Training Descriptions
All of the trainings listed below can be tailored to fit agency needs and requirements.
Notice:
We continuously monitor and update our training to reflect the latest changes in NEPA statutory and regulatory requirements. The current administration has instituted a number of substantial changes to NEPA practice, including the removal of the CEQ NEPA Implementing Regulations (40 C.F.R. Parts 1500–1508) and the subsequent release of new NEPA implementing procedures for several federal departments and agencies including all agencies within the Department of Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). For other agencies that have not yet released new NEPA implementing procedures, the administration has provided direction to continue using their existing NEPA practices as guided by the NEPA statute, Executive Order 14154, and current CEQ guidance until they are finalized and that ongoing NEPA analyses should not be delayed during this period.
Adaptive Management - AM
The term adaptive management has been applied to many different types of management strategies that allow for experimentation and learning. This workshop provides students with an in-depth understanding of the different types of adaptive strategies. The workshop clarifies how these strategies have been misused and where miscommunication about these different approaches has led to confusion. Specific tools are presented to ensure the right adaptive model is used for the right problem. Four different adaptive models are discussed with specific connections to the requirements of the NEPA: (1) Research, (2) Programmatic, (3) Project, and (4) Environmental Management Systems. Examples for each of the four adaptive models are explored. Case studies are used by students to reinforce the techniques and principles taught in the workshop.
Advanced NEPA Decision-Making & Defensible Project Delivery: DOT Specific
Former FHWA NHI 142076 Equivalent - Designed to Meet or Exceed the Learning Outcomes of Former FHWA National Highway Institute Course NHI 142076 – Achieving Appropriate Consideration in NEPA Decisionmaking
This advanced, seminar-style course prepares experienced NEPA practitioners to make legally defensible, well-reasoned, and strategically sound NEPA decisions throughout the transportation project lifecycle. Participants strengthen their ability to identify, evaluate, justify, and document critical NEPA decisions under real-world conditions involving uncertainty, time pressure, interagency coordination, litigation risk, and evolving project circumstances.
The course is structured to directly replace the former FHWA National Highway Institute Course NHI 142076 – Achieving Appropriate Consideration in NEPA Decisionmaking, and is designed to meet or exceed its learning outcomes. Participants apply NEPA decision-making principles through scenario-based analysis, risk evaluation, documentation labs, and interdisciplinary collaboration exercises.
Advanced Environmental Law: NEPA Strategic Environmental Planning, Application, Analysis, and Artificial Intelligence
This 4-day training explores the intersection of environmental law, policy, and management, with a rotating focus on timely and complex legal frameworks. This offering include three specialized tracks tailored to experienced environmental planners, engineers, andcompliance experts:
1. Strategic Environmental Planning – An advanced National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementation and environmental impact analysis seminar. The first two days focus on law and policy, while the remaining two days offer hands-on exercises in environmental impact analysis. Key topics include:
Planning the proposed action and selecting alternatives
Reasonably foreseeable impact analysis and accepted methodologies
Programmatic NEPA strategies and tiering
Addressing scientific uncertainty
Public involvement
Implementing Technology and AI to increase efficiency
Updates to recent case law, agency regulations and policy
2. Coastal and Ocean Resources Law – A focused review of statutes and executive orders governing coastal and ocean activities. Key topics include:
NEPA and Executive Order 12114
Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act consultation and permitting
CZMA and coastal consistency determinations
National Marine Sanctuaries, Magnuson-Stevens Act, Sikes Act, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act Survey of Laws
Interactive case exercises including a mock coastal zone consistency hearing
Participant project presentations on relevant real-world applications
Implementing technology initiatives in permitting
3. International Environmental Law – A legal and policy-focused review of environmental requirements applicable to overseas operations. Topics include:
NEPA and EO 12114 in an international context
DoD Instructions 4715.05 (overseas compliance) and 4715.08 (remediation)
Other Agency Guidance and Regulations
Final Governing Standards and host-nation environmental agreements
Natural and cultural resource considerations abroad
Impact analysis workshop and peer presentations
Advanced Environmental Cross-Cutter - AECC
Participants in this advanced course will learn how to best integrate requirements of key environmental statutes into the NEPA analysis in order to increase efficiencies and reduce analysis costs. The course will address the NEPA process, including selected regulatory and statutory requirements. The workshop will address compliance requirements of several selected major environmental cross-cutters, including § 404 of the Clean Water Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, § 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Endangered Species Act and Coastal Zone Management Act, as well as Environmental Justice and other Executive Orders.
