The National Institute of Justice Grants Programs Checklist 

Instructions: 

1. Complete the following information below: Applicant Name, Point of 

Contact Name, POC signature, Date Submitted, Application/Grant Number, 

and Grant Program. 

2. Complete the Grants Programs Checklist, starting on page 2. 

3. Return this document in electronic format with your application. 

Applicant Name: 

Point of Contact Name: 

POC signature: 

Date Submitted: 

Application/Grant Number: 

Grant Program: 

TCG Technical Recommendation: 

NIJ Approval: 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Institute of Justice Grants Program Checklist 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Air Quality Does the project comply with state air quality standards 

for all criteria pollutants? 

Is the project located in an area designated by the EPA 

as in attainment for the seven criteria pollutants? 

Would the action produce minimal emissions (100 tons 

per year or less for each of the seven criteria pollutants 

and/or does not exceed 10% of an area’s total 

emissions)? 

Would potential exposure to chemical emissions in a 

laboratory be controlled through the use of a biological 

hood? 

Would the project only produce emissions that do not 

impede the area’s conformity with the State 

Implementation Plan under the Clean Air Act? 

Significance Criteria 

An impact would be considered significant if pollutant emissions result in exposure of people, wildlife, or vegetation to ambient air that does 

not meet the standards established under the Clean Air Act, or interfere with state ambient air quality standards. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Geology, 

Topography, 

Soils (includes 

Farmland 

Protection) 

Would there be compliance with local soil erosion 

mitigation measures in construction and renovation 

projects? 

Would the project avoid erosion and deposition, 

compacting soils in fragile environments, or altering the 

character of soils over a large area? 

Would the project comply with the Farmland Protection 

Policy Act? 

Significance Criteria 

An action would cause a significant impact if soil erosion produced gullying, damage to vegetation, or a sustained increase in sedimentation 

in streams. This includes a substantial loss of soil, and/or a substantial decrease in soil stability and permeability. Also, significant impacts 

can occur when soils are substantially disrupted, displaced, compacted or covered over. An action would also constitute a significant impact 

if the action caused ground fracturing, folding, subsidence, or instability. Impacts associated with soil contamination would be significant if 

the affected area was no longer able to support its current function or vegetative cover. 

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Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Water 

Resources 

(Water 

Quality, 

Surface Water, 

Wetlands, 

Floodplains, 

Coastal 

Barrier 

Resources, 

Wild and 

Scenic Rivers) 

Would project activities avoid contamination, 

sedimentation, or otherwise significantly affecting the 

water quality or hydrology of a nearby surface water 

body? 

Would changes to surface water quality or hydrology be 

confined to the immediate project area? 

Does the project ensure that local and state regulations 

concerning stormwater runoff are followed? 

During construction activities, would all state, local, 

and tribal regulations concerning erosion controls, 

runoff abatement, and vegetation removal be followed? 

During construction activities, would proper hazardous 

spill procedures be in place to minimize impacts of 

spills on water quality? 

Would the project avoid affecting a designated Wild 

and Scenic River in any manner? 

Would the project avoid affecting any portion of a 100-

year or 500-year floodplain or jurisdictional wetland? 

Significance Criteria 

Impacts on water resources would be considered significant if effluent or pollutant emissions result in exposure of people, wildlife, or 

vegetation to surface or ground waters that do not meet the standards established under the Clean Water Act, or interfere with state water 

quality standards. 

An action would cause a significant impact on wetlands and floodplains if the soil structure, hydrology or the vegetation of more than 1⁄4 acre 

(1/10 ha) of a wetland would be altered, or a floodplain area is altered enough to present a reasonable flood danger to the area, causes the 

degradation or loss of habitat for populations indigenous to the floodplain area, or prohibits farming activities. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Natural 

Environment 

(Wildlife, 

Wildlife 

Habitat, and 

Vegetation) 

Would the project avoid causing more than a short-term 

change in the composition, structure, or density of 

vegetation? 

Would the project avoid causing more than temporary 

disturbance or relocation of wildlife? 

Would the project avoid impacting current or future 

wildlife or vegetation biodiversity or species 

composition? 

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Would the project insure that the potential for the 

establishment of non-native plant species within 

disturbed areas created by this project would be 

minimal? 

Would project construction occur in an area other than a 

unique or sensitive plant community? 

Would the project avoid extirpating any plants or 

animals from the project area? 

Significance Criteria 

An action would cause a significant impact if any changes to native vegetation extend beyond a small area and affect the viability of a plant 

species population or vegetation community. Full recovery would not occur in a reasonable time, considering the size of the project and the 

affected resource’s natural state. 

An action would cause a significant impact if any changes affect a large portion of a wildlife population and the viability of that population. 

Full recovery would not occur in a reasonable time, considering the size of the project and the affected species’ natural state. 

An action would cause a significant impact if the degradation or loss of habitat is sufficient to cause native wildlife populations to leave or 

avoid the area. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Endangered 

Species 

Would the project avoid impacts on T&E species or 

critical habitat? 

Is the project area free of any Federal or state listed 

T&E species or critical habitat, as determined by 

consultation with FWS or NMFS? 

Would the project avoid impacting any areas in or 

adjacent to habitat for rare, threatened, or endangered 

species? 

If the project is expected to adversely affect a listed 

species, would mitigation measures be employed that 

would successfully avoid such effects? 

