When an activity or action is proposed on BLM administered public lands in Colorado, we conduct an interdisciplinary review of the environmental effects of the proposal so that the relevant environmental information is available to citizens and public officials. Our review of the environmental effects of a proposed action can take one of the following four forms:

Categorical Exclusions
These types of proposed activities do not individually or cumulatively have significant environmental effects and may be exempt from requirements to prepare an environmental analysis.  These actions are not included in the online registers.

Documentation of NEPA Adequacy (DNA)
A Documentation of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) documents that previously prepared NEPA documents adequately describe the environmental consequences of a newly proposed action. In most cases, a DNA is prepared without additional public involvement activities.

Environmental Assessments (EA)

The majority of NEPA documents prepared by BLM in Colorado are Environmental Assessments (EAs).  An EA is prepared to determine if a proposed action or alternative will significantly affect the quality of the human environment. If the impacts are determined to be insignificant, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is prepared and is made a part of the decision. It the impacts are determined to be significant, the proposed action may be rejected, modified, or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) may be prepared. Public involvement activities for an EA range from notifying those directly affected by the proposed action to providing review drafts for public comment and conducting workshops and meetings.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Major federal actions that may significantly affect the human environment require that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be prepared. The EIS process includes a formal public involvement process.

How you can get Involved

We have provided the names and addresses of the NEPA contact in each field office listing the area administered by each office. Both the field office name, and the area administered by each office on the map are linked to each office's Current Actions NEPA Registers. These registers list the NEPA documents that are currently being prepared. Documents will generally be kept on these registers until two months after the action or activity has been completed.

Public scoping and public review periods for our NEPA documents will normally be announced in the Public Comment Period section of the BLM Colorado News page.

You can also view tables showing the schedule or status of the planning process for each field office's Resource Management Plan.

Note for Contractors

The BLM in Colorado does very little contracting for environmental document preparation, and we do not maintain a list of approved contractors.  Information concerning work that may be available is best obtained from the individual field offices. Most contracted work is done through a third party contract process in which a project proponent contracts with an environmental firm that is acceptable to the BLM.

Questions concerning this process may be addressed to Brian St George at 303-239-3709.