What is an EIS (or DEIS of FEIS)?
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is the form the environmental analysis mandated by NEPA takes for major federal actions, although for smaller federal actions, a less elaborate Environmental Assessment (see below) is performed. After an initial public scoping period, the agency produces a Draft EIS (DEIS). There is then another public comment period, after which the agency publishes the Final EIS (FEIS). The federal agency is obliged to consider public input, although to what extent is a question sometimes settled by the courts.
