuitxxxi
on the
Commission’s Waste Confidence Rule.xxxii
c. Case Law
Subjectivity generates litigation. Litigation requires interpretation. Interpretation
creates precedent that then provides a framework for future implementation and practice. The
subjective nature of the definition of a major Federal action has generated litigation since the
passage of NEPA in 1969.xxxiii
Several early cases took on the challenge of defining a major Federal action under
NEPA. Again, one needs to look at all aspects of the term – whether it is major; whether it is
Federal; and whether it is significant.
The NEPA statute itself defines “Federal” in very broad terms. First, NEPA states
that “all agencies of the Federal Government shall – [act]….”xxxiv
And, that such action, by
Congressional authorization and direction will be “to the fullest extent possible….”xxxv
Such
strong, all-inclusive language appears to include all Federal entities, including independent
agencies like the NRC.xxxvi
The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), predecessor agency to the
NRC, argued that NEPA did not apply to it because the Atomic Energy Act of 1954xxxvii
did not
include environmental protection in the AEC’s statutory mandate. This position was quickly put
to bed by D.C. Circuit in the Calvert Cliffs casexxxviii
and later by and the U.S. Supreme Court in
the Vermont Yankee case.xxxix
The Supreme Court decision established that “NEPA contains
largely “procedural” requirements that are supplemental to existing statutory requirements of
the federal agencies.” (Emphasis added).xl
Inasmuch as the NRC is a Federal agency without an
exemption, its actions – including licensing actions – are “Federal” actions under NEPA.
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 6
The determinations of “major” and “significant” are somewhat more complicated. In
fact, the early court cases were mixed on whether a “major” action was, per se, a “significant”
one. In the case Hanly v. Kleindienst, the court determined that the definition of the word
“significant” as contained in NEPA was a stand-alone question of law whose legal determination
could be made by them.xli
The court characterized the term “significantly” as “amorphous” and
stated that almost every major federal action, no matter how limited in scope, has some adverse
effect on the human environment.”xlii
The court further stated that if Congress had intended for
all major Federal actions to require an environmental impact statement, it would not have
qualified the language with the term “significant.” Since neither Congress nor CEQ clearly
defined “significant” in this context, the court reasoned that “Congress apparently was willing to
depend principally upon the agency's good faith determination as to what conduct would be
sufficiently serious from an ecological stand-point to require use of the full-scale procedure.”xliii
To define “significant” this court ultimately fashioned a two-pronged threshold determination to
ascertain whether an action was significant. The Court stated that:
we are persuaded that in deciding whether a major federal action will
"significantly" affect the quality of the human environment the agency in charge,
although vested with broad discretion, should normally be required to review the
proposed action in the light of at least two relevant factors: (1) the extent to which
the action will cause adverse environmental effects in excess of those created by
existing uses in the area affected by it, and (2) the absolute quantitative adverse
environmental effects of the action itself, including the cumulative harm that
results from its contribution to existing adverse conditions or uses in the affected
area. Where conduct conforms to existing uses, its adverse consequences will
usually be less significant than when it represents a radical change.xliv
Finally, the court reasoned that “it must be recognized that even a slight increase in adverse
conditions that form an existing environmental milieu may sometimes threaten harm that is
significant. One more factory polluting air and water in an area zoned for industrial use may
represent the straw that breaks the back of the environmental camel. Hence the absolute, as well
as comparative, effects of a major federal action must be considered.”xlv
In short, the court
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 7
added that “before a preliminary or threshold determination of significance is made the
responsible agency must give notice to the public of the proposed major federal action and an
opportunity to submit relevant facts which might bear upon the agency's threshold decision.”xlvi
These so-called “threshold determinations” are difficult to establish and courts have ruled in
contradictory manners (as indicated by the dissent in Kleindienst). Some agencies, including the
NRC,xlvii
have resolved this challenge by simply making “the distinction [of significance] a
programmatic one; that is, all actions under certain programs require environmental impact
statements, and all actions under other programs do not.” (Emphasis in the original).xlviii
d. Other Thoughts
As stated earlier, some agencies, including the NRC have resolved the “major” versus
“significant” debate by deeming all actions of certain nature subject to preparation of an
environmental impact statement. By doing this, the agency no longer needs to quibble over
whether proposed action A needs an EIS and then later defend why proposed action A was
deemed EIS-worthy when a similar proposed action B was not; or split hairs over why proposed
action A was “significant” when proposed action B was not even though both were major
Federal actions.
