Participants in this intermediate-advanced level workshop will learn techniques for streamlining the implementation of the NEPA process. As NEPA practitioners are well aware, a long-standing frequent criticism of NEPA is that it “takes too long, and costs too much.” In recent years, calls to address this criticism have increased markedly, and there has been an influx of new administration and internal agency policies and legislative proposals targeting expediting the NEPA process. A number of these proposals include substantially shortening time limits for completion of NEPA reviews and setting maximum page limits in Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs).
This workshop will provide a comprehensive review of existing statutes, presidential executive orders, rules and agency implementing regulations and guidance that pertain to NEPA streamlining, followed by a detailed overview of techniques and best practices for streamlining the NEPA process. A range of agency best practices in improving project management, scoping, decision making, proposal scope and scale, adaptive management, interagency coordination processes and writing and document production will be discussed, drawing from CEQ Regulations and Guidance, NEPA Case Law, and federal agency regulations, guidance and case studies.