Applying the EIAP/NEPA Process: Air Force Specific - EIAP
Participants in this highly acclaimed training workshop learn how to fulfill the spirit and letter of NEPA while preparing documents specific to Air Force applications. Interdisciplinary specialists who carefully manage the NEPA process will generate better NEPA documents that require less preparation time and that facilitate informed decisions and specific comments.
Applying the NEPA Process and Writing Effective NEPA Documents - ANPWEND
Participants in this highly acclaimed training workshop learn how to fulfill the spirit and letter of NEPA while preparing documents. Interdisciplinary specialists who carefully manage the NEPA process will generate better NEPA documents that require less preparation time and that facilitate informed decisions and specific comments. (There are additional writing exercises and practical skills applications in the 4-day workshop.)
Applying the NEPA Process and Writing Effective NEPA Documents for (FAA) Actions - ANP-FAA
Participants in this highly acclaimed training workshop learn how to fulfill the spirit and letter of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Order 1050.1F Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures while participating in the NEPA process for FAA actions. Resource specialists and scientists, project managers, editors, engineers, consultants, attorneys, and other key participants in the FAA NEPA process who carefully manage the NEPA process will generate better NEPA documents that require less preparation time and that facilitate informed decisions and specific comments. Participants will learn to identify the appropriate form of environmental documentation and the appropriate level of detail for NEPA compliance.
Applying the NEPA Process: Native American Tribal Concerns and Participation - ANP-NA
This interactive training provides tribal staff and federal partners with a comprehensive understanding of NEPA requirements, including how to review, draft, and improve key environmental documents in alignment with current law and policy. Special attention is given to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) NEPA procedures and the unique considerations relevant to tribal lands and tribal engagement under federal law.
Participants will review NEPA document content requirements—including Categorical Exclusions (CEs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs)—for compliance, clarity, and sufficiency. Hands-on review exercises will guide attendees through evaluating an EA: identifying what information is missing or extraneous, what is well-crafted, and how to improve the document through redrafting and revision.
The course also covers tribal considerations and public involvement requirements under NEPA, including how to incorporate treaty rights, government-to-government protocols, and BIA-specific processes.
Key intersectional laws such as the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), with practical guidance on how to integrate these requirements into the NEPA process—particularly for projects on or near tribal lands or involving federal funding is also incorporated in the presentation.
Applying Section 4(f): Policy, Practice & Documentation for Transportation Projects
Former FHWA NHI 142073 Equivalent - Designed to Meet or Exceed the Learning Outcomes of Former FHWA National Highway Institute Course NHI 142073 – Applying Section 4(f): Putting Policy into Practice
This intensive, practitioner-focused course provides a comprehensive and practical application of Section 4(f) within the transportation project development process. Participants learn how to properly identify Section 4(f) resources, apply the correct approval pathways, develop legally defensible documentation, and integrate Section 4(f) with NEPA, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (LWCF).
This course serves as a direct functional replacement for the former FHWA National Highway Institute Course NHI 142073 – Applying Section 4(f): Putting Policy into Practice and is structured for immediate deployment to DOTs, FHWA staff, consultants, and resource agencies that previously relied on the federal training.
Participants work through real-world case studies, de minimis determinations, programmatic evaluations, and individual 4(f) documentation scenarios, with direct focus on administrative record sufficiency and litigation vulnerability.
Basic Environmental Law and Regulations
This course provides Department of Defense (DoD), United States Coast Guard personnel and other federal agencies with a foundational understanding of federal environmental law and meets DoD ISEERB requirements. The course presents a broad survey of major environmental statutes, implementing regulations, legal theories, and compliance responsibilities. Taught by senior environmental attorneys with federal government and DoD experience, this training supports compliance with federal mandates, promotes natural resource stewardship, and fosters an environmental ethic within the DoD workforce.
