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Working as a NEPA Practitioner

Meghan A. Makoid, AICP

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Overview 1. Background

2. So you want to be a NEPA practitioner?

3. Networking – do it!

4. You have a job… now what?!

5. Questions

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Your background

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Who am I?

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My background• Transportation Planner

– 8+ years of planning experience

– Responsible for environmental planning, NEPA compliance, station area planning, & station design

• Education– MPA, specialized in transportation policy

– AICP Certified Planner

– & Recent DEL NEPA Certificate graduate

– Current Research Interest: Social Media in NEPA

• Work for local transit agency receiving Federal Funds

– Work with FTA to comply with NEPA for major, federally funded, transit projects

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So you want to be a NEPA practitioner…• Public agency or private consultant?

– If public, then Federal, State or Local agency?

• To specialize or not to specialize, that is the question!

– Specialist Career Track• Technical

– Collecting Data– Analyzing Data– Making recommendations– Writing reports – Interpreting Policy

– Generalist Career Track• Management

– Managing Environmental Compliance

– Reviewing Data– Concluding recommendations– Editing reports– Implementing Policy

?

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So you want to be a NEPA practitioner…

• Job Search Level– Entry-level, Associate, Planner I, Analyst

• Job Search Keywords– Planner, Transportation Planner, Environmental

Planner, Community Planner– Environmental Specialist, NEPA Specialist, SEPA/CEQA

Specialist (CA Only), Environmental Permitting Specialist, NEPA Resource Specialist, Environmental Resource Specialist

– Environmental Economist, Environmental Scientist, Project Scientist, Field Biologist, Wildlife Biologist, 401/404 Coordinator, Ecologist, Archaeologist, Storm Water Design Engineer, Research Geographer, Acoustics Engineer, Public Involvement Specialist

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So you want to be a NEPA practitioner…• How can you find out about jobs?

http://www.planning.org/ http://www.naep.org

http://www.usajobs.gov

http://www.linkedin.com

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Networking – do it!• Online Web Groups & Bulletin Boards• Professional Affiliations / Organizations• Training Opportunities

– Conferences, webinars, certifications

• Social Media– A great way to crowd source!

• Ask questions• Learn about latest practices• Find out about training opportunities

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You have a job… now what?!• Tips & takeaways

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You have a job… now what?!• Tips for Federal, State & Local agency

practitioners– Know your agency regulations and guidance– Build relationships & partnerships– Use scoping to focus on key issues– Watch out for scope creep– Use technical memoranda, appendices &

incorporation by reference

• Additional tips, for consultants…– Know your client, your audience, your public– Manage client expectations

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You have a job… now what?!• Know your NEPA practitioner tools • Agency specific websites, BBS & list servs

– NEPAssist, ESA Webtool, other GIS-based tools– U.S. Census

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/nepassist-mapping.html

http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/esawebtool/default.aspx

ESA Webtool http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov

http://lehdmap.did.census.gov/

https://www.transportationresearch.gov/dot/fhwa/ReNepa/default.aspx

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You have a job… now what?!• Know your NEPA practitioner resources

– Practitioner resource guides

http://environment.transportation.org/center/products_programs/practitioners_handbooks.aspx

http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/nepapub/nepa_documents/RedDont/G-CEQ-ConsidCumulEffects.pdf

http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/ntf/Collaboration_in_NEPA_Oct_2007.pdf

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You have a job… now what?!• Tips in documentation

– Use plain language & graphics• No planner-ease• Graphics should be simple and easy to understand

Image source: http://xkcd.com/1007/Image source: http://theplanninglab.typepad.com/theplanninglab/humor/

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You have a job… now what?!• New NEPA public involvement tools

– Electronic materials & distribution (EPA changes)– Social media

• Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, U-Stream, Pinterest

– Try new tools, but… • Know your agency policies• Obtain buy-in from team & partners • Develop a plan for implementation• Have the technical back-up to explain• Beware of bias in presentation• Remember EJ, ADA & LEP requirements

Remember: social media is a “tool” in your practitioner toolbox

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You have a job… now what?!• Examples of Social Media in NEPA:

– Woodward Avenue Detroit Light Rail Alternatives• Youtube video• Trains down the middle• http://youtu.be/egc_MwazUWo

– Honolulu High Capacity Rail Project• Honolulu on the Move: Transit 101- FEIS Edition• http://youtu.be/qrlEeVcUiy0• http://youtu.be/v_DH72ad4d4• http://youtu.be/3D-XcT1vVGc

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Tips from other NEPA practitioners

Quotes courtesy of: •Kim Bereis via LinkedIn, •Chris Sequeira @cjsequeira via twitter, •Brian Smart via LinkedIn, •Shana Johnson @Shana_Johnson via twitter, •Veronica O. Davis @Dizzyluv25 via twitter

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Questions?

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