ePlanning Phase 1 Implementation
January 20, 2016
In Reply Refer to:
1610 (CA930) P
EMS TRANSMISSION: 1/21/16
Instruction Memorandum No. CA-2016-007
Expires: 9/30/19
To: District Managers, Field Managers
Attention: All California employees with NEPA, NHPA Section 106,
Webmaster or ADA Section 508 responsibilities
From: State Director
Subject: ePlanning Phase 1 Implementation
Purpose: This instruction memorandum (IM) provides policy and guidance on Phase 1 deployment of ePlanning in the California Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for all National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and land use planning documents. This IM replaces CA IM 2007-015 and CA IM 2014-018.
Policy/Action: In accordance with Washington Office (WO) IM-2014-106, the California BLM developed a state-specific, ePlanning phased deployment plan (Attachment 1). All offices will fully implement ePlanning Phase 1 effective immediately. Phase 2 will begin in spring 2017. Phase 3 will begin in summer 2017. All 3 phases are slated to be fully implemented in California by fall 2017. Instructions for those phases will be outlined at a later date.
Each District and Field Office is responsible for inputting the NEPA and NHPA entries into ePlanning. Roles and responsibilities required in ePlanning will be assigned at the discretion of the Field Manager and need not necessarily match individuals’ job titles. For example, a botanist may be assigned the role of public affairs for a given ePlanning project.
National NEPA Register
For Phase 1 ePlanning implementation, offices must use the BLM’s National NEPA Register in ePlanning to obtain NEPA numbers and post all NEPA documents as they become available for public participation and review (e.g. scoping letter, completed EAs ready for comment, signed decision, etc.) effective immediately. “NEPA documents” includes: Categorical Exclusions (CX), Determinations of NEPA Adequacy (DNA), Environmental Assessments (EA), and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). It also includes resulting decisions documents (Decision Records and Records of Decision), and any other public documents associated with the NEPA process (scoping reports, Findings of No Significant Impact, project newsletters, etc.). The national NEPA register includes a searchable database of all BLM NEPA projects, and automatically generates a project webpage for any project created within the register. Offices can use the project webpage to post documents, supplementary information, and public notifications of comment periods, protest periods, and decision dates. The National NEPA Register replaces the use of the BLM CA NEPA Lister and project webpages on field office websites.
New projects (those that have not yet begun public scoping) must be entered in the National NEPA Register. The National NEPA Register creates a website for each project, eliminating the need to create a webpage on field office websites. Each field office will replace its link to the CA NEPA Lister with a link to the National Register.
On-going projects (projects posted on the NEPA Lister but that do not yet have decision documents), should be moved to the National NEPA Register. Field Offices may also continue to update the BLM CA NEPA Lister. If the field office maintains a project webpage, it may keep that webpage online and provide a link to the National NEPA Register. Projects that will be on-going for several months or more, or ones with considerable public interest, should be transferred to the National NEPA Register. If you have questions about a project in this regard, please contact Liz Meyer-Shields.
Completed projects do not require any change; however, offices are encouraged to move completed projects into the National NEPA Register in order to have all projects in one place. Additional guidance on what will be moved to ePlanning will be forthcoming as we prepare to transition to a new web content management system in the coming months.
National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 Compliance
To comply with California’s NHPA Section 106 notification requirements, as specified in the State Protocol that tiers from the BLM’s National Programmatic Agreement, all offices will use the standard language options provided (Attachment 2) in the ePlanning project description.
This Section 106 information is a mandatory Protocol stipulation intended to supplement current consultation procedures. It does not replace current consultation practice and public outreach. The information must be made available to the public for a minimum number of days on the internet prior to executing the Section 106 decision. The minimum length of time each proposed Section 106 decision must be posted is set by the level of NEPA (7 days for DNAs and CXs, 15-30 days for EAs, and 45 days for EISs). The Archaeologist, with concurrence of the District or Field Manager, is responsible for developing the Section 106 determinations as specified in the Protocol.
Americans with Disabilities Act Section 508 Compliance (508c)
E-Planning is independent from the web content management system. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the offices posting documents to ensure 508c requirements are met. E-