The course includes an overview of the U.S. legal system, sovereign immunity, environmental planning laws such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Coastal Zone Management Act, natural and cultural resource protections, hazardous waste management, emergency response planning, and key regulatory enforcement provisions. Environmental responsibilities specific to ISEERB components are also covered for the DOD Course. Training materials can be focused on a specific DoD Component, such as U.S. Army, U.S.A.C.E, Department of the Navy (including USMC), Department of the USAF (Including Space Force), and the USCG and other DoD agencies (DLA, etc.).
Building Strong Administrative Records: Defensible Decision-Making
Participants in this training will learn how to create comprehensive and defensible administrative records that withstand legal scrutiny. The course emphasizes the essential components of a strong record, including documentation of decision-making processes, interagency collaboration, and public engagement. By focusing on best practices and practical strategies, attendees will gain the skills needed to minimize legal risks, enhance transparency, and build records that support sound, defensible decisions under NEPA.
Clean Air Act - Overview - CAA
Participants in this workshop will learn the history of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and how the Act applies to Federal, State, and local governments, as well as private companies and citizens. Participants will also learn the terminology associated with the Act, and review case law that guided its implementation. In addition, participants will gain an understanding of the relationship between the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) oversight of the Act and the role played by States. Lastly, participants will study important aspects of the Act, such as how the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are determined, when permits are required, and the processes for obtaining permits.
Clean Water Act - Overview - CWA
Participants in this workshop will learn the history of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and how it applies to Federal, State, and local governments, as well as private companies and citizens. Participants will also learn terminology associated with the Act, the case law that guided implementation, and the relationship between oversight by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and States. Lastly, participants will study important aspects of the Act, such as when 401 and 404 permits are required and the process for obtaining these permits.
Clear Writing for NEPA Practitioners - CWN
Participants in this course learn how to plan/scope the writing process for a NEPA document including how to present technical information and graphics. They also learn review skills to ensure document effectiveness, clarity, and accuracy.
Conditions Based Management in the Forest Service
This training provides participants with an understanding of Condition Based Management (CBM) as applied within the U.S. Forest Service. The course covers essential aspects of CBM, including its principles, implementation strategies, and the shift from traditional, output-based management to more flexible, condition-based approaches. Participants will explore adaptive management techniques, site-specific management actions, and the importance of achieving desired ecological outcomes. Real-world case studies will illustrate how CBM can improve forest health, resilience, and strategic project planning.
Cultural and Natural Resource Compliance - CNRM
Participants learn to identify stewardship responsibilities included in major cultural and natural resource laws and regulations, including the Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act. They also survey cultural and natural resource legal compliance steps and review how to integrate compliance into the agency mission.
Deploying AI and Emerging Technology for More Efficient Environmental Reviews
This course offers a practical, section-by-section exploration of how artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies can enhance the preparation of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents. Aligned with the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) Permitting Technology Action Plan, the training supports modernization of the federal permitting process through automation, standardized data, and adoption of digital tools, including the NEPA Permitting Data and Technology Standard.
Participants will learn how technology, including AI, can improve each major section of a NEPA document: Purpose and Need, Affected Environment, Alternatives, and Environmental Consequences. The course will also address the integration of public involvement tools and prompt engineering practices for improving AI-generated outputs. A strong emphasis is placed on using these tools ethically and responsibly, with an understanding of limitations such as model bias, hallucinations, and legal sufficiency risks.
Environmental Risk and Public Involvement - RC-ENV
Participants learn the meaning and application of risk communication. They explore the full range of response communication, including developing a communication plan and strategy, standing before an audience, and responding in writing.
Issues Based NEPA - IBNEPA
Concern that compliance with NEPA is too time consuming and results in lengthy environmental documents has been around for decades. To address this concern, some Federal agencies have begun to develop issue-based NEPA analyses. This workshop is designed to help NEPA practitioners understand how to undertake an issue-based analysis that will help them emphasize important environmental issues, determine reasonable alternatives, and focus technical analyses. A range of best practices for focusing the analysis includes using scoping to identify issues, integrating issues into the purpose of the action, generating and streamlining alternatives to address issues, and focusing the analyses on issues. The workshop also evaluates options for organizing NEPA documents around issues. The workshop draws on NEPA case law, agency guidance, and other best practices for developing issue-based analyses.
