Section 1: The NEPA Environmental Assessment Process Overview and Historical Development of NEPA Introduction Origin of Environmental Movement The Historical Development of NEPA Brief Overview of NEPA The NEPA Regulations Overview of the NEPA Planning Process References General Concepts and Requirements Introduction NEPA is a Planning and Decision-Making Process Interim Actions Integrating NEPA with Other Requirements Conducting an Early and Open Process Scoping Systematic and Interdisciplinary Planning Writing Documents in Plain English Incorporation by Reference Adopting Another Agency¿s EA Methodology A Fair and Objective Analysis Dealing with Incomplete and Unavailable Information References NEPA and Environmental Impact Analysis Introduction Actions Environmental Disturbances Receptors and Resources Impact Analysis Significance Mitigation and Monitoring References The Threshold Question: Determining Whether an EA or an EIS is Required Introduction Proposals Legislation Major Federal Actions Significantly Affecting Human Environment Categorical Exclusions Long Versus Short Environmental Assessments References The Environmental Assessment Process Introduction Planning the Environmental Assessment The Analysis in an EA Streamlining the EA Compliance Process Issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact The Administrative Record Serving as an Expert Witness References The Environmental Impact Assessment Introduction Sliding-Scale Approach Identifying Alternatives Impacts Human Health Effects Accident Analyses Considering Other Environmental Requirements Environmental Justice References Writing the Environmental Assessment Introduction General Direction for Preparing an EA Typical Contents of an Environmental Assessment Performing the Analysis Specific Documentation Requirements and Guidance References Assessing Significance Introduction Definitions and Use of the Term "Significance" General Procedure for Determining Significance Significant Beneficial Impacts References The Finding of No Significant Impacts Introduction Reaching a Determination of Nonsignificance Preparing the FONSI Mitigated FONSIs References Section 2: NEPA Case Law and Non-NEPA Environmental Assessment Documents An Overview of NEPA Law and Litigation Principles Underlying Legal Interpretations of NEPA Process for Passing Laws and Regulations Interpreting NEPA¿s Regulatory Requirements A Substantive Versus Procedural Process Requirements for Bringing a Successful Environmental Lawsuit The Litigation Process Legal Standards Applied in Reviewing NEPA Judicial Remedies in NEPA Suits Recent Case Law Involving NEPA EA Case Law and EAs Study of Alternatives Analysis in NEPA Documents Other Cases Reflecting on the Preparation of EAs References Specialized Non-NEPA Environmental Assessment Documents Introduction The Phase I Environmental Site Assessment The Cell Tower NEPA Review The Biological Assessment Environmental Assessments and State NEPA Programs References Summary Introduction Index.