Portfolio 27-2nd: The Environmental Impact Statement Process

I. The Environmental Impact Statement Process— An Introduction
A. The National Environmental Policy Act
B. Promulgation of the NEPA Regulations
1. The original guidelines
2. The NEPA regulations
a. Andrus v. Sierra Club
b. The role of corporate counsel

II. Pre-Statement Procedures
A. Agencies' Obligation to Applicants
B. Is an Environmental Impact Statement Required?
1. Categorical exclusion
2. Environmental impact statement requirement
3. Environmental assessment
a. Purpose
b. Preparation
c. After the assessment
4. Major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment
a. ‘Proposal’
b. ‘Legislation’
c. ‘Major federal action’
d. ‘Significantly’
e. ‘Affecting’
f. ‘Quality of the human environment’
C. The Agencies
1. Lead agency
2. Cooperating agency
D. Statement Coverage
1. Program statements
2. Tiering
E. Timing of the Statement
F. The Scoping Process
1. Scoping meetings
2. Assigning responsibilities for the statement
3. Identification and integration of all environmental permit and review requirements
4. Setting time limits

III. Preparation of the Statement
A. Who Prepares the Statement
1. Third party contracts
2. Conflicts of interest and disclosure statements
B. Draft, Final, and Supplemental Statements
1. Draft statements
2. Final statements
3. Supplemental statements
C. Format
1. Cover sheet
2. Summary
3. Purpose and need
4. Alternatives including the proposed action
5. Affected environment
6. Environmental consequences
7. List of preparers
8. Appendix
D. Other Requirements
1. Interdisciplinary preparation
2. Page limits
3. Clear writing
4. Incorporation by reference
5. Incomplete or unavailable information
6. Cost-benefit analysis
7. Methodology and scientific accuracy
8. Environmental review and consultation requirements
9. Cost of the statement
10. Mitigation
E. Project Activity During Statement Preparation

IV. Post-Statement Procedures
A. Commenting on the Statement
1. Who may comment?
2. Form and content of comments
3. Lead agency's response to comments
B. Filing the Statement
C. Timing
1. Comments
2. Agency action
3. Waiver of time periods
D. Pre-Decision Referrals to CEQ
1. Statutory authority
2. Regulatory authority
E. Using the Statement in Decisionmaking
F. Records of Decision
G. Post-Decision Monitoring

V. Other Requirements of NEPA and the Regulations
A. Eliminating Duplication
1. With state and local agencies
2. With other federal agencies
3. With other required documents
B. Statements on Legislative Proposals
C. Emergencies
D. Agency Responsibilities
1. Agency capability
2. Agency procedures
3. Independent regulatory agencies
E. Public Participation
F. Secrecy

VI. Litigation
A. Standing
B. Appropriate Remedies
C. Defenses
D. Substantive Review
E. Applicability of State ‘Little NEPAs’
F. Patterns of Litigation

VII. NEPA Abroad
. Introductory Material
A. Litigation
B. Executive Action