NEPA Greenhouse Gas Analysis and Documentation

Description

As federal priorities on GHG continue to shift across administrations, agencies face evolving expectations regarding the level of GHG analysis required in NEPA documents. This course is designed to inform, not prescribe—providing you with an understanding of the risks and legal considerations associated with different levels of GHG analysis.

Participants will receive a practical, risk-based framework for incorporating GHG considerations into their NEPA documents. The training will cover:

• The fundamentals of GHG science relevant to NEPA.

• Approaches to assessing greenhouse gas emissions and impacts on projects and affected resources.

• The trade-offs and legal risks associated with varying depths of GHG analysis.

• Step-by-step guidance on conducting analyses at different levels of detail, tailored to agency discretion and project scope.

• Case studies illustrating recent litigation outcomes and best practices for legally defensible GHG analyses in EAs and EISs.

Objectives

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to do the following:

  • Understand basic GHG science, especially how it relates to likely impacts that should be addressed in a NEPA analysis

  • Understand key NEPA GHG court cases and rulings, and lessons from them on how to prepare legally-sufficient analyses

  • Choose the most effective methods and analytical techniques for analyzing GHG impacts

  • Explore, discuss, and take away key lessons from NEPA case study documents that incorporate GHG analysis

  • Understand various mitigation strategies for addressing GHG impacts

  • Create concise, legally defensible EAs and EISs that properly address GHG impacts.

Content

Each workshop is tailored to meet the specific needs of participants. The interactive format includes the following key components:

Introduction to GHG Science in a NEPA Context

Gain a foundational understanding of GHG science and its relevance in NEPA analysis. Learn which types of projects are most likely to involve greenhouse gas emissions and how these emissions factor into NEPA reviews.

Legal Requirements for GHG Analysis

Receive a detailed overview of key regulatory requirements and important NEPA court cases related to GHG analysis. Understand the legal framework and how recent decisions shape GHG considerations in environmental reviews.

Distinguishing Between GHG Emissions from Project Activities vs. GHG Impacts on Projects and Resources

Projects undergoing NEPA analysis often either generate GHG emissions or are affected by environmental changes influenced by GHG concentrations. This session covers:

• GHG emissions from project activities – Strategies and techniques for analyzing direct and indirect emissions.

• GHG-related environmental effects on projects and resources – Considerations such as increased flood risks for infrastructure projects or shifting vegetation patterns due to changing temperatures.

Case Studies on GHG Analysis in NEPA

Examine real-world NEPA case studies that incorporate GHG analysis. Participants will review, critique, and discuss successful approaches used in recent environmental documents.

Developing GHG Analyses for Realistic Scenarios

Engage in interactive team exercises to develop GHG analyses for hypothetical NEPA projects. Learn best practices for evaluating emissions, determining significance, and integrating findings into NEPA documents.

Mitigation Strategies for GHG Impacts

Explore common and innovative mitigation measures used to address GHG emissions in NEPA documents. This session covers strategies for reducing emissions, improving project sustainability, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Audience

Participants for this training should be fairly experienced NEPA practitioners who already have a basic understanding of the NEPA process and key regulatory requirements. These can include NEPA coordinators, technical specialists, interdisciplinary team (IDT) leaders and members, decisionmakers, and reviewers of NEPA documents.

Process

This interactive workshop is designed to build practical analytical and documentation skills. For optimal learning, class size is limited to between 15 and 25 participants.This 2-day workshop consists of a carefully-designed combination of the following:

  • 30% Lecture

  • 40% Discussion

  • 30% Exercises and Case Studies

Materials

Participants receive the following:

  • Comprehensive workshop manual

  • Workshop Resources workbook (includes key regulations, summary of important NEPA court decisions, and case studies from actual EAs and EISs)