AASHTO PG15-1

Abstract

<strong>Overview</strong> <br>The purpose of this handbook is to help practitioners bridge the gap between the theory and practice of producing high-quality National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents. In general, a high-quality NEPA document is one that: <br>Is readily understandable by all audiences, including those without technical expertise <br>Provides key information in an easy-to-navigate format <br>Focuses on pertinent information and avoids unnecessary bulk <br>Includes supporting technical information in appendices <br>Meets all legal requirements <br>This handbook focuses on preparation of environmental impact statements (EISs) and environmental assessments (EAs), because those documents tend to be more complex and therefore present greater challenges in achieving both readability and legal sufficiency. Many of the tips in this handbook also apply to documented categorical exclusions (CEs). <br>This handbook is accompanied by a separate document, <em>Examples of Effective Techniques for Improving the Quality of Environmental Documents</em> (2014), which contains excerpts from recent NEPA documents issued by FHWA and FTA. The examples illustrate the techniques described in the Practical Tips section of this handbook.¹ <br>1 The examples document is available, along with this Practitioner's Handbook, on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO website at http://environment.transportation.org.