The Civil Engineer School
Vital - Relevant - Connected
Vital - Relevant - Connected
Question: How do you bring a complete stop to a multi-million dollar project?
Answer: Either neglect to prepare an Environmental Impact Analysis on the project, or prepare an analysis that is insufficient.
To ensure that the Air Force is properly conducting Environmental Impact Analysis, fourteen students from six different MAJCOMS enrolled for the first offering of the Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) course the week of 25 August. Students left the course with a solid understanding of how the Air Force implements the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the legal driver for the Air Force EIAP program.
The Civil Engineer Program Review Committee approved the development of a new course covering the Environmental Impact Analysis Process in 2007, and the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civil Engineer and Services School hosted an Education Working Group (EWG) to develop a list of topics and bodies of knowledge to be included in this course. Information provided by the EWG was used by the Course Director, Ms. Connie Strobbe, in developing the schedule and lessons for this new class.
Mr. Bill Wells, an environmental lawyer from HQ AFMC, provided the students with a solid understanding of the requirements of NEPA and all of the associated Council on Environmental Quality implementing regulations. Ms. Strobbe taught the students about the three tiers of NEPA documentation: the Categorical Exclusion (CATEX), the Environmental Assessment (EA), and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and when each one is appropriate. She spent a day and a half teaching the students how to develop an EA or an EIS, which included an in-depth exercise on developing the initial chapters of an EA for projects at the students’ home bases.
Ms. Sheryl Parker, the EIAP program manager at HQ ACC, provided the students with an excellent perspective on the challenges inherent in preparing an environmental impact statement, and how to avoid some of the common pitfalls. She also covered tools that can be used to aid in this process. Mr. Chadwick Avery from Eglin AFB explained automation methods that can be used in preparing portions of Chapter 3, the Affected Environment portion of an EA or EIS. When used correctly, automation tools can result in substantial savings in manpower and costs required when preparing NEPA documents. Ms. Strobbe and Mr. Charles Muston from the ASC Public Affairs Office explained to students about the requirements for scoping and public involvement in the NEPA process. Under NEPA, federal agencies are required to conduct scoping prior to the development of an EIS to determine concerns of the public and other federal, state, and local government agencies regarding a proposed Air Force action. This process ensures that we focus the proper attention on these issues when developing an EIS.
At the end of the week, the Course Director conducted a “hot wash” with the students to obtain feedback on topics that should be added to the class and on any existing topics in which too much or too little time was provided. Ms. Strobbe explained that “it is our goal with any class to make continual improvements, and this is especially important with a brand new course to ensure that we provide exactly what those in the career field require.” The next offering of this course is scheduled for the week of January 12, 2009.