Environmental impact analysis; a new dimension in decision making

The text covers a wide range of concepts involved in environmental impact analysis. Chapter 1 introduces the nature of the problem and lays the ground work for the text's overall concept. Chapter 2 describes the different elements of NEPA, gives illustrative examples of executive orders and guidelines, and provides a commentary on state environmental policy acts. Chapter 3, dis cusses the function and purpose of the impact analysis process, the new CEQ regulations, and the various environmental documents such as environmental impact assessments and statements (EIA/EIS). It also covers EIS format and content and procedures for processing environmental documents. Chapter 4 examines the four basic elements of environmental impact analysis, and Chapter 5 provides a review of impact assessment methodologies, as well as information regarding six basic categories of assessment methodologies. Chapter 6 provides a framework of a generalized approach for developing an overall impact analysis system on an agency-wide basis. This chapter also provides a rationale for a computer-based analysis system, a requirement necessitated by the complexity of the problem and the vast amount of information which must be processed for a meaningful environmental impact analysis. Since persons of various organizations and management levels re view EIA/EIS documents, Chapter 7 presents a general procedure for reviewing EIA/EIS. There are numerous special issues which one can discuss in the overall context of environmental impact analysis; four of these, discussed in Chapter 8, deal with public participation, economic impact analysis, energy impact analysis, and socio-economic impact assessment.