NEPA PROCESS AND WEST COAST MV-22 BASING

The DoN is preparing an EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 United States Code (USC) §§4321-4370d, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1500-1508, the guidelines contained in the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental and Natural Resources Program Manual Instruction (OPNAVINST) 5090.1B dated 4 June 2003, and Marine Corps Order (MCO) P5090.2A, Chapter 12, dated 1 December 2007, Environmental Compliance and Protection Manual, which establish procedures for implementing NEPA.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process

• NEPA provides for the consideration of environmental issues in federal agency planning and decisionmaking.   

• NEPA requires that federal agencies prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for actions that may significantly affect the quality of the human and natural environment. 

• More information on NEPA can be found in A Citizen's Guide to the NEPA 'Having Your Voice Heard' (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 1 mb) written by the Council on Environmental Quality.

West Coast MV-22 Environmental Impact Statement

• An EIS is a detailed public document that provides an assessment of the potential impacts resulting from a proposed action.
   
• An EIS also informs decisionmakers and the public of reasonable alternatives that would avoid or minimize adverse impacts or enhance the quality of the environment.

Issues

• During the development of the EIS, technical professionals will evaluate the potential for the proposed action to impact the environment.
   

• Information is collected to develop an understanding of existing conditions and identify potential impacts to environmental resource areas.
   

• The resources or issue areas likely to be of concern include:   
   

  • Air quality

  • Noise

  • Natural and cultural resources

  • Flight operations

West Coast MV-22 NEPA Process

The following activities are conducted during the NEPA process:

1.    Publish a Notice of Intent

2.    Hold public scoping meetings

3.    Prepare and distribute a Draft EIS

4.    Provide for a public comment period, including public hearings

5.    Publish and distribute a Final EIS

6.    Issue a Record of Decision

Public Involvement Opportunities During the
West Coast MV-22 NEPA Process

1.      Publish a Notice of Intent (NOI)

• MV-22 NOI was published in the Federal Register and local newspapers on 6 October 2000.

2.    Hold public scoping meetings

• Public scoping meetings were held to provide the public with the opportunity to express their concerns and provide input on issues to be evaluated in the EIS.

3.    Prepare and distribute a Draft EIS

• The Draft EIS will be available for public review.

• Get on the project mailing list and a Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS will be sent to you.

4.    Provide for a public comment period

• Once you are on the mailing list, you will receive an announcement of the 45-day comment period.

• The Marine Corps will hold public hearings to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS.

5.    Publish and distribute a Final EIS

• Once you are on the mailing list, you will receive an announcement of the release of the Final EIS.

• You can see how your input was considered. 

6.    Issue a Record of Decision (ROD)

• The Department of the Navy will issue a ROD after publishing the Final EIS. The ROD will present the final decision and an explanation of why the other alternatives were not chosen.

This site is best viewed using Internet Explorer.
Last update: 07/22/2008-SAIC/hms
Contact for web site technical problems: mv22webmaster@marinescience.saic.com