NEPA is a U.S. law that requires federal agencies to identify and analyze the potential environmental impacts of a proposed action before deciding whether to proceed with that action. The law encourages and facilitates public involvement to inform decision makers on actions that may affect the community or the environment.

Public and agency input allowed decision makers to consider community concerns and benefit from local knowledge. The public participated in the NEPA process during the following stages:

• Scoping Period: Helping to identify the scope of the analysis, including potential environmental issues and viable alternatives.
• Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS Public Review and Comment Period: Evaluating and providing substantive comments on the draft analysis.
• Final Supplemental EIS/OEIS Wait Period: Reviewing the Final Supplemental EIS/OEIS and Navy responses to substantive comments received on the 2020 Draft Supplemental EIS/OEIS and 2022 Supplement.

Upon request of the lead agency, any other federal agency that has jurisdiction by law shall be a cooperating agency. In addition, any other federal agency that has special expertise with respect to any environmental issue that should be addressed in the Supplemental EIS/OEIS may be a cooperating agency upon request of the lead agency. 

Due to the nature and scope of the Navy’s Proposed Action, the National Marine Fisheries Service served as a cooperating agency on this Supplemental EIS/OEIS. As a cooperating agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service reviewed sections related to potential effects on marine mammals and other protected marine species.