Briggs Environmental Lab
(954) 540-0792

Compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) requires a thorough understanding of it's intent, regulatory requirements, and methods for thoroughly addressing the sometimes complex elements of the Act.  Compliance with NEPA is required for any action that is authorized, funded, or conducted by a Federal agency.  This course is designed for government agency employees, environmental professionals, and anyone else otherwise involved in actions in which NEPA compliance is mandatory.  It will break down the process into steps that are easy to understand. The fundamentals and practical implementation of NEPA are presented.  ​We will explore potential cultural, historic, biological, and socioeconomic issues and impacts and the analysis and characterization thereof.  You will learn how to identify the purpose and need for a proposed action, how to identify and analyze alternatives to the proposed action, and how to determine and analyze impacts to environmental resources, including air quality, water and biological resources.  The data and information required for the environmental evaluation of a major federal action are examined and their sources are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the physical and chemical factors which can control impacts on biological or cultural resources.  There will be a detailed examination of  the factors to be considered in evaluating the effect of proposed actions upon various aspects of the environment.  We will discuss how to determine the scope and extent of potential cumulative impacts.  The impact evaluation procedures to be followed in complying with NEPA and with the current regulations and standards, are outlined.

 

Participants will gain a working knowledge of the environmental impact assessment process and the information needed to prepare an environmental assessment document or an environmental impact statement.  They will learn how to take information gathered and effectively draft a professional, technical, legally defensible NEPA document and also how to effectively review such documents.  Participants will learn to determine what level of NEPA document is necessary: Categorical Exclusion (CX), Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)) and what actions are typically taken in response to each.  We will follow the NEPA process from scoping to the final Record of Decision (ROD) for an EIS or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for an EA. 

We will address interagency coordination, public involvement, working with NEPA project stakeholders and consideration of other federal and state laws  and environmental management systems (EMS) that may be involved in a given project.  We will examine the relationship between NEPA and other federal laws like the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water act, National Historic Preservation Act.   Points to be considered in legal challenges are discussed. Coordination and  are addressed.

 

Participants will complete practical exercises that will provide hands-on experience developing and drafting text for a Purpose & Need, Project Description for the Proposed Action, Environmental Setting and Environmental Consequences and Cumulative Impacts. 

 

Upon completion of this course, participants will be better prepared to interpret regulations and procedures relating to NEPA and other environmental compliance documents; use the multi-objective, interdisciplinary planning framework for producing NEPA and other compliance documents; organize material such as alternatives and impacts in a logical manner; design meaningful graphic and tabular displays; review and evaluate documents for correct content and readability; and prepare legally sufficient and defensible environmental compliance documents.

 

In addition to providing assessment and documentation procedures, this course serves as a good introduction for other courses that focus on ecological and cultural resources. 

A Certificate of Training showing completion of 24 Professional Development Hours is awarded upon successful completion of this course.  Successful completion is determined by attendance and participation in all lecture sessions.