Guidance and Training
Avanti has developed guidance, templates, and tools to expedite, streamline, and create consistency in federal NEPA documentation. Examples are provided below.
Over the next few years, BOEM anticipates having to prepare and/or review EAs and EISs for renewable energy leasing and projects. In order to improve efficiency and consistency these assessments, Avanti identified potential cumulative impacts of proposed offshore activities within the context of all other existing and foreseeable activities occurring offshore. Avanti prepared descriptions of impact-producing factors associated with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable activities and described the cumulative activities scenarios. Avanti also provided a spreadsheet for quantifying how subsequent projects could be added into the baseline cumulative activities scenarios. All documentation was consistent with the CEQ and DOI’s NEPA-implementing regulations and the Bureau’s environmental guidance. Avanti has subsequently been awarded a task order to prepare a similar assessment for the South Atlantic OCS.
NEPA Compliance Program Support to NOAA, National Ocean Service, National Geodetic Survey (NGS)
NGS was not previously implementing a NEPA compliance program for its activities. Avanti was retained to establish requirements and responsibilities for the implementation of an Environmental Compliance Program, with particular emphasis on NEPA. Avanti established standard business practices and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure planned activities executed by NOS, or by other entities on behalf of NGS, are in compliance with applicable EOs, federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations prior to releasing funds.
The NGS Compliance Program:
· Fully integrates environmental planning into program planning and execution, early in the decision-making process, using a systematic and interdisciplinary approach.
· Provides sound, clear, and comprehensive environmental analyses demonstrating compliance with the requirements of applicable EOs, federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations.
· Outlines the required environmental analysis documentation and consultations with other regulating agencies (i.e., informal or formal), such as other federal agencies, state agencies, tribal communities, and local agencies.
· Implements best management practices to mitigate potential adverse impacts of NGS activities and as required by consultation efforts with other regulating agencies (i.e., informal or formal).
· Defines environmental documents and procedures, roles and responsibilities, and compliance requirements for NGS programs.