Find a Forest (NF)
or Grassland (NG)
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
2250 Highway 50
Delta, CO 81416
(970) 874-6600
Telephone for the
Hearing Impaired
(970) 874-6660 |
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Projects & Plans
National Environmental
Policy Act
(NEPA) Terminology
- Categorical Exclusion (CE)
- A number of categories of action have been determined from prior experience
and analysis to result in no significant impact to the environment.
If a proposed action falls into one of these categories, and if no extraordinary
circumstances exist which might cause a significant impact in the specific
case, these actions can be "categorically excluded" from documentation
in an EA or EIS. Unlike an EA
or EIS, there is no formal pre-decision comment period
with a categorical exclusion (except for scoping). Examples of categorical
exclusions are road work, some small timber sales, trail maintenance,
etc.
- Decision Notice (DN)
- When an Environmental Assessment (EA) is conducted and
it is concluded that no significant environmental impact will result
from implementing the preferred alternative, a Decision Notice is issued.
If a significant environmental impact will result, an EIS
must be prepared, and a Record of Decision is issued. Decisions documented
in a Decision Notice are subject to administrative appeal unless there
has been no expression of public interest in the action.
- Decision Memo (DM)
- This type of decision is used when the environmental analysis has
been "categorically excluded" (CE) from documentation
in an EA or an EIS. Ordinarily, decisions
documented in a Decision Memo are not subject to administrative appeal;
the exception is the category of small timber sales (unless there has
been no expression of public interest in the sale).
- Environmental Assessment (EA)
- This document discloses the environmental impacts to be expected from
the proposed action and from specific alternatives to the proposed action.
An EA is prepared when significant environmental impacts
are not anticipated or when there is a question as to the extent of
the impacts. Your comments are requested within 30 days of release of
an EA. Your comments are considered prior to making
the final decision and are responded to in an appendix to the
EA.
- Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
- A formal public document prepared to analyze the impacts on the environment
of a proposed project or action and released for comment and review.
An EIS is prepared, instead of an EA, when
significant environmental impacts are anticipated. Your comments are
requested within 45 days after the release of a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (DEIS). Your comments are considered
prior to making the final decision and are responded to in
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).
- Legal Notice
- A notice of an appealable decision published in the Federal Register
or in the legal notices section of a newspaper or general circulation
as required by 36 CFR 217.2
- Notice of Intent (NOI)
- A notice printed in the Federal Register announcing that an "Environmental
Impact Statement" will be prepared. (40 CFR 1508.22)
- Record of Decision (ROD)
- This type of decision is used when an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) has been produced. Decisions documented in a Record
Of Decision are subject to administrative appeal.
- Scope
- Scope consists of the range of actions, alternatives, and impacts
to be considered in an environmental document (either EA
or EIS).
- Scoping
- An integral part of environmental analysis. Scoping requires examining
a proposed action and its possible effects; establishing the depth of
environmental analysis needed; determining analysis procedures, data
needed, and task assignments. The public is encouraged to participate
and submit comments on proposed projects during the scoping period.
Usually there is a date associated with the end or closure of the scoping
period. It is that date which your response to the formal scoping statement
is due; this is usually 30 days after release of the scoping statement.
Especially valuable at this early stage are your concerns regarding
potential environmental impacts of our proposed actions.
For More NEPA Information
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USDA Forest Service - Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison
National Forests
Last Modified:
Wednesday, 23 March 2005 at 19:23:49 EDT
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