Supplies current research from nationally recognized experts from the government and private sectors

Contains tables, figures, graphics, flow charts, and checklists

Provides practitioners with a single comprehensive source of direction on preparing EAs

Gives the reader a step-by-step processes for performing an EA

Although upwards of 50,000 Environmental Assessments (EA) are prepared annually, the focus of the National Environmental Policy Acts (NEPA) Regulations is clearly on defining requirements for preparing environmental impact statements. Surprisingly, until now, there has been no authoritative and comprehensive guide on how to prepare Environmental Assessments (EAs).
Effective Environmental Assessments: How to Manage and Prepare NEPA EAs fills that gap.
Authored by one of the nations leading experts, and recipient of the President's Award for Outstanding Performance by the National Association of Environmental Professionals, the book provides you with de facto direction and best professionals standards for preparing publicly defensible EAs. The result is an indispensable source of practical information. No other book available come close to providing the wealth of information provided in Effective Environmental Assessments: How to Manage and Prepare NEPA EAs.

An Overview of NEPA
NEPA's Purpose
Overview of the NEPA Compliance Process
General Concepts and Requirements
NEPA is a Planning and Decisionmaking Process
Interim Actions
Integrating NEPA with Other Requirements
Conducting an Early and Open Process
Public Involvement
Scoping
Systematic and Interdisciplinary Planning
Writing Documents in Plain English
Incorporation by Reference
NEPA's Concept of Environmental Impact Analysis
Actions
Environmental Disturbances
Receptors and Resources
Impacts Analysis
Significance
Mitigation and Monitoring
Determining if an EA or EIS is Require?
Proposals
Legislation
Major
Federal
Action
Significantly
Affecting
Human Environment
The Environmental Assessment Process
Preparing the Environmental Assessment
Performing the Analysis
Streamlining the EA Compliance Process
Issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact
The Administrative Record
Serving as and Expert Witness
Writing the Environmental Assessment
General Direction for Preparing an EA
Required Outline for an Environmental Assessment
Specific Documentation Requirements and Guidance
Special Topics in Environmental Analysis
Cumulative Effects Analysis in EAs
Accident Analysis
Incorporating Environmental Justice
Assessing Significance - A Systematic Procedure
Definitions and Use of the Term Significance
General Procedure for Determining Significance
The Finding of Nonsignificant Impact
Reaching a Determination of Nonsignificance
Preparing the FONSI
Mitigated FONSIs
Summary
Appendix A: Reprint of the NEPA Act
Appendix B: Reprint of the CEQ NEPA Regulations
Appendix C: Environmental Assessment Checklists

Editorial Reviews

"Mr. Eccelston has written a most thorough guide to managing and preparing EAs that puts NEPA back into its original perspective - a planning and decision-making tool…comprehensively covers the EA process…provides practical guidance for effectively preparing an analysis…"
-Mr. Russell W. Peterson, Former Governor of Delaware and Former Chairman of the CEQ

"NEPA is the cornerstone of our environmental statutory structure and provides a strategic look for long-range planning. By explaining the environmental assessment process in a scholarly, yet easily understandable way, Charles Eccleston has performed an enormous service for all who care about the protection of our country's - and indeed the world's - environment."
-Michael R. Deland, Former Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality.

"Charles Eccleston has performed a real service in authoring Effective Environmental Assessments: How to Manage and Write NEPA Assessments. The book fills a void and concentrates on environmental assessments, a critical but underemphasized part of the NEPA process. It is, furthermore, both useful and user-friendly."
-Nicholas C. Yost, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, former General Counsel of the Council on Environmental Quality