Geology and Soils
The Farmland Protection Policy Act of 1981 (FPPA) (amended in 1987) provides specific criteria for projects that attempt to convert viable agricultural land to nonagricultural purposes. The impetus is the protection of a potential food source for an expanding population, however, many environmentalists feel that natural lands should be afforded the same stringent protection.
Review the FPPA in Chapter 16 of Environmental Impact Assessment: A Practical Guide. Do you believe that it is important to provide a special section for protecting farmland within the NEPA regulations? Why or why not? Does it appear that these two purposes contradict one another by protecting open farmland while disrupting natural lands? Explain your thoughts in detail.