Managing NEPA Projects & Teams - MNPT
Participants learn management of the NEPA process, as opposed to technical competency and skills. The course provides training in managing and reviewing the NEPA process. This includes prototyping the document before writing begins and determining what tasks might best be assigned to contractors.
National Forest Management Act and Planning in the Forest Service
This training offers a comprehensive introduction to the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and its role in guiding Forest Service land management planning. Participants will explore the NFMA’s requirements for developing planning rules under the principles of the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960, as well as the regulatory framework codified in Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 219 and Forest Service directives FSM 1920 and FSH 1909.12.
The training covers essential NFMA components, Forest Service Planning Rules, and implementing directives, with a focus on principles, strategies, and the shift toward desired conditions-based planning. Participants will also review real-world case studies that demonstrate how the Forest Service revises land management plans to address pressing natural resource issues.
Navigating Interagency Coordination: Strategies for Effective Collaboration
This course empowers participants to navigate the complexities of interagency coordination during the NEPA process, with an emphasis on strategies for improving communication and streamlining workflows. Participants will learn techniques for building collaborative relationships, resolving conflicts, and aligning priorities across federal, state, and local agencies. By enhancing coordination, attendees will be better equipped to avoid delays, reduce redundancies, and achieve more efficient and effective project outcomes.
Navigating NEPA Changes: Congressional, Regulatory, and Federal Court Revisions and Rulings - NEPAREGS
The start of President Donald Trump’s second term has introduced a wave of regulatory, legislative changes affecting the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the U.S. Supreme Court recently released their first NEPA-related decision in over 20 years. These actions have created substantial uncertainty regarding how NEPA practice will evolve going forward.
Regarding regulatory changes, most significantly, in February 2025, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued an Interim Final Rule rescinding CEQ’s NEPA Implementing Regulations, which have guided federal NEPA compliance for over four decades. This rule was driven by two recent federal court decisions (late 2024 and early 2025), which held that CEQ never had statutory authority to issue binding NEPA regulations, as Congress did not explicitly grant this power in the NEPA statute. In response, CEQ issued a guidance memorandum directing federal agencies on how to comply with NEPA during a one-year transition period, while agencies work to revise or establish their own NEPA-specific regulations and procedures. In July, 2025, numerous agencies started issuing their newly-revised procedures for implementing NEPA, including all of the bureaus of the Department of Interior (BLM, BOEM, NPS, etc.), numerous agencies in the Department of Agriculture (including the USFS and NRCS), Department of Defense (including the Army, Air Force, and Navy), and many others.
These changes build upon several years of NEPA-related developments, including:
• Congressional Amendments to NEPA (Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 – the first-ever substantive amendment to the NEPA statute).
• The Biden Administration’s “Phase 2” NEPA Rulemaking, which introduced major revisions that took effect for new NEPA reviews beginning July 1, 2024.
• Reversals and modifications of the 2020 Trump-era NEPA regulations by the Biden Administration, particularly in areas related to climate change and environmental justice analysis.
In addition to legislative and regulatory shifts, recent federal court rulings have had significant implications for NEPA implementation. Key decisions include:
1. Seven County Infrastructure Coalition et al. v. Eagle County, Colorado, et al. (2025)
· The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal agencies do not need to analyze indirect impacts cause by other projects separate from the proposed action undergoing NEPA review, and that agencies are entitled to substantial deference on deciding what comprises “reasonably foreseeable effects” of their proposed action.
2. State of Iowa et al. v. CEQ (2025)
• U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota issued a nationwide injunction on the Biden Administration’s Phase 2 NEPA Rule, ruling that CEQ had violated the NEPA statute and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
• The ruling required federal agencies to revert to the NEPA regulations in effect as of June 30, 2024 (i.e., Biden’s Phase 1 rulemaking from May 20, 2022).
3. Marin Audubon Society v. Federal Aviation Administration (2024)
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that CEQ lacks statutory authority to create binding NEPA regulations, as Congress never explicitly delegated that authority in the NEPA statute.
4. Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (2024)
• The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference, limiting the ability of federal agencies to interpret vague statutory language without clear congressional authorization.
5. Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (2024)
• Expanded the timeframe in which plaintiffs can challenge federal agency decisions, including NEPA-based approvals and rulemakings.
Given the scope, complexity, and implications of these removals and changes to the CEQ NEPA Implementing Regulations, NEPA Statute, and recent and upcoming federal court decisions, there will be considerable uncertainty and debate about the implications of all of this change for NEPA practice. This workshop aims to clarify these issues as much as possible, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of these changes to NEPA practice and key federal court decisions and their implications for how practitioners can best respond to this ever-evolving situation. While some of the changes and implications are straightforward, others require in-depth analysis and discussion, and are likely to continue to generate uncertainty and likely litigation for many years into the future.
NEPA & the Transportation Decision-Making Process: Integrated Project Development & Public Interest Analysis
Former FHWA NHI 142005 Equivalent - Designed to Meet or Exceed the Learning Outcomes of Former FHWA National Highway Institute Course NHI 142005 – NEPA and the Transportation Decisionmaking Process
This comprehensive, instructor-led course provides a foundational and operational understanding of how NEPA shapes transportation project development and public decision-making. Participants explore the historical evolution of NEPA and related environmental laws, how those laws influence FHWA policy and procedures, and how transportation agencies integrate social, environmental, and economic considerations into project decisions that serve the overall public interest.
This course is structured as a direct functional replacement for the former FHWA National Highway Institute Course NHI 142005 – NEPA and the Transportation Decisionmaking Process and is designed to meet or exceed the original federal learning outcomes.
NEPA and the APA - Public’s Role: Involve, Collaborate, and Comment
This interactive workshop teaches participants how to structure public involvement under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The workshop explores techniques on how to involve the public, collaborate with interest groups and government agencies, and resolve difficult conflicts. The workshop also teaches best techniques for influencing Federal actions through the commenting process.
NEPA in Practice: Tools for Interdisciplinary Team Members
This highly practical and interactive workshop is designed for newly assigned field-level professionals who are now serving as members of Interdisciplinary Teams (IDTs) in environmental review and land management processes. Participants will gain a hands-on understanding of how to apply NEPA effectively in real-world settings, moving from theory to practice with the tools, workflows, and confidence needed to support project delivery.
Using real case studies and basic and advanced NEPA instructional material from scoping to final decision , this training bridges the gap between NEPA policy and day-to-day responsibilities on the ground. Ideal for resource specialists, new IDT members, and anyone tasked with navigating environmental compliance as part of a collaborative team.
NEPA Reasonably Foreseeable Effects Analysis and Documentation - NEAD
Participants learn how to evaluate various impact methodologies, examining their strengths and limitations in clearly disclosing environmental effects. The course focuses on recording environmental effects in a manner that produces clear, legally robust Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs).
Overview of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) - OCE
Participants in this highly acclaimed training workshop learn how to fulfill the spirit and letter of NEPA and (California Environmental Quality Act) CEQA. They also explore how good decision making, analysis, and documentation all must integrate to prepare a legally compliant EIS, EA, FONSI, ROD, or CE/CATEX. For over 20 years, this interactive workshop has been received by thousands of government personnel in both state and federal agencies, and in private industry.
Overview of the Coastal Zone Management Act - CZMA
Participants in this workshop will learn the history of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) and how it applies to Federal, State, and local governments, as well as private companies and citizens. Additionally, participants will learn the terminology associated with the Act, the case law that guides implementation, and the relationship between the states and NOAA’s Office of Costal Management (OCM) in the Department of Commerce. The course will also discuss requirements of the Act, and the states’ responsibilities for reviewing Federal consistency determinations and issuing permits for non-point source pollution programs. Since each coastal state has their own Coastal Management Program, we will examine these programs state-by-state.
Overview of the Endangered Species Act - ESA
Participants learn about the requirements and procedures for complying with the Endangered Species Act. The course reviews the history of the law, the listing process, the Section 7 consultation process, and the Section 10 permit process.