In 10 CFR 51.20(b), the Commission has stated that “[t]he following types of actions
require an environmental impact statement or a supplement to an environmental impact
statement:
(1) Issuance of a limited work authorization or a permit to construct a nuclear power
reactor, testing facility, or fuel reprocessing plant under part 50 of this chapter, or
issuance of an early site permit under part 52 of this chapter.
(2) Issuance or renewal of a full power or design capacity license to operate a nuclear
power reactor, testing facility, or fuel reprocessing plant under part 50 of this chapter, or
a combined license under part 52 of this chapter.
(3) Issuance of a permit to construct or a design capacity license to operate or renewal of
a design capacity license to operate an isotopic enrichment plant pursuant to part 50 of
this chapter.
(4) Conversion of a provisional operating license for a nuclear power reactor, testing
facility or fuel reprocessing plant to a full term or design capacity license pursuant to part
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 8
50 of this chapter if a final environmental impact statement covering full term or design
capacity operation has not been previously prepared.”
These actions require an environmental impact statement because, in its discretion, the
Commission believes that they are both major actions and significantly affect the quality of the
human environment. This process, presumably, conserves resources by ensuring a predictable
and stable process for both the agency and the applicant. When all parties know that an EIS will
be required for certain actions – like licensing a nuclear power plant – those parties can plan
accordingly. An additional benefit to the NRC is that, by deeming all nuclear power plant
applications EIS-worthy, whether under 10 CFR Part 50 or 10 CFR Part 52, the agency can
require applicants to submit an “environmental report” as a part of the application. CEQ
regulations permit such practices so long as the agency conducts an independent evaluation of
the information submitted.xlix
The Commission defines an “environmental report” as “a
document submitted to the Commission by an applicant for a permit, license, or other form of
permission, or an amendment to or renewal of a permit, license or other form of permission, or
by a petitioner for rulemaking, in order to aid the Commission in complying with section 102(2)
of NEPA.”l All nuclear power plant applicants are required to submit an environmental report as
part of their applications.li
V. Why licensing actions are considered Major Federal Actions
Many Federal agencies actually build things. The Department of Defense builds military
bases and ships and airplanes; the National Park Service builds infrastructure for the Nation’s
parks; the Federal Aviation Administration builds control towers; the Bureau of Reclamation
builds dams. Other Federal agencies, like the NRC, build nothing. They license others to build
things. Yet, these agencies that are merely licensing and not actually building are still subject to
the EIS requirements of NEPA because those licensing actions may be considered major Federal
actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. But wait – it’s a piece of
paper – a license. Is the NRC, for example, really undertaking a major Federal action by issuing
a license? CEQ thinks so – and the courts have validated their position.
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 9
CEQ regulations appear to have connected the dots between licensing and a major
Federal action thusly: licensing creates effects and are thereby major Federal actions. 40 CFR
§1508.18 states that a “’[m]ajor Federal Action’ includes actions with effects that may be major
and which are potentially subject to Federal control and responsibility.” (Emphasis added). 40
CFR §1508.18(b)(4) further clarifies by stating that “[a]pproval of specific projects, such
construction or management activities located in a defined geographic area. Projects include
actions approved by permit or other regulatory decision as well as Federal and Federally
assisted activities.” (Emphasis added). The NRC has specifically adopted this definition of a
major Federal action.lii
Hence, merely licensing a project may give rise to that project being a
major Federal action even the Federal agency never turns a single shovelful of dirt.
The case law on this concept is extensive starting with the 1971 Calvert Cliffs case. In
that case the D.C. Circuit, throughout its opinion, accepted as a given that issuance of a license
constitutes a major Federal action.liii
Specifically, the Court states that:
The procedure for environmental study and consideration set up by the Appendix
D rules is as follows: Each applicant for an initial construction permit must
submit to the Commission his own "environmental report,” presenting his
assessment of the environmental impact of the planned facility and possible
alternatives which would alter the impact. When construction is completed and
the applicant applies for a license to operate the new facility, he must again
submit an "environmental report" noting any factors which have changed since
the original report. At each stage, the Commission's regulatory staff must take the
applicant's report and prepare its own "detailed statement" of environmental costs,
benefits and alternatives. The statement will then be circulated to other interested
and responsible agencies and made available to the public. After comments are
received from those sources, the staff must prepare a final "detailed
statement" and make a final recommendation on the application for a
construction permit or operating license.liv
(Emphasis added). The Court in this case accepted the Atomic Energy Commission’s rule
requiring a “detailed statement” – read as EIS – before a licensing decision could be made.
