DEQ Environmental Impact Assessment

Question 1

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), what document is prepared for federal actions with potentially significant environmental impacts?

Accepted Answer

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Answer

NEPA requires federal agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for major federal actions that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment.

Question 2

What is an Environmental Assessment (EA) under NEPA and how does it differ from an EIS?

Accepted Answer

An EA is a shorter, preliminary document used to determine whether an EIS is required, while an EIS is a full analysis of significant impacts

Answer

An EA is a concise NEPA document that determines whether a proposed action's impacts are significant; if not, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is issued instead of proceeding to a full EIS.

Question 3

What is a 'categorical exclusion' (CE) under NEPA?

Accepted Answer

A category of actions that a federal agency has determined typically have no significant environmental impact and therefore do not require an EA or EIS

Answer

Categorical exclusions identify classes of actions that an agency has determined, based on experience, do not individually or cumulatively cause significant environmental effects, streamlining the NEPA process.

Question 4

What is the 'scoping' process in NEPA environmental review?

Accepted Answer

An early public process used to identify the range of issues, alternatives, and impacts to be analyzed in the EIS

Answer

Scoping is an early public participation process that identifies significant issues for the EIS, focuses the analysis on important questions, and eliminates insignificant ones, making the review more targeted and efficient.

Question 5

What does NEPA require agencies to analyze regarding 'alternatives' to a proposed action?

Accepted Answer

A reasonable range of alternatives including the no-action alternative, the preferred alternative, and other feasible alternatives

Answer

NEPA requires analysis of a reasonable range of alternatives including no-action, which allows decision-makers and the public to compare the environmental consequences of different approaches.

DEQ - Department of Environmental Quality Practice Test

DEQ - Department of Environmental Quality Practice Test

DEQ Environmental Impact Assessment