07-98
CHAPTER 6
PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA)
I. REQUIREMENT:
A document prepared pursuant with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
process to provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining
whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI).
II. PREPARATION:
A. Determine if the project meets qualification as described in 38 CFR
Part 26.6(c)(1 or 2). Do not limit your determination to one criterion.
All of the "classes of action" and "specific criteria" must be taken
collectively to determine the need for a Categorical Exclusion or an
Environmental Assessment.
B. Obtain accurate project description and location, indicate on
appropriate graphics.
C. Define scope of and significant issues to be analyzed. Identify project
alternatives, including the "No Action" alternative.
D. Define the affected environment and the project's environmental
impacts.
III. ACTION:
A. The development of the EA should be initiated near the commencement of
Design Development drawings. The EA can be developed as a written report
although Facilities Management does have available a standard form also.
B. Identify impacts and document them in the written EA.
C. Assess significance of effects vs. activities. To serve the purpose of
the National Environmental Policy Act, an EA must effectively deal with
four key problems: (1) impact identification, (2) impact measurement, (3)
impact interpretation, and (4) communication of impacts to users of the
information. It is desirable to relate agency activities to potential
environmental effects by categorizing the elements of the environment into
subsets or attributes. It should be recognized that the environment is a
continuum and that there is interaction between the attributes.
D. Identify mitigative actions.
E. List all information sources.
F. A FONSI should be accomplished at least two (2) months prior to award
of Contract Drawings or earlier.
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