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 10
Other cases that stand for the proposition that licensing actions alone are sufficient to
constitute a major Federal action include Scientists' Institute for Public Information, Inc. v.
Atomic Energy Commission, 481 F.2d 1079, 1088 (D.C. Cir. 1973), (there is "Federal action"
within the meaning of the statute not only when an agency proposes to build a facility itself, but
also whenever an agency makes a decision which permits action by other parties which will
affect the quality of the environment.); Foundation on Economic Trends v. Heckler, 756 F.2d
143, 153 (D.C. Cir. 1985), ([t]he government has conceded that the approval is a "major action"
and that it does not fall into a categorical exclusion to the EIS requirements.); and Natural
Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. United States E.P.A., 822 F.2d 104, 128 (D.C. Cir. 1987),
(unless the construction itself is pursuant to federal financial assistance, NEPA review may only
be conducted with regard to the issuance of a discharge permit, which constitutes, of course, the
major Federal action.).
VI. Is NRC Waste Confidence Rule a Major Federal Action?
In 1977, the Commission advanced a policy wherein it “would not continue to license
reactors if it did not have reasonable confidence that the wastes can and will in due course be
disposed of safely.” lv
Additionally, in Minnesota v. NRC, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia Circuit “directed the Commission to consider ‘whether there is
reasonable assurance that an off-site storage solution [for spent fuel] will be available by … the
expiration of the plants’ operating licenses, and if not, whether there is reasonable assurance that
the fuel can be stored safely at the sites beyond those dates.”lvi
To implement that policy
decision and Court directive, the Commission promulgated 10 CFR 51.23 otherwise known as
the Waste Confidence Rule in 1984.lvii
Generically applicable, the rule intended to resolve the
question of the safety and environmental impacts of high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel by
stating, as a policy matter, that the Commission believed that spent nuclear fuel could be stored
in the facility spent fuel pool or in an onside independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI)
for up to thirty years after a plant ceased operations. The rule further stated that Commission
“believe[d] there [was] reasonable assurance that one or more mined geologic repositories for
commercial high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel [would] be available by the year 2007-
2009.”lviii
The promulgation of this rule eliminated any consideration of post-operation spent
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 11
fuel storage from the site-specific licensing decisions and no discussion of it was required in
“any environmental report, environmental impact statement, environmental assessment or other
analysis prepared in connection with the issuance or amendment of an operating license for a
nuclear reactor or in connection with the issuance of an initial license for storage of spent fuel at
an ISFSI, and any amendment thereto.”lix
Finally, the rule specifically states that it does not alter
any environmental review requirements during the term of the operating license or in an ISFSI
license proceeding. There is nothing in the Statement of Consideration for the 1984 rule that
would indicate the Commission considered the rule to constitute a major Federal action under
NEPA, nor was there any direction by the Court in the Minnesota case that such a rulemaking
would constitute a major Federal action under NEPA.lx
Further, by operation of the 1984 Waste
Confidence Rule, consideration of spent fuel storage was not part of the environmental analysis.
This decision was reviewed in 1990 wherein the Commission checked the validity of its
five findings from the 1984 rule. At that time, the Commission revised two of the five findings
in light of new circ*mstances. Most significantly, the Commission changed their prediction of
the availability of a mined geologic repository to “the first quarter of the twenty-first century.”lxi
The change reflected the reality that the mined repository would most likely not be in service by
2009 as predicted in the 1984 rule. In doing so, the Commission believed that “[t]o specify a
year for the expected availability of a repository decades hence would misleadingly imply a
degree of precision now unattainable.” lxii
The Commission also, in this update, extended the
periodic review of the Waste Confidence Decision from every five years to every ten years.
