On January 1, 1970, the Council on Environmental Quality came into existence with the passage of the National Environmental Policy Act.¹ The CEQ was to serve as the guardian of environmental concerns within the Executive Branch. It was given the functions of advising the president, monitoring other agencies' compliance with NEPA, and providing information to the public on environmental matters.²

Today, CEQ stands at a critical juncture in its three-and-one-half-year history. The next few months will tell whether it will emerge from massive staff turnovers and hostile review by the Office of Management and Budget as a strengthened and seasoned entity, or whether it will suffer funding cutbacks and a diminution of influence over the Administrion's environmental policies. With CEQ at this crossroads, an assessment of its effectiveness during its first phase is definitely appropriate.