Enviromental Impact Report
An environmental impact report is a report that is produced in order to research, discover, and present the negative and positive impacts any given part of the natural environment would have as a result of any development. The Environmental Protection Agency requires the submission of an environmental impact report, and even private citizens can sue for these impact reports to be done on a given area. For example, The Sierra Club sued the Nevada Department of Transportation over its denial to the request to issue one in relation to the hazardous particle matter resulting from the widening of I-95 in Las Vegas. That case was ultimately settled out of court before the 9th Circuit Court ruled on the case. Had it gone to court, the result could have been one of many things. The project could have been halted. Or the Nevada Department of Transportation might have been required to modify the plan, or to issue certain changes in order to reduce dangerous particles.
Why is all of this necessary? Since 1969, when the first one was done and pioneered the concept, people in general and the government in particular has been concerned about keeping the various dangerous and pollutants in check. If private interests, local governments, and state governments are allowed to do things unchecked, the resulting damage on the environment could be catastrophic—more so than the current catastrophe facing the environment. The environmental impact reports should be accessible to anybody under the Freedom of Information Act, so if you have a question about the impact on your area, you should be able to read it and find out.
Related Information
Enviromental Protection
Environment protection advocates are concerned about everything from saving animals to improving water and air.
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Wetlands are not wastelands and preservation is important.