Finally, in 2010, the Commission again revised the Decision and stated that, given the apparent
demise of Yucca Mountain, that a repository would be available “when necessary” instead of
setting a specific time window.lxiii
The Commission’s Waste Confidence Decision raises the question whether a mere
opinion – the prognostication of the Commission as to when a geologic SNF repository would be
built – constitutes a major Federal action under NEPA. Given the lack of “detailed statements”
supporting this prognostication in 1984, 1990, and 2010, it appears that the Commission did not
consider the “Decision” a major Federal action. Moreover, the absence of such a discussion in
1979 in Minnesota seems to have set such a tone. Additionally, this question is exacerbated by
the fact that no licensing actions would proceed solely based on the Waste Confidence Decision.
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 12
The Waste Confidence Decision was a consequence of the Court’s direction in Minnesota, not a
pre-determined step in nuclear reactor power plant licensing. The D.C Circuit in New York v.
NRC addressed this issue in 2012.lxiv
VII. Case Study: New York v. NRC
The Commission had stated that they would revisit the Waste Confidence rule
periodically and did so in 2010. The 2010 update modified two of the five findings – the
timeline for rollout of a National geologic repository and the length of time that spent fuel could
be stored onsite after the cessation of plant operations. The Department of Energy had, that same
year, attempted to withdraw its application to license the Yucca Mountain repository.lxv
By
revising the prognostication of when a geologic repository would be available, it seems that the
Commission “was no doubt influenced by the recent shelving of the Yucca Mountain
proposal”lxvi
when it changed the language of the Waste Confidence Decision repository
availability from the first quarter of the twenty-first century to that of “when necessary.” This
change of position, as well as the revised finding that spent nuclear fuel could be stored onsite
for up to sixty years after cessation of plant operations, caused a lawsuit to break out challenging
the 2010 revision. The State of New York and the Prairie Island Indian Community were the
Petitioners and a number of other parties participated as intervenors.lxvii
There were a number of issues argued in New York v. NRC but this paper is limited to
only one of the bases for vacating the rule – the fact that the Court considered the Waste
Confidence Rule a major Federal action under NEPA.lxviii
In short, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated
the Commission’s 2010 Waste Confidence Decision update and the Temporary Storage Rule and
remanded it to the Commission “for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.”lxix
VIII. Discussion of the Ruling
The first issue the Court took up was whether the Waste Confidence Decision constituted
a major Federal action under NEPA. Notwithstanding the three decades of Commission
precedent wherein waste confidence decisions were not considered major Federal actions, the
Court ruled that this one was. The opinion states that “[the Court has] long held that NEPA
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 13
requires that ‘environmental issues be considered at every important stage in the decision making
process concerning a particular action.’”lxx
The Court stated that, because the “WCD makes
generic findings that have a preclusive effects in all future licensing decisions – it is a pre-
determined ‘stage’ of each licensing decision[,]”lxxi
and thus a major Federal action.
The Court continued by citing CEQ regulation 40 CFR 1508.18, discussed earlier in this
paper, that defines a major Federal action as one having “indirect effects, which are caused by
the action and are later in time or farther removed in distance, but are still reasonably
foreseeable.” Again, the Commission has adopted the CEQ definition of a major Federal action
from 40 CFR 1508.18. The Court states that “[i]t is not only reasonably foreseeable but
eminently clear that the WCD will be used to enable licensing decisions based on its
findings.”lxxii
Additionally, the Court quotes Andrus v. Sierra Club that states, “CEQ’s NEPA
interpretations are entitled to substantial deference.”lxxiii
Finally, the Court states that, given the
language of the Commission’s rules at 10 C.F.R 51.23(b), the WCD “renders uncontestable
general conclusions about the environmental effects of general plant licensure that will apply in
every licensing decision.”lxxiv
The Court reasoned that, since these general conclusions cannot be
contested during licensing, the WCD is a “pre-determined ‘stage’ of each licensing decision” and
thus a major Federal action requiring an environmental impact statement, or an environmental
assessment with an attendant finding of no significant impact.
The Court’s rationale for deeming the Waste Confidence Decision a major Federal
action are based on the fact that the “general conclusions [from the Waste Confidence Decision]
about the environmental effects of general plant licensure” are not contestable in the subsequent
licensing decision. Presumably, that rationale is because the Commission does not allow
challenges to its regulations in licensing proceedings.lxxv
However, there are several ways, under
Commission practice, in which those conclusions are contestable – through public comment
during initial rulemaking,lxxvi
by administrative litigation during license hearings when “new and
significant” information emerges,lxxvii
and by petitions for rulemaking.lxxviii
The NRC’s rulemaking processes allow for public comment, usually for 75 to 90 days,
during which comments are accepted for consideration.lxxix
The NRC staff reviews and analyzes
these comments and, when persuaded, revises the rule to reflect the substance of the comment.