Significance Criteria 

Any effect to a federally listed species or its critical habitat would be so small that it would not be of any measurable or perceptible 

consequence to the protected individual or its population. This effect would equate to a “no effect” or “not likely to adversely affect” 

determination in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service terms. Anything else would be considered significant. 

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Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Historic 

Preservation 

Is the project site free of any historic structures, 

archeological concerns, or other cultural resource 

issues, as determined by consultation with the SHPO? 

Would the project avoid affecting any NRHP listed 

properties, or properties that are eligible for listing? 

Would the project occur within an existing facility that 

is not considered historic, as determined by consultation 

with the SHPO? 

If project activities are determined to impact cultural 

resources as defined by Section 106, would mitigation 

steps as outlined in Section 106 be followed? 

Would renovation projects exclude historic buildings? 

Significance Criteria 

An impact would be significant if an effect occurs that may diminish the integrity of, cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of, 

or directly or indirectly destroy a cultural resource. This effect would equate to an “adverse effect” determination for purposes of Section 106. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Land Use Would the project comply with local zoning and 

development ordinances (apply for rezoning if needed)? 

Would the project comply with local comprehensive 

and development plans? 

Would the project obtain necessary building and 

occupancy permits from local authorities? 

Significance Criteria 

An impact would be significant if a proposed action conflicts with any Federal, regional, State, or local land use plans. If land use patterns are 

changed in the immediate project area due to a proposed action, the impact would also be considered significant. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Human 

Population 

(Socioeconomics 

and 

Environmental 

Justice) 

Would the project avoid appreciably changing the total 

population or demographics of the population, housing 

demand or employment levels, or property values? 

Would the project avoid increasing human 

infrastructure requirements (i.e., new workers need 

housing and consume additional community resources 

such as water, electricity, roadways, open space, etc.)? 

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Would the project avoid displacing existing residents or 

workers from their homes and communities? 

Would the action avoid areas that have a high 

proportion of minority residents or residents living 

below the poverty level? 

If it does occur in such an area, would the grantee 

ensure that low-income households are not adversely 

impacted by the project? 

Would environmentally unsafe, unpleasant, or noxious 

conditions for nearby populations, including release of 

contaminants into air or water, increased levels of 

traffic or noise occur only during the period of 

construction? 

Significance Criteria 

A change of more than 2 percent of the previously projected level of local employment, population, or gross domestic product would be 

considered a significant impact on socioeconomics. Also, if school populations decrease by more than 2 percent, revenues decrease by more 

than 2 percent, and if vacancy rate increases by more than 2 percent, that would constitute a significant impact. 

A significant impact on environmental justice would occur if a disproportionate amount of minority and/or low-income populations were 

adversely affected by the project. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Noise Would project activities avoid noise impacts to 

sensitive receptors? 

If noise levels during construction projects exceed 

existing background sounds temporarily, would the 

project insure that they do not exceed applicable noise 

standards? 

Would operation of a newly constructed facility avoid 

producing noise levels that would disturb people or 

displace wildlife? 

Significance Criteria 

Sounds levels of 65 dBA are considered annoying to most individuals, while constant or repeated exposure to sounds of 90 dBA or higher can 

lead to significant impacts. Noise levels are significant if they exceed ambient noise level standards determined by the federal, state, and/or 

local governments. An impact would be considered significant if there is sustained exposure of sensitive receptors to a DNL of greater than 65 

dBA. 

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Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Energy Would the demand on the region’s energy supply be 

negligible (for projects occurring within existing 

facilities that may require additional energy)? 

Would the project comply with regulations for 

electricity and gas provisions? 

Would the project avoid the wasteful, inefficient and 

unnecessary consumption of energy? 

Significance Criteria 

Significant impacts to energy would occur if a proposed project were to create a substantial increase in the level of demand for energy supplies 

and/or use energy in a wasteful, inefficient, excessive or unnecessary manner. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Solid Waste 

Management 

Would any solid (or liquid) waste that is created by the 

project, including hazardous waste and construction 

debris, be disposed of properly? 

Would laboratories maintain safe and adequate storage 

and disposal procedures for hazardous waste and 

chemicals? 

Significance Criteria 

An action would cause a significant impact if it would increase the generation of solid or hazardous waste beyond the capacity to safely handle 

and dispose of that waste. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

Transportation Would the project avoid generating new traffic over the 

long-term? 

Would the project avoid creating an additional need for 

parking? 

Would the project avoid short- or long-term decreases 

in the level of service of a roadway? 

Would the project ensure unrestrained movement of 

emergency vehicles? 

Would the project avoid conflicts with planned 

transportation projects or adopted public transportation 

policies? 

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Would the project avoid causing noticeable 

deterioration of local roadway surfaces? 

Significance Criteria 

A significant impact to transportation would be a traffic increase which is predicted to upset the normal flow of traffic, create the need for 

major road repair as a result of the action, or generate traffic levels requiring the expansion of existing roadways or facilities. 

Resource Concern Yes or No Comments 

State 

Environmental 

Policy Act 

Would the project occur in states other than Arkansas, 

California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, 

Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, 

Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New 

Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South 

Dakota, Virginia, Washington, or Wisconsin? If so, 

the project would not require compliance with a state 

environmental policy act. 

Intergovernmental 

Review and Other 

Federal Agency 

Reaction to the 

Project 

Would grantees partnering with other federal agencies, 

or whose project may affect another federal agency 

consult and coordinate with that entity and conduct 

intergovernmental review as necessary? 

Cumulative 

Impacts 

Would cumulative impacts be less than significant for 

all resources affected by the project? 

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