National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) WorkshopsAbout | Pricing | Schedule & Registration | Workshop Session Outline | Workshop Materials | Event Policies PricingWorkshop Prices
Payment is due at the end of the form for any registrations made within 14 days of the scheduled workshop. NEPA Workshops Schedule
About the Advanced NEPA Workshop |
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| Session | Time |
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Welcome/Introductions/Networking Session |
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM |
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Topic 1: History and Importance of NEPA—Individual Implementing Guidance To add context to the material presented in this Workshop, we begin by discussing the history of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Created during a period of increased public concern and growing appreciation for the environment, President Richard Nixon signed NEPA into law on January 1, 1970. NEPA requires federal agencies to consider the environmental consequences of their proposed actions and to inform the public about their decision-making process. Until January 8, 2025, there was a generally understood process of how to prepare NEPA documents. On February 25, 2025, the CEQ regulations that were the guiding force for agencies on how to prepare NEPA documents were rescinded. Agencies were tasked with developing agency-specific guidance on how they would implement NEPA and streamline the preparation of NEPA documents. As we look at how NEPA changed from 1970 to 2025, you will gain an understanding of what was learned from our past and where NEPA is headed. |
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM |
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Break |
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM |
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Topic 2: Federal Triggers/ Major Federal Action/Three Levels of NEPA Building on the NEPA fundamentals covered in Topic 1, Topic 2 will focus on the initial determination of NEPA applicability and what types of actions trigger NEPA review. Recent changes by Congress to the NEPA Statute and newly revised agency-specific NEPA implementing procedures that provide additional direction on how to define what is and what is not a “major federal action” requiring NEPA review will be discussed. Next, the three primary levels of NEPA review when an action is deemed to require NEPA review – the Categorical Exclusion (CE), Environmental Assessment (EA), and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) – will be described including factors to use in making this decision. As part of this discussion, the expanded use of CEs in recent years by federal agencies for NEPA compliance, and a discussion of similarities and differences in requirements for preparation of EAs and EISs, will also be addressed. |
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM |
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Lunch Break |
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM |
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Topic 3: Pre-NEPA Scoping Purpose and Need Stakeholder ID Project Description Alts This topic covers the critical preliminary steps that shape the entire environmental review process. Oftentimes, the most intensive part of the NEPA process comes before NEPA “officially” begins, and many project delays that occur in later phases of the NEPA process can be traced to this stage. Before the official NEPA clock starts, foundational work must be accomplished to ensure appropriate, defensible analyses can be completed. We will explore the nuances of pre-NEPA scoping, where you will learn the art of developing a robust "Purpose and Need" statement, a critical component of any NEPA document, and the foundation upon which the entire analysis is built. The session also provides strategies for effectively identifying relevant stakeholders, from federal agencies to local community groups. Finally, we will cover how to write a clear and comprehensive project description. Mastering these initial phases is the key to preventing delays and achieving compliance. |
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM |
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Topic 4: CatEx Categorical Exclusions (CE or CATEX) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are defined as a category of actions that a federal agency has determined normally does not significantly affect the quality of the human environment (42 USC 4336e (1)). CEs are used when a project falls within an agency predefined CE, and when neither an Environmental Assessment (EA) nor Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required. |
2:00 PM – 3:15 PM |
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Break |
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM |
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Topic 5: EA/FONSI Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) get all the headlines but if you are like most NEPA practitioners you spend most of your time working with Categorical Exclusions or Environmental Assessments (EAs). Unlike EISs, now that CEQ NEPA regulations have been rescinded, we are starting to see more variability in EA content, style and format. Agencies are starting to issue policy and guidance on EAs and it varies widely. |
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM |
*The session outline is subject to change based on speaker availability.
Advanced NEPA Workshop Outline
| Session | Time |
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Welcome/Introductions/Networking Session |
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM |
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Topic 1: NEPA Overview during these Dynamic Times |
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM |
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Break |
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM |
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Topic 2: Federal Agency and Federal Court Responses to Seven County Infrastructure |
10:15 AM – 10:45 PM |
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Topic 3: Emphasis on Categorical Exclusions, Borrowing/Adopting/Expanding |
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM |
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Lunch Break |
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM |
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Topic 4: Climate Change and Resiliency |
1:15 PM – 2:45 PM |
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Break |
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM |
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Topic 5: Swimming Upstream and Downstream |
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM |
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Topic 6: Project Proponent LED NEPA Documents |
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
*The session outline is subject to change based on speaker availability.
Workshop Materials
Thank you to all who attended our 2025 NEPA Essentials and Advanced Workshop Series!
Presentation recordings are available for all workshop attendees throughout the 2025 year. Please check your "Thank you for attending" follow up email from NAEP for a link to assess the materials. Reach out to the NAEP Office if you cannot find this email.
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