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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1977)
Environmental statements explained By CAROLINE BEAVER of the Emerald Members of the Oregon Stu dent Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG) and University Survival Center instructed par ticipants Saturday in the reading and action of environmental im pact statements (EIS) required by federal law. Since 1970, federal agencies have been publically accountable under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for any "major" action with "significant” impact on the human environ ment. NEPA requires federal agencies to compile an EIS when those conditions exist. The workshop noted what in formation an EIS must contain, what action can be taken if the statement fails to meet the infor mation requirements and what steps to take to have an EIS writ ten. pWorld at a glance-N From Associated Press reports Sadat proposes Mideast peace JERUSALEM — In an act unthinkable less than two weeks ago, Egyptian Pres. Anwar Sadat stood in the parliament of Israel Sunday and declared: "We expect to live with you in a lasting and just peace." The declaration broadcast around the globe was the closest any Arab leader has come to recognizing Israel as an indepen dent nation in 30 years of intermittent wars. Sadat's mission captured the imagination of millions, but infuriated Palestinian and other Arab militants to the point of calling for his assassination as a traitor. Conservatives lead elections ATHENS, Greece - Premier Constantine Caramanlis' con servative New Democracy Party led in early returns Sunday and was expected to remain in power with an overall majority in general elections for the 300-member unicameral parliament. Caramanlis called the elections one year early, saying a new government was needed to make decsions on crucial issues facing Greece next year Jetliner overshoots runway FUNCHAL, Madeira — At least 130 persons were killed or listed as missing after a Portuguese jetliner overshot the runway, crashed and exploded while landing on this Atlantic holiday is land, officials said Sunday. The Boeing 727 of Portugal's national airline TAP skidded off the end of the Santa Cruz Airport runway and burst into flames dunng blustery weather Saturday night. It carried 156 passengers and eight crew members, TAP spokesmen said. Bob Taylor, University Land, Air and Water Committee member said NEPA is a ‘sleeper” docu ment. It has had much more im pact than was expected. The courts often use it to enforce en vironmental decisions, he said. ‘‘Debate on NEPA was slim when it was before Congress. A lot of congressmen who voted for NEPA in 1969 wouldn’t admit it today,” Taylor said. NEPA created the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to develop EIS guidelines. The CEQ and the courts have determined that a draft EIS must be made pub lic at least 90 days and a final EIS must be made public for 30 days before agency action can be taken. Taylor noted five specific items an EIS must contain for validity: the environmental effects if the ac tion is implemented, alternatives to the proposed action, the rela tionships between the short term uses of the environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long term productivity and fi nally, the irreversible commitment of resources. Once an EIS has been asses sed for these things, it must be determined if the agency has done an adequate job. Taytor said key sore spots are the alternatives sections, which are usually "stumbling blocks for the agen ties” and often are just "window dressing for decisions the agency has already decided to carry out.” Impacts of both proposed agency action and alternatives must be given to Randv O’Toole of the Survival Center. This can usu ally be done, he said, in quantita tive terms, so the public can easily compare them. Jan Sokol, staff resource per son for the University local board of OSPIRG, discussed steps to be taken if an EIS is inadequate. The first move, he said, is “making a good record. Show where it (EIS) is lacking in the draft process. Then they (the agency) have an opportunity to rectify the mistake.” Collecting data for an appeal against an EIS is necessary and can “sometimes prod an agency into action,” if the agency knows someone is collecting information about it, Sokol said. Sokol mentioned several groups offering free or low cost legal and technical assistance. In Eugene, the Oregon Wilderness Coalition provides service to sci entists and resource people. The Northwest Environmental De fense Center in Portland offers free legal and technical aid. Other good starting places are university law schools and environmental groups. If you feel a federal agency is taking action that requires an EIS and one has not been written, Taylor said the best way to deter mine its feasibility is by looking into previous court cases using West’s General Digest, found at the University Law School. Shang’s Trivia: It is illegal in Memphis, Tenn. for a woman to drive a car unless there’s a man walking in front of her, waving a red flag. . . NOTHING PRICED OVER $15 SHANG DRAPER’S Discount Clothing 539 E. 13th next to Charlie’s Too The Bug Cunic, Inc. Independent Foreign Auto Repair • WE WORK ON VOLVO, DATSUN, HONDA, TOYOTA .HIGH QUALITY AND VOLKSWAGEN AUTOS. 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