# Presentation: 879829

## National Environmental Policy Act NOAA Administrative Order216-6 updates

- May 24, 2007

## 
Steve Kokkinakis Steve.Kokkinakis@noaa.gov   301-713-1622 ext 189

Shelby Mendez     Shelby.L.Mendez@noaa.gov   301-713-1622 ext 207

Cristi Reid	     Cristi.Reid@noaa.gov              301-713-1622 ext 206

**Steve Kokkinakis** Steve.Kokkinakis@noaa.gov   301-713-1622 ext 189
**Shelby Mendez     **Shelby.L.Mendez@noaa.gov   301-713-1622 ext 207
**Cristi Reid****	****     **Cristi.Reid@noaa.gov              301-713-1622 ext 206

**NOAA NEPA Coordinator Staff**
**within Office of Program Planning and Integration**

## PPI NEPA Intranet

**National Environmental Policy Act – Intranet **
**  ****https://www.intranet.nepa.noaa.gov/**
-  	**NEPA Policy and Grants**
** ****	****NEPA Templates and Examples**
** ****	****NEPA Tools and Information**
** ****	****Everything Grants**
*** ******	*****Training**
*** ******	*****Report a Major Federal Action**
***The NOAA NEPA Coordinator is Rodney F. Weiher, Ph.D.***

## Quarterly Categtorical Exclusion Reporting 

- Categorical Exclusions (CE) must be reported to the NOAA NEPA Coordinator quarterly using a template provided on the PPI NEPA Intranet
- Information and template provided under NEPA Policy and Guidance

## PPI NEPA Roles& Responsibilities

- NAO 216-6 2.02  Responsibilities.
- NEPA Coordinator.  The NEPA Coordinator, within NOAA’s Program Planning & Integration Office, is responsible for ensuring NEPA compliance for NOAA.  To accomplish, the NEPA Coordinator shall:
- 1.  review and provide final clearance for all NEPA environmental review documents covered by this Order;
- 2.  after providing  final clearance, sign all transmittal letters for NEPA environmental review documents disseminated for public review;
- 3.  develop and recommend national policy, procedures, coordination actions or measures, technical administration, and training necessary to ensure NOAA’s compliance with NEPA;

##  PPI NEPA Roles& Responsibilities

- 4.  provide liaison between NOAA and the CEQ, including consulting with CEQ on emergencies and making pre-decision referrals to CEQ;
- 5.  provide liaison with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on NEPA matters; and
- 6.  provide general guidance on preparation of NEPA documents, which includes: approving criteria regarding the appropriate document to be prepared; working with Line, Staff, and Program Offices (LO/SO/PO) and their designated Responsible Program Managers (RPMs) to establish categorical exclusions; establishing and/or approving criteria to define "significant"; providing consultation, as requested; coordinating NOAA’s comments on EISs prepared by other Federal agencies; and monitoring DOC activities for NEPA compliance.

## Department Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA

- Draft released in April for internal DOC review
- Updates responsibilities for DOC (CFO/ASA) for   establishing NEPA policy
- NOAA Administrator (PPI) continues being responsible for implementing NEPA policy and procedures
- Includes general categorical exclusions which have been established across all Federal Departments

## EMS and NEPA

**Complementary Processes of Environmental Management Systems and the National Environmental Policy Act **
- 	To assist Federal agencies in aligning EMS elements with the NEPA statement of policy and decision process.
- 	Incorporating the EMS approach into the NEPA process
- 	when establishing, implementing, and maintaining their EMS.

## EMS and NEPA

- 	Executive Order 13148 was issued in April 2000, directing Federal agencies to implement EMSs at all appropriate agency facilities. Federal agencies have been complying with the environmental review requirements of NEPA for over 35 years. It is important for Federal agencies to understand the relationship of EMS to NEPA.
- 	The Council provides this document to help Federal agencies recognize the complementary relationship of EMS and NEPA and how this relationship can support the policies set forth in Section 101 of NEPA and the processes set forth in Section 102 of  NEPA and the **CEQ NEPA regulations**

## Revision of NAO 216-6

- Planning and revising NAO 216-6 is a high priority for FY07-08
- Sec. 107 of Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization to create new NEPA procedures for Fishery Management Plan actions
- Need to update NEPA roles and responsibilities for facilities and real property planning actions within OCAO
- Need to incorporate revised procedures and steps for managing NEPA reviews on grant awards
- Need to incorporate CEQ guidance on modernizing NEPA