Greater New Orleans (GNO) Infrastructure Projects

Background for the Alternative Arrangements

The National Environmental Policy Act  establishes the national policy for the environment. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA require agencies to follow the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for federal actions significantly affecting the human environment. In the event of an emergency when it is necessary to take an action that may have significant environmental impacts without following the EIS process, a federal agency may consult with CEQ to develop alternative arrangements that comply with NEPA.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita resulted in a Presidential disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana. Disaster-related damage rendered parts of New Orleans Metropolitan Area uninhabitable. The FEMA Public Assistance Program is providing significant funding for restoring critical physical infrastructure in the New Orleans area to support rebuilding and recovery.

The Department of Homeland Security, FEMA and the CEQ have established alternative arrangements to enable timely action on Public Assistance Program grant applications to restore critical physical infrastructure which supports safe and healthful living conditions in and around New Orleans.  The following documents contain a description of the Alternative Arrangements, the CEQ letter approving the Alternative Arrangements, and the Federal Register announcement for the Alternative Arrangements.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 09-Oct-2007 08:29:02 EDT

Solutions