The national environmental policy act’s influence on USDA forest service decision-making, 1974–1996

This paper uses new data from Forest Service Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments to examine Forest Service preferences and choices shaped by NEPA-required interaction with the public. This paper presents the first empirical inquiry using actual harvest plans. The agency and public are players in a game with rules determined by NEPA. Impacts on Forest Service production are estimated using a nested multinomial logit model. Findings indicate that NEPA has little short run impact on the provision of environmental amenities, as the agency control of the process results in systematic decisions that reflect rather than change agency preferences.