Welcome to the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Wainwright Alaska National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) home page.
These pages will provide you with:
- An opportunity to review U.S. Army Garrison Fort Wainwright current NEPA actions and provide comments.
- An opportunity to review Completed Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) and Environmental Assessments (EAs)
- An overview of NEPA policy.
- An overview of day-to-day NEPA actions that occur at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Wainwright.
- A point of contact for submission of comments or requests for additional information and links to additional NEPA websites.
Policy Overview
NEPA Policy Overview
The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
The purposes of this Act are to declare a national policy which will encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environment; to promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and biosphere and stimulate the health and welfare of man; to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources important to the Nation; and to establish a Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). It is the continuing responsibility of the Federal government to carry out the policy set forth in this Act. Read the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) statute HERE.
Procedures to Implement the National Environmental Policy Act (DoW NEPA Implementing Procedures)
The Department of War (DOW) has established procedures that implement Section 102(2) of the NEPA. These procedures provide criteria and guidance for projects or actions that typically require Environmental Assessments (EAs) or Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), and they list activities that are categorically excluded from such requirements when specific criteria are met.
NEPA procedures must ensure that environmental information is available to public officials and citizens before decisions are made and before actions are taken. Accurate scientific analysis, expert agency comments, and public scrutiny are essential to implementing NEPA. NEPA documents must focus on the issues that are truly significant to the action in question.
The NEPA process is intended to help public officials make decisions that are based on understanding of environmental consequences, and to take actions that protect, restore, and enhance the environment. Read the DoW NEPA implementing procedures HERE.
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Day-to-day Operations
How Fort Wainwright uses NEPA in day-to-day operations
The Department of War’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing procedures lists five broad categories into which a proposed action may fall for environmental review: (1) exemption by law, (2) emergencies, (3) categorical exclusions (CATEX), (4) environmental assessments (EA), and (5) environmental impact statements (EIS).
A majority of the day-to-day actions occurring on USAG lands qualify for a CATEX, which are actions that normally do not require an EA or an EIS, and do not individually or cumulatively have a substantial effect on the human environment. When an action qualifies for a CATEX, the action can proceed, in some cases without further documentation; however, most Army actions will require the preparation of a Record of Environmental Consideration (REC). A REC can also be prepared for actions previously analyzed in an EA or EIS, using a process known as “tiering.” A REC briefly documents that an Army action has received environmental review. It briefly describes the proposed action and timeframe, and identifies the proponent and approving official in typically less than five pages. The REC must state how the proposed action qualifies for a CATEX or is already covered in an existing EA or EIS. . The specific CATEX or EA/EIS title must be included in the REC. Also, when using a CATEX, the consideration of SCREENING CRITERIA to ensure that no extraordinary circumstances or situations exist must be addressed.DoW NEPA Implementing Procedures Appendix A, classifies CATEXs into activity types using the letters a-h. For simplification, CATEX usage is presented by activity type.
- a = Administration/Operation Activities
- b = Construction and Demolition
- c = Cultural and Natural Resource Management
- d = Procurement and Contract
- e = Real Estate
- f = Repair and Maintenance
- g = Hazardous Materials/Hazardous Waste Management and Operations
- h = Training and Testing
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Links & Contact
NEPA Related Links
- Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) Homepage
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s current list of Environmental Impact Statements
- Army Environmental Command
Fort Wainwright NEPA contact information
For additional information or questions, please call the Fort Wainwright Environmental Division at 907-361-9688.
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