What does an Environmental What does an Environmental Professional Do?Professional Do?

• A scientist at RTP working on air A scientist at RTP working on air quality research for the EPAquality research for the EPA

• An engineer working for the Town of An engineer working for the Town of Cary designing a new sewage Cary designing a new sewage treatment planttreatment plant

• Scientists and technicians cleaning up Scientists and technicians cleaning up a hazardous waste sitea hazardous waste site

• Planners preparing an environmental Planners preparing an environmental document for a new highwaydocument for a new highway

The National Environmental The National Environmental Policy Act Policy Act

• Legislation signed into law in 1970Legislation signed into law in 1970

• Federal agencies mandated to Federal agencies mandated to consider the environmental consider the environmental implications of their actionsimplications of their actions

• Determine significance of Determine significance of environmental impacts environmental impacts

• 3 types of NEPA documents…3 types of NEPA documents…

NEPA DocumentsNEPA Documents

• Categorical Exclusion (CE)Categorical Exclusion (CE)

• Environmental Assessment (EA)Environmental Assessment (EA)

• Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)(EIS)

NEPA Decision-Making Flow NEPA Decision-Making Flow Chart Chart (source: FHWA)(source: FHWA)

NEPA “Umbrella”NEPA “Umbrella”

• NEPA includes:NEPA includes:– The Clean Air Act The Clean Air Act – The Clean Water ActThe Clean Water Act– The Endangered Species ActThe Endangered Species Act– The National Historic Preservation ActThe National Historic Preservation Act– Section 4(f) of the DOT ActSection 4(f) of the DOT Act– CERCLA, RCRA, SARACERCLA, RCRA, SARA– And more…And more…

Environmental PlanningEnvironmental Planning

The North Shore Road The North Shore Road Environmental Impact Environmental Impact

StatementStatementSwain County, North CarolinaSwain County, North Carolina

The North Shore Road The North Shore Road ProjectProject

• Articles: Articles: Read the articles provided.Read the articles provided. Take 15 Take 15

minutes and skim for important minutes and skim for important information on the project/issues. information on the project/issues.

Consider:Consider: – Who is involved, what are their concernsWho is involved, what are their concerns– History of the project, project setting History of the project, project setting

and contextand context

Who are the participants?Who are the participants?

• EnvironmentalistsEnvironmentalists

• Gateway Gateway communitycommunity

• Swain CountySwain County

• Interested US Interested US CitizensCitizens

• The TVAThe TVA

• The state of NCThe state of NC

• The GSMNPThe GSMNP

• Residents of the Residents of the North Shore North Shore (before the park (before the park was formed)was formed)

What are their What are their perspectives?perspectives?• Environmentalists:Environmentalists: Don’t build the road. Don’t build the road.

No development of GSMNPNo development of GSMNP

• Gateway community:Gateway community: Build the road. Build the road.

• Swain County:Swain County: Split- both build and no- Split- both build and no-build. Majority of county commission want build. Majority of county commission want $ for economic development over a road. $ for economic development over a road.

• TVA:TVA: Legally bound to the MOA, but Legally bound to the MOA, but transferred the land to GSMNP.transferred the land to GSMNP.

What are their What are their perspectives?perspectives?• The State of NC:The State of NC: Party to the MOA. Given Party to the MOA. Given

$400,000 from the federal government to $400,000 from the federal government to pay off the bonds for NC 288.pay off the bonds for NC 288.

• GSMNP:GSMNP: Charged with protecting the park, Charged with protecting the park, party to the MOA, North Shore of Fontana party to the MOA, North Shore of Fontana Lake is within the park boundary, lead Lake is within the park boundary, lead agency in the NEPA process.agency in the NEPA process.

• Residents of the North Shore:Residents of the North Shore: Want a road Want a road back for access to cemeteries, old home back for access to cemeteries, old home sites, their heritage…sites, their heritage…

The Planning ProcessThe Planning Process

• Public InvolvementPublic Involvement

• Interagency CoordinationInteragency Coordination

• Documentation:Documentation: Existing Conditions Existing Conditions Report, Preliminary Alternatives Report, Preliminary Alternatives Report, Draft EIS, Final EIS, Record of Report, Draft EIS, Final EIS, Record of DecisionDecision

The Planning ProcessThe Planning Process

Step Step 11:: Purpose and Need & Goals and Purpose and Need & Goals and ObjectivesObjectives

Step Step 22:: Initial Data Gathering Initial Data Gathering

Step Step 33:: Alternatives Development Alternatives Development

Step Step 44:: Impact Analysis Impact Analysis

Step Step 55:: Draft Environmental Impact Draft Environmental Impact Statement Statement (DEIS)(DEIS)

Step Step 66:: Final Environmental Impact Final Environmental Impact Statement Statement (FEIS)(FEIS)

Step Step 77:: Record of Decision Record of Decision

Step Step 88:: Implementation of Project Decisions Implementation of Project Decisions

Public InvolvementPublic Involvement• Act in accord with basic Act in accord with basic

democratic principlesdemocratic principles• Continuous contact between Continuous contact between

agency and non-agency peopleagency and non-agency people• Use of a variety of techniques Use of a variety of techniques

to target the project populationto target the project population• Agencies actively solicit the Agencies actively solicit the

public for information, public for information, concerns, etc.concerns, etc.

• Focus on making decisions, Focus on making decisions, rather than simply “informing” rather than simply “informing” the public the public

North Shore Road EIS North Shore Road EIS AlternativesAlternatives

• No-ActionNo-Action

• Monetary SettlementMonetary Settlement

• Laurel Branch Picnic AreaLaurel Branch Picnic Area

• Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell Partial-Build Alternative to Bushnell (Option 1)(Option 1)

• Northern Shore Corridor (Option 1, 2, Northern Shore Corridor (Option 1, 2, 3)3)

NEPA NEPA AlternativesAlternatives

What will happen?What will happen?

• A Preferred Alternative will be chosen A Preferred Alternative will be chosen in the Final EISin the Final EIS

• Impacts from the Preferred Impacts from the Preferred Alternative will be considered in Alternative will be considered in depth in the Final EISdepth in the Final EIS

• The lead agency will choose the The lead agency will choose the alternative for implementation in the alternative for implementation in the Record of DecisionRecord of Decision

Discussion QuestionsDiscussion Questions

• Do you think any of these alternatives Do you think any of these alternatives would satisfy all those involved?would satisfy all those involved?

• Do you think 35+ miles of road should be Do you think 35+ miles of road should be constructed to satisfy the MOA?constructed to satisfy the MOA?

• Do you think the families who used to live Do you think the families who used to live on the North Shore of Fontana Lake should on the North Shore of Fontana Lake should be compensated for their loss of access? be compensated for their loss of access?

• What will happen if a ROD is issued that What will happen if a ROD is issued that does not satisfy everyone? does not satisfy everyone?