Figure 3. The various steps required to complete a NEPA project.

• Project Implementation
  • Project is proposed, and the purpose and need for the project are defined
  • Initial alternatives are defined, including the no-action alternative
  • A meeting is held with the lead agency to discuss the project and potential issues and procedures.
    
• Categorical Exclusion Decision
  • Lead agency determines if the project is categorically excluded from NEPA.
  • These include minor actions with potential to produce minimal environmental impacts.
  • Beach nourishment projects are not in this category.
    
• Obtain Public Comments/Scoping
  • Input is obtained from the public, agencies, and other organizations regarding issues.
  • Key issues are identified and summarized.
    
• Prepare Draft Environmental Assessment (EA)
  • Description of the proposed project and available alternatives, existing conditions, impact analysis, and mitigation measures.
  • typically a relatively brief document designed to identify whether the proposed project could produce significant adverse impacts.
  • Only small beach nourishment projects would qualify for an EA.
  • Lead agency decides whether to prepare an EA or not, based on its estimate of the magnitude of the potential impacts.
    
• Obtain Additional Public Comments
  • The public and review agencies are provided an opportunity to comment on the draft EA.
  • Lead agency is required to address each comment.
    
• Prepare Final EA/FONSI
  • Final EA is prepared that incorporates agency comments.
  • If no significant adverse impacts are projected, or they can be mitigated effectively, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or a mitigated FONSI is produced and signed by the responsible review agency.
  • In a mitigated FONSI, the lead agency concludes that the predicted adverse effects of a project can be avoided, reduced, or minimized sufficiently to allow the project to move forward with minimal effect on the environment.
  • Conditions are placed on the decision specifying these measures.
  • A Decision Memo is prepared by the lead agency.
  • Small beach nourishment projects would follow this pathway.
    
• Decision to Prepare EIS or EID/Notice of Intent
  • If significant adverse impacts are predicted in the Final EA, a decision to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is made by the lead agency.
  • For beach nourishment projects, this agency is the USACE, and the decision is made in conjunction with a USACE Section 404 permit.
  • As soon as practicable after a decision is made to prepare an EIS, the scoping process for the Draft EIS is announced in a Notice Of Intent[ (NOI) prepared and published by the lead agency.
    
• Prepare Draft EIS or EID
  • This is a lengthy (1-3 years) process involving: (1) a full development of sharply defined alternatives through public scoping: (2) an assessment of the impacts of each alternative on the existing environment; and (3) development of measures to mitigate these impacts
  • If federal funds are involved, the lead agency prepares an EIS.
  • If no federal funds are involved, an equivalent level Environmental Information Document (EID) is prepared.
  • The EID is submitted by the project proponent as a technical support document for the USACE Section 404 permit.
    
• Public Review of Draft EIS
  • The draft EIS is released for a 30-day public and agency review period.
  • A public hearing is typically held in order to obtain formal comments on issues.
  • The public also submits formal; written comments on the draft EIS to the lead agency.
    
• Final EIS
  • The lead agency responds formally to all comments on the draft EIS made by the public and the agencies.
  • The Final EIS consists of responses to individual comments of comments grouped by issue subject category, as well as actual changes in the text of the Draft EIS.
    
• Record of Decision
  • The lead agency documents the decision made and any conditions required for the project to be implemented.
  • These usually include mitigation measures and a monitoring program.
    
• Project Implementation
  • The project is constructed, according to the conditions specified in the USCAE Section 404 permit.
  • These may include monitoring of biological communities and water quality, habitat restoration, or other types of mitigation.

Note: Under USACE regulations (ER 200-2-2)(USACE 1988), the NEPA review occurs in the feasibility stage of a water resource study. USACE ER 1105-2-100 recommends that the NEPA process be integrated with the USACE planning process, and provides a means of doing that in in Appendix C of ER 1105-2-100.