Environmental Assessments
Federal agencies must prepare Environmental Assessments (EAs) when a proposed major federal action does not have a reasonably foreseeable significant effect on the environment and a categorical exclusion cannot be applied or when the significance of the effect is unknown. An EA concisely analyzes the reasonably foreseeable environmental effects of a proposed activity to determine the significance of potential impacts. Any significant impacts identified in an EA that cannot be mitigated below the significance threshold must be analyzed in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). An EA also documents the potential environmental impacts of proposals that do not require an EIS and identifies as early as possible mitigation measures that BOEM may require to avoid or minimize adverse effects of a proposal.
BOEM assumes that the proposal evaluated in an EA includes mitigation required by lease stipulations, regulations, other federal and state environmental laws, and specific measures committed to in writing by the lessee, operator, or applicant prior to completion of the EA. Mitigation measures not identified in the proposal may be evaluated in the EA to determine whether such measures, if approved as part of the proposal, would reduce impacts to a less-than-significant level.
EAs cannot exceed 75 pages (not including any citations or appendices) and must be prepared within one year.
Environmental Assessment Contents
Whenever possible, EAs will tier to other NEPA documents and incorporate by reference any relevant information, including other NEPA documents, information provided by the applicant, technical papers, or other documents. In general, EAs may contain the following elements:
- Title Page
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- EA NEPA Number
- Type of Project
- Location of the proposed action
- Name and location of the preparing office
- Applicant name (if applicable)
- Statement of Purpose and Need for Action
- Decision to be Made
- Description of Proposed Action and Alternatives
- Evaluation of Reasonably Foreseeable Effects of the Proposed Action and Action Alternatives as Compared to the Affected Environment
- Appendices