Summary of the National Environmental Policy Act and Implementing Regulations - Environmental Impact Analysis: Process and Methods - page 23

TABLE 2.1
Example Methods Developed by Federal Agencies to Facilitate Environmental Consideration as Required by NEPA

Title Reference Applicability to NEPA Environmental Analysis

Techniques for Sampling and Analyzing the
Marine Macrobenthos

EPA/600/3-78-030. EPA March 1978 Standardized description of existing aquatic

invertebrate resources and techniques to
determine impacts on the resource from past
activities.

Guidance on Use of Habitat Evaluation
Procedures and Suitability Index Models

Fish and Wildlife Service; PB 86-100151
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.1987

Determination of relative value and
characteristics of ecological resources before
and after proposed action.

Rapid Bioassessment Protocols for Use in
Streams and Rivers

EPA/444/4-89/001. EPA 1989 Presents methods for EIS/EA level analysis of

aquatic biological existing conditions and
impacts from past actions.

Plant Toxicity Testing with Sediment and
Marsh Soils

NPS/NRWRD/NRTR-91/03. Department of
Interior 1991

Provides methods to determine what level of
contamination would impact vegetation.

Methods for Measuring the Acute Toxicity of
Efluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater
and Marine Organisms

EPA/600/4-60/027. E{A. 1991 Establishes standardized methods to determine

impacts from discharges on surface waters and
can be used not only in impact prediction but
development of alternatives.

Framework for Ecological Risk Assessment EPA/822/R-92/001. EPA 1992 Establishes a conceptual approach to ecological

risk assessment, which can be a basic tool in
evaluating impacts to biological resources.
( Continued )