Memorandum for Federal NEPA Contacts: Emergency Actions and NEPA (superseded by January 21, 2026 guidance)

This 2005 memorandum provided CEQ’s initial guidance for Federal agencies on the environmental review of proposed emergency response actions under NEPA. It included information on general information on the response to Hurricane Katrina; reporting oil and chemical spills; projected long-term recovery efforts; and how agencies respond to emergencies and comply with NEPA. CEQ has updated the emergencies guidance multiple times since 2005, with the most recent update occurring in 2026. The 2026 guidance can be found in CEQ’s list of active NEPA Guidance for Agencies.