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 14
Secondly, during licensing proceedings – those same proceedings where the Waste Confidence
Decision is operative – putative intervenors may “make their case” to the Atomic Safety and
Licensing Board or to the Commission as appropriate. If the petitioners are able to meet the
admissibility standards of 10 CFR 2.309(f), they may be admitted as parties to the licensing
proceeding wherein they may have an opportunity to challenge WCD conclusions on the basis of
emergent “new and significant” informationlxxx
if they are able to show “special circ*mstances”
under 10 CFR § 2.335(b).lxxxi
Finally, anyone can petition the Commission at any time to engage
in rulemaking under 10 CFR § 2.802.lxxxii
This mechanism could be used to challenge or revise
the language or conclusions of the Waste Confidence rule with persuasive justification.
Certainly, these three mechanisms to address alleged deficiencies with the Waste Confidence
Decision are not easy nor are they straightforward. However, they are no more burdensome than
the contemporaneous challenge during licensing that, the DC Circuit implies would be necessary
for the Waste Confidence Decision to cease to be a “pre-determined stage” of licensing.
Reliance on these three administrative processes for challenge to alleged WCD defects would
have preserved the Commission’s decades-long precedent that WCD, standing alone, is not a
major Federal action. In any event, the Commission did not appeal the 2012 New York v. NRC
decision and, therefore, development of an EIS to support a replacement rule to the vacated 2010
WCD update is now underway. As of this writing, the NRC staff has issued a draft WCD EIS.
IX. Conclusion
The concept of a major Federal action under NEPA is not as straightforward or intuitive
as it may appear by simply reading NEPA. When one delves into the elements of the term, one
quickly realizes that the terms “major” and “significant” muddy the definitional waters greatly.
As seen by the discussion above and by the references list below, there have literally been entire
books written on this seemingly simple term. Add to that all the case law that has arisen over the
past four decades and one sees that ascertaining whether a specific action qualifies as a major
Federal action is many times a subjective inquiry dependent on broad interpretation and
differences of opinion.
With regard to NRC licensing actions, NEPA itself, the Courts, and regulations
promulgated by CEQ and the Commission, have by decree, removed the guesswork from the
inquiry. There is no “integration by parts” for the NRC NEPA practitioner to determine whether
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 15
one has a major Federal action at hand. Once merely needs to look at NEPA Section 102(2)(C),
Minnesota v NRC, New York v. NRC (2009), New York v. NRC (2012), 40 CFR 1508.18 (CEQ),
and 10 CFR 51.20(b) (NRC). Perhaps calculating reactor power densities would be easier.
X. References
Cases
a. Andrus v. Sierra Club, 442 U.S. 347
b. Calvert Cliffs’ Coordinating Commission Inc. v. United States Atomic Energy
Commission, 449 F.2d 1109
c. Hanly v. Mitchell, 460 F.2d 640
d. Hanly v. Kleindeinst, 471 F.2d 823
e. Kleppe v. Sierra Club, 427 U.S. 390
f. Minnesota v. NRC, 602 F.2d 412
g. New York v. NRC, 589 F.3d 551
h. New York v. NRC, 681 F.3d 471
i. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council,
435 U.S. 519
Books and Articles
a. Anderson, Frederick R., NEPA in the Courts; A Legal Analysis of the National
Environmental Policy Act, Johns Hopkins University Press (1973).
b. Anderson, Frederick R., Glicksman, Robert L. Glicksman, Daniel R. Mandelker,
and Dan Tarlock, Environmental Protection Law and Policy, 3rd Edition, Aspen Law &
Business, (1999).
c. Baker, Martin S., Joseph S. Kaming, and Richard E. Morrison; Environmental
Impact Statements: A Guide to Preparation and Review; Practicing Law Institute, New York
City (1977).
d. Bonine and McGarity, The Law of Environmental Protection, Cases – Legislation
– Policies, 2d Edition (1992).
