Index public comments on a contested federal action
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- For each comment in the file, record the commenter, the page, and the topic in the commenter's own words. Make no recommendation.
- What the lawyer must review
- For a major federal action significantly affecting the human environment, 42 USC section 4332(C) requires a detailed statement, and the statement and the comments of appropriate agencies are made available to the President, the Council on Environmental Quality, and the public. The index records comments already in the file. It does not weigh them. The Council on Environmental Quality regulations formerly in 40 CFR parts 1500 to 1508 were removed, effective 8 January 2026. Do not organise the index around those regulations. A city hearing on a local permit is governed by the local ordinance, not by section 4332.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Do not begin AI assistance until the responsible lawyer has defined and confirmed its permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.
Forms and precedents for this task
| Form or precedent | Kind | AI use | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEPA detailed statement checklist | Checklist | AI use Yellow | Checklist of the detailed-statement elements in 42 U.S.C. § 4332(2)(C), plus the integrity, data, and alternatives directions that were read. |
| NEPA comment record checklist | Checklist | AI use Yellow | Checklist of what a public comment file should identify before a letter under 42 U.S.C. § 4332 is sent. |
Signed-in accounts can read the full text of each one. All precedents.