This system seeks to respond in meaningful ways to the intent of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which emerged from public concerns over deteriorating quality of the nation's environment. Seeking balanced change for an increasing population of people who need housing, transportation, energy, and other developments is very difficult. A practical, reasonable approach is needed to protect, restore, use, and enhance the environment a major part of the total human system.

Section 102(2)(c) of NEPA requires an Environmental Impact Statement whenever a proposed action will "significantly affect the quality of the human environment." The intent of the Congress was to "insure the fullest practicable provision of timely public information and understanding of plans and programs with environmental impact, in order to obtain the views of interested parties."

Virtually every act on a managed property has an effect. Whether it has an "adverse effect" is a genuine and difficult question that needs to be answered. The NEPA requires that possible adverse effects be considered and that such effects are those that:

• degrade the quality of the environment,
• curtail the range of beneficial uses of the environment, and
• allow long-term environmental goals to be sacrificed to short-term goals.