Which document is associated with little to no environmental impact and requires a 'hard look'?

• A. Environmental Assessment
• B. Environmental Impact Statement
• C. FONSI
• D. Categorical exclusion

Answer: (A)

The situation is best understood through the different NEPA review levels. An Environmental Assessment is the step where agency staff take a careful, thorough look at the potential environmental effects of a proposed action to decide whether those effects are significant. This “hard look” is what determines whether the impacts are substantial or not. If the assessment finds no significant impact, a Finding of No Significant Impact is issued; if significant effects are found, an Environmental Impact Statement is required, which is a more detailed, comprehensive analysis. A Categorical Exclusion covers actions presumed not to have significant impacts and typically doesn’t involve the same kind of documented analysis. So when the goal is to assess potential effects and determine if they’re insignificant, with that careful examination, the Environmental Assessment is the correct document.