## 2. Regulatory Framework 

With a focus on aviation-related projects and/or actions, this section identifies and summarizes pertinent regulations (e.g., acts, laws, policies, standards, etc.) that stipulate, or drive, purpose(s) and need(s) for conducting an air quality assessment. 

## 2.1. National Environmental Policy Act 

In 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) , and its amendments, established a broad national policy to protect the quality of the human environment and provide for the establishment of a Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). The act provides polices and goals to ensure that environmental considerations are given careful attention and appropriate weight in all decisions of the federal government. The NEPA environmental review process discloses these impacts on the human environment including, but not limited to, impacts to the “natural environment”, air quality, biological resources, water resources, noise, induced socioeconomic impacts, and land uses that result from federal actions. It should reflect a thorough review of all relevant environmental factors, utilizing a systematic, interdisciplinary a pproach. Major federal actions potentially subject to NEPA include grants, loans, contracts, leases, construction, research, rulemaking, and regulatory actions, certifications, licensing, and permitting. 

As such, the CEQ regulations require a federal agency to evaluate and disclose the potential environmental effects of their actions prior to its implementation. Importantly, the agency must also notify and involve the public in the agency’s decision- making process. The regulations emphasize the importance of integrating the NEPA process into early project planning, and of consulting with the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies early in the proceeding. 

The regulations also identify and describe the appropriate environmental documents Categorical Exclusions [CATEXes], Environmental Assessments [EAs], Fi nding of Significant Impact [FONSIs], Impact Statements [EISs], and Records Decisions [RODs]) that serve to document compliance with NEPA requirements. 

The CEQ oversees the procedural provisions of NEPA and the administration of the process for all federal agencies. In order to further ensure compliance with the requirements of NEPA, the implementing regulations of CEQ, and other special purpose laws , the FAA has published policies, procedures, and guidance documents that establishes agency procedures for the consideration of environmental impacts associated with aviation - and aviation-related projects/actions. These guidance documents are entitled and summarized as follows 2 : 

• FAA Order 1050.1 and accompanying Desk Reference 3 - The order establishes the NEPA process in terms of planning, procedures, content and format, and public participation for FAA actions. It provides an overview of the various NEPA documents. 

• FAA Order 5050.4 and accompanying Desk Reference - This order establishes specific guidance for FAA procedures for processing NEPA documents for airport actions under 

