| April,
2009 |
Discussion:
Expediting NEPA Analyses for the Recovery Act
by Larry Freeman, PhD
The Shipley Group, Senior Consultant
Federal and State agencies often take too long to complete a NEPA-required EA or EIS. Excuses are many. Essential content specialists were sent to fight fires. Management transferred a key specialist. Winter came early, so field work had to stop. And then the ever-favorite: the dog ate the memory stick! My suggestions below list seven techniques for expediting NEPA analyses despite the many excuses.
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ENVIRONMENTAL/NEPA
News from across the Agencies |
Executive Office of the President Council On Environmental Quality: Reporting NEPA Status and Progress for Recovery Act Activities and Projects
“This memorandum sets forth the reporting requirements with which Executive Branch departments and agencies must comply in order to satisfy Section 1609(c) of the Recovery Act.”
Link to Article
CEQ: NEPA Guidance
Memorandum for Heads of Departments and Federal Agencies
Link to Article
Utah State University Department of Environment and Society NEPA Certificate Program
The NEPA Certificate Program was designed to prepare natural resource and environmental professionals to meet the challenges of complying with the act and working effectively on NEPA documents. We believe participants who successfully complete the program will have a solid understanding of both the spirit and the letter of the law, and will be more effective members of interdisciplinary teams responsible for developing NEPA documents
Link to Article
If you have a news article you would like featured, please let us know. shipley@shipleygroup.com
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Shipley Environmental Onsite Staffing and Support
In addition to our environmental training, The Shipley Group has a successful history of providing onsite environmental staffing and support services.
Onsite Staffing and Support Services that Shipley offers and has provided to organizations include; project management, project expertise and support, expert witness, cataloging, research, logistics support, site survey, reconnaissance survey, NEPA expertise, documentation services, NEPA compliance, environmental compliance officer, senior NEPA specialist, junior NEPA specialist, NEPA specialist-on-call, and environmental review specialist.
Onsite staffing services have ranged from a few weeks, to a few months, to (continuing on to) 6 plus years.
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Here to View Entire Article (.pdf file) |
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How can a team manage a NEPA disclosure document for brevity and effectiveness?
- Meet as early as possible with agency regulators/decisionmakers, knowledgeable resource specialists, and other interested parties, either within the agency or from outside groups, as appropriate.
- Decide which NEPA documentation level is appropriate—EIS, EA, or Categorical Exclusion.
- Determine the scope (including page or screen limits) for the projected NEPA documents, both the basic disclosure document, and all supporting documents (scoping documents, technical reports, or baseline surveys).
- Record any known or projected data adequacy standards for each affected resource of concern.
- Develop an initial prototype/mockup of the projected NEPA document (EIS or EA).
- Make individual assignments for work on the proposed project, including analysis tasks dealing with the nature and severity of potential impacts.
- Set a schedule, including interim milestones, for the preparation of the final NEPA documents.
- Monitor each step of the NEPA process, including reviews of all draft text and supporting reports.
- Review the final EIS, EA, or Categorical Exclusion for both legal compliance and for its brevity and effectiveness.
Excerpt from “Telling the NEPA Story” manual.
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