National Environmental Policy Act Compliance

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), signed into law on January 1, 1970, set forth a national environmental policy for the United States with the intent to ensure that Federal agencies consider environmental consequences of their actions and to inform the public about their decision making. The NEPA applies to all major federal actions, including awarding funds to grant applicants for federal assistance. The Office of Insular Affairs uses the NEPA process to inform and guide funded projects. In the case of discretionary grants provided by OIA, the NEPA review must be completed before project funding can be released, or an Authorization to Proceed can be issued.

NEPA Documentation

Office of Insular Affairs publishes Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) in accordance with the Department of the Interior’s NEPA regulations (43 CFR Part 46) and Handbook of NEPA Implementing Procedures. These NEPA documents are presented on the table below.

Project Name:West San Jose Homestead Infrastructure Installation Projects on Tinian
Document No.:DOI-OIA-2026-EIS-1
Location:Tinian, CNMI
NEPA Start Date:6/1/2026
NEPA Complete Date: 
Status:Active
Summary:The CNMI Capital Improvement Program (CIP) proposes to use grant funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) to construct municipal waterline and powerline distribution systems for the proposed West San Jose Homestead (WSJH) on the island of Tinian, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The project area is located in the southwestern portion of Tinian, within San Jose Village. This action responds to the CNMI Department of Public Lands grant application for constructing municipal waterline and powerline distribution systems within the WSJH to enable qualified Tinian residents to construct private residential homes on 181 lots.

For more information on the NEPA, visit the Council for Environmental Quality.  You may also wish to visit the Department of the Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy Compliance – NEPA and Environmental Coordination Division.

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