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 16
e. Fogleman, Valerie M., Guide to the National Environmental Policy Act:
Interpretations, Applications, and Compliance, Quorum Books (1990).
f. Harnett, Hillary H., New York v. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Harvard
Environmental Law Review, Volume 37, (2013).
g. Liroff, Richard A., National Policy for the Environment: NEPA and Its Aftermath,
Indiana University Press (1976).
h. Rodgers, W., Environmental Law 763 (1977)
i. Smith, Maxwell C. and Catherine E. Kanatas, Acting with No Regret: A Twenty-
Five Year Retrospective of Marsh v. Oregon Natural Resources Defense Council, Social Science
Research Network (2013).
j. Sullivan, Thomas F.P. (Ed.), Environmental Law Handbook, 14th
Edition,
Government Institutes, Inc., Rockville, Maryland, (1997)
i 42 USC §4332
ii Natural Resources Defense Council v. Morton, 458 F.2d 827, 838 (D.C. Cir. 1972)
iii Kleppe v. Sierra Club, 427 U.S. 390, 410 n. 21, (1976)
iv 42 U.S.C §4332 The categorical exclusion is included here because, in this author’s opinion, a categorical
exclusion is only arrived after a substantive review of similar actions and a finding by the decision maker that such
are can be generically determined to have no adverse environmental impact. In short, before a category of actions is
deemed a CatX, the decision maker studied that category of actions. v Hanly v. Mitchell, 2 ELR 20216, 20220 (2d Cir.), 460 F.2d 640; and Hanly v. Kleindeinst, 2 ELR 20717, 20723,
471 F.2d 823 (2d Cir.); both as cited in Liroff at 167 vi Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970, 42 U.S.C. §7401 et seq.
Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, 42 U.S.C § 6901 et seq.
Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, 15 U.S.C. §2605 et seq.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C § 9601 et seq. vii
A discussion of enforcement provisions under CERCLA and RCRA can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/region1/enforcement/superfund/. viii
http://www.bloomberg.com/slideshow/2012-09-18/world-s-top-environmental-success-stories.html#slide1 ix
NEPA § 102(2)(C), (42 U.S.C. § 4332) x NEPA § 202 (42 U.S.C §4342)
xi NEPA § 204 (42 U.S.C §4344)
xii 42 USC §5841(a)(1)
xiii 10 CFR §51.2
xiv 10 CFR §51.10(b)(1).
xv See as examples 10 CFR §51.10(b)(2) and 10 CFR Part 51, Appendix A to Subpart A, passim.
xvi 42 USC §4332(C). This characterization of agency action is modified by the term “other” in the text of the
NEPA section. The use of such a modifier implies that the preceding items in the clause – “every recommendation
or report on proposals for legislation” – are also major Federal actions under NEPA. xvii
40 CFR §1508.18 xviii
Id. xix
40 CFR §1508.27
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 17 xx
Id. xxi 40 CFR §1508.18 xxii
Id. xxiii
40 CFR §1508.18(b)(1) xxiv
40 CFR §1508.18(b)(2) xxv
40 CFR §1508.18(b)(3) xxvi
40 CFR §1508.18(b)(4) xxvii
10 CFR §51.14(b) xxviii
Special nuclear materials are defined as “(1) plutonium, uranium-233, uranium enriched in the isotope-233 or in
the isotope-235, and any other material which the Commission, pursuant to the provisions of section 51 of the
[Atomic Energy] act, determines to be special nuclear material, but does not include source material; or (2) any
material artificially enriched by any of the foregoing, but does not include source material. (10 CFR §50.2) xxix
10 CFR 51.20(b) xxx
10 CFR 51.20(b)(14) xxxi New York v. NRC, 681 F.3d 471 (D.C. Cir. 2012) xxxii
10 CFR §51.23 xxxiii
As of 1973, one author stated that “[t]he phrase, ‘major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the
human environment,’ has engendered the bulk of litigation under NEPA.” See Anderson (1973) at 57. xxxiv
NEPA §102 (42 U.S.C §4332). xxxv
Id. xxxvi
Only the Environmental Protection Agency has been exempted from the provisions of NEPA, albeit in a limited
way, on the basis that EPA “has statutory responsibility for the protection of the environment.” See Sullivan at 533. xxxvii
42 U.S.C. §2011 et seq. xxxviii
Calvert Cliffs’ Coordinating Commission Inc. v. United States Atomic Energy Commission, 449 F.2d 1109
(D.C. Cir. 1971). xxxix
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, 435 U.S. 519 (1978). xl
Sullivan at 533. xli
Hanly v. Kleindienst, 471 F.2d 823 (2d Cir. 1972) at 829. xlii
Id., at 830. xliii
Id. xliv
Id., at 830-831. xlv
Id., at 831. xlvi
Id. at 836. xlvii
See 10 CFR 51.20(b) and 49 Fed. Reg. 34,658 xlviii
Baker at 64. xlix
40 CFR §1506.5. l 10 CFR §51.14
li 10 CFR §51.45
lii 10 CFR §51.14(b)
liii Calvert Cliffs' Coordinating Committee, Inc. v. United States Atomic Energy Commission, 449 F.2d 1109 (D.C.
