National Environmental Policy Act

NOAA’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance is overseen by the Office of the General Counsel and the designated NOAA NEPA Coordinator. The NOAA NEPA Coordinator and staff provide information, training, and advice to staff across the agency in order to ensure NOAA’s compliance with NEPA.

NOAA’s NEPA compliance is guided by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Regulations for Implementing NEPA, and the revised NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-6A, and a Companion Manual offsite linkto the NAO entitled Policy and Procedures for Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Related Authorities (“Companion Manual”). The authorized Companion Manual provides additional, specific policies pursuant to NEPA and related authorities.

Together, these documents will outline NOAA’s procedures to meet NEPA requirements including:

• Fully integrate NEPA into the agency planning and decision-making process;
• Fully consider the impacts of NOAA’s proposed actions on the quality of the human environment;
• Involve interested and affected agencies, governments, organizations and individuals early in the agency planning and decision-making process when significant impacts are or may be expected to alter the quality of the human environment through implementation of proposed major Federal actions; and
• Conduct and document environmental reviews and related decisions appropriately and efficiently.

Final Companion Manual Available
On January 13, 2017, NOAA published a notice in the Federal Register to notify the public that NOAA has finalized revisions to the agency’s procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related authorities, as contained in the Companion Manual to NOAA Administrative Order NAO 216– 6A (Companion Manual). Included in the Companion Manual are NOAA’s revised categorical exclusions (CE) and related extraordinary circumstances.

• Federal Register Notice: National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures and Executive Order 12114 Categorical Exclusions 
• January 2017 Companion Manual to NOAA Administrative Order 216-6A 
• January 2017 CEQ conformity letter

The revised procedures are effective January 13, 2017.

The NOAA NEPA Intranet can be found here offsite link. (NOAA only)