Overview of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Magnuson-Stevens Act Consultations - MMPA
This one-day overview workshop focuses primarily on the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), including the goals of the Act, and the consultation process used to obtain Letters of Authorization (LOA) and Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs). In addition, some discussion on how the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the MMPA are integrated. The course will also include a discussion on the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) consisting of defining Essential Fish Habitat (EFH), the types of actions which could adversely affect habitat, and the consultation and compliance requirements of the Act. Finally, the course discusses how to incorporate compliance with both Acts into the NEPA process.
Overview of the National Historic Preservation Act /Section 106 - 106
Participants learn to understand and initiate Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Overview of the NEPA Process - NEPAO
Participants in this course learn about NEPA’s procedural requirements and implementing process. They also explore the steps to preparing a quality Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Assessment (EA).
Overview of Tribal Sovereignty and Federal Consultation - TSO
This one-day workshop focuses on the Government-to-Government relationship between Federal government agencies and Native American Tribal governments. We will discuss the evolution of Tribal and Federal government relationships, Tribal Sovereignty, and current expectations and requirements for government-to-government consultation. Participants will learn about the Executive Orders and White House Memorandums imposing expectations for federal agency consultation with Indian tribes , beginning with President Clinton’s 1994 Executive Order through President Biden’s 2022 Presidential Memorandum, and including E.O. 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments. We will also review best practices for government-to-government consultation as identified by the Working Group of the Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Interagency Coordination and Collaboration for the Protection of Tribal Treaty and Reserved Rights.
Preparing Effective Purpose & Need and Alternatives Sections - PNA
Participants in this intermediate-advanced level two- or three-day workshop will learn how to craft clear, effective, and compliant Purpose & Need and Alternatives sections for their NEPA Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs). These sections are among the most important to get right in a NEPA analysis, as they serve as the framework for the entire impact analysis. In addition, in recent years there has been an increasing focus in NEPA litigation on challenges to these two sections, many of which have been successful. This workshop will cover how to create effective Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action statements, as well as how to develop a reasonable range of alternatives for a given proposed federal action. Course materials will draw from the NEPA Statute, case law, federal agency case studies, and example documents. Agency-specific tailored workshops will concentrate on agency-specific NEPA regulations and their corresponding policies and procedures for Purpose & Need and Alternatives sections.
Preparing Programmatic NEPA Reviews - PPNR
Participants learn what NEPA program documents are, the different types of program documents, how they can be effectively used, and how project-level NEPA documents can be effectively tiered to Programmatic NEPA reviews to reduce analysis requirements at the project level. Students will learn how to best determine what type of program document is most appropriate in different situations and the scope of environmental analysis that is most appropriate.
Preparing Specialist Reports as Part of the NEPA Process - PSRNEPA
To prepare resource specialists (e.g. range specialists, hydrologists, cultural resource specialists) to actively and meaningfully participate in the NEPA process from inception through completion.
Reviewing NEPA Documents - RND
Participants in this course learn how to systematically review the full range of NEPA documents: EISs, RODs, EAs, and FONSIs. They also learn to present clear review findings for NEPA documents, which analyze a range of alternatives and disclose all potential impacts.
Smart CATEX: Using AI and New Adoption Procedures to Streamline NEPA Reviews - SMART
This 3-day interactive training equips environmental professionals with the tools, insights, and hands-on practice needed to confidently manage Categorical Exclusion (CATEX) determinations in today’s fast-evolving NEPA landscape. With the CEQ regulations rescission, publication of new agency regulations and guidance, recent CEQ guidance and the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 codifying key changes, understanding and effectively applying CATEXs is more critical than ever.
This updated course covers the foundational principles of CATEX under NEPA, explores the latest guidance for CATEX adoption across agencies, and introduces new strategies for using AI to streamline identification, drafting, and review of CATEX decisions. Participants will engage in structured exercises, real-world case studies, and AI-assisted labs to sharpen their ability to make defensible, timely, and efficient CATEX determinations.
Technical Writing and Science Communication - TW
Participants in this course will learn how to ensure that their readers do not miss the main point or spend unnecessary time searching for key information. Although documents are varied and often complex; they must be clear, understandable, and accurate. 100% clarity is the primary goal.