Cir. 1971) liv
Id. at 1116. lv 42 Fed. Reg. 34391 at 34393.
lvi Minnesota v. NRC, 602 F.2d 412 (D.C. Cir. 1979)
lvii 49 Fed. Reg, 34658
lviii 49 Fed. Reg 34694
lix Id.
lx Minnesota v. NRC, 602 F.2d 412 (D.C. Cir. 1979), passim
lxi 55 Fed. Reg. 38474
lxii Id. at 38475.
lxiii 75 Fed. Reg. 81032
lxiv New York v. NRC, 681 F.3d 471 (D.C. Cir. 2012)
Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA 18 lxv
The legality of DOE’s withdrawal of its Yucca Mountain application became the subject of litigation because,
under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, DOE was required to submit, and NRC to evaluate, an application for a
repository at Yucca Mountain. (Pub. L No. 100-203, Title V, §§ 5011-5012 (1987) (amending 42 U.S.C. §§ 10132-
10134), as cited in Harnett, New York v. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Harvard Environmental Law
Review, Vol. 37, p. 591, Fn 13. lxvi
Harnett at 593. lxvii
Intervenors included the States of New Jersey, Vermont, and Connecticut; and some environmental advocacy
groups. The Nuclear Energy Institute participated in support of the respondents. lxviii
New York v. NRC at 473 lxix
Id., at 483 lxx
Id. at 476, citing Calvert Cliffs’ Coordinating Comm. Inc. v. Atomic Energy Comm’n, 449 F.2d. 1109, 1118 (D.C.
Cir. 1971) lxxi
Id. lxxii
Id. at 477 lxxiii
442 U.S. 347, 358 (1979) lxxiv
New York v. NRC at 477. 10 C.F.R. 51.23(b) states that “no discussion of any environmental impact of spent
fuel storage in reactor facility storage pools or independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSI) for the period
following the term of the reactor operating license or amendment, reactor combined license or amendment, or initial
ISFSI license or amendment for which application is made, is required in any environmental report, environmental
impact statement, environmental assessment, or other analysis prepared in connection with the issuance or
amendment of an operating license for a nuclear power reactor under parts 50 and 54 of this chapter, or issuance or
amendment of a combined license for a nuclear power reactor under parts 52 and 54 of this chapter, or the issuance
of an initial license for storage of spent fuel at an ISFSI, or any amendment thereto.” lxxv
10 CFR § 2.335 lxxvi
See Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C § 553(c) lxxvii
10 CFR § 2.335(b). In this context, “new and significant” information may serve as the “special circ*mstances
with respect to the subject matter of the particular proceeding [] such that the application of the rule or regulation (or
a provision of it) would not serve the purposes for which the rule or regulation was adopted.” lxxviii
10 CFR § 2.802 lxxix
http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/rulemaking/rulemaking-process.html lxxx
There is an excellent article by two NRC staff attorneys discussing the meaning of “new and significant”
information under NEPA titled “Acting with No Regret: A Twenty-Five Year Retrospective of Marsh v. Oregon
Natural Resources Defense Council.” (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2354803) lxxxi
Id., footnote lxxvii lxxxii
10 CFR § 2.802 allows “[a]ny interested person [to] petition the Commission to issue, amend or rescind any
regulation.”
![Discussion of “Major Federal Actions” Under NEPA - [PDF Document] (2024)](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mP8/h8AAvMB+NzmkbcAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)