CONSULTING IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: 1970's - 80's.

The decade of the 1970's experienced a rapid expansion in the scope of environmental impact studies following their emergence initially in the form of the environmental impact statement (EIS). These were required for federal facilities and actions under the National Environmental Quality Act (NEPA) of 1969. By the late 1970's the EIS process began to experience a contraction, which has carried through to the present time. This paper traces developments in EIS procedures through the years, and the implications for the consulting industry.