The EIS Book Managing and Preparing Environmental Impact Statements

About this book

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires that ALL federal agencies prepare Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for any proposal that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment. They generally take more than a year to prepare, have an extensive public participation component, and require substantial collection of original data.

An Assessment can generally be completed in a few months. A company, institution, dedicated environmental professional, or federal agency generally is involved with preparation of both assessments and impact statements. The EIS Book: Managing and Preparing Environmental Impact Statements helps agencies prepare EISs by providing step-by-step direction for navigating the EIS process.

Contents

Scientific Shams - How Not to Prepare an EIS
A Human and Environmental Disaster of Epic Proportions
Calvert Cliffs – NEPA’s First Major Lawsuit
NRC’S Flawed EIS Process
Mismanagement Threatens Society
When Nuclear Power and Black Swans

Overview of NEPA and the EIS Process
The Development of NEPA and it’s EIS Requirement
The NEPA Statute
Introduction to the EIS Process
Sliding Scale, Rule of Reason, and Nomenclature

Preliminaries and Pre-Scoping
Initiating the EIS Process
Pre-Scoping
EIS Management Tools

Preparing the Environmental Impact Statement
General EIS Direction and Concepts
Issuing the Notice of Intent
The Formal Scoping Process
Consultation and Identifying Environmental Regulatory Requirements
Preparing the Draft EIS
Filing the DEIS with the EPA
Circulating the Draft EIS for Public Comment
Preparing the Final EIS
The Record of Decision
Mitigation, Post-EIS Monitoring, and Enforcement
Referrals
Supplemental EISs
Legislative EISs
Programmatic EISs

Performing the EIS Analysis
Six-Step Technique for Analyzing Impacts
Impact Assessment Methodologies
Investigating and Describing the "Affected Environment" and "Alternatives"
Assessing Direct and Indirect Impacts, and Significance
Performing a Health Impact Assessment in an EIS
Performing the Cumulative Impact Assessment
Performing a Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change Assessment
Performing an Accident Analyses in an EIS

Writing the Environmental Impact Statement
Requirement for Writing the Notice of Intent
General Requirements for Writing the EIS
Techniques and Hints for Writing the EIS
Page Limits and Size of the EIS
The EIS Content and Format
The Record of Decision

Closing Thoughts
How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Flawed Planning and Decision-Making
Capstone Problems
Glossary
Appendices

Customer Reviews