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	SwRI offers complete support to organizations that must comply with NEPA, which promotes efforts to prevent or mitigate damage to the environment and enrich the understanding of ecological systems and natural resources.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impacts of proposed actions. Compliance with NEPA requires publicly accessible documents that integrate complex technical and policy issues.

With more than 20 years of experience working with the NEPA, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) offers complete support to organizations with environmental impact assessment responsibilities under NEPA. Specific evaluation on a case-by-case basis ensures freedom from conflict of interest for each project.

NEPA Training

Effective NEPA documentation relies on systematic, technically sound reviews to ensure accurate, objective analysis and presentation of the important issues.

To respond to this need, SwRI offers short courses in NEPA document review. Participants become familiar with key NEPA concepts, including:

	SwRI offers short courses to teach participants how to review NEPA documents for accuracy, objectivity, and presentation of important issues.

• Categorical exclusion

• Environmental assessment (EA)

• Findings of no significant impact (FONSI)

• Environmental impact statement (EIS)

The course is appropriate for professionals with several years of NEPA experience, as well as junior staff just beginning environmental impact assessment work.

NEPA Document Review

SwRI assembles multidisciplinary teams to review EISs, EAs, and other NEPA documents. On a site-specific basis, staff reviews include:

• Assessment of compliance with NEPA requirements

• Independent, confirmatory analyses

• Evaluation of technical accuracy and consistency

SwRI scientists developed a portable Geographic Information System with a structure designed to support NEPA impact assessments and agency decision-making.

Independent Assessments for NEPA Compliance

SwRI staff members conduct independent environmental impact assessments to support NEPA compliance. Analyses are documented in EAs or EISs prepared with the level of detail scaled to the significance of the potential impact. Key aspects of the SwRI approach include:

• High-quality technical analysis

• Data traceability and visualization

• Rigorous quality assurance

• Reporting clarity

• Freedom from conflict of interest

For more information about environmental assessment services under NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) capabilities at SwRI or how you can contract with SwRI, please contact David R. Turner, Ph.D., PG, at dturner@swri.org or (210) 522-2139.
 

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Southwest Research Institute^® (SwRI^®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 12 technical divisions.

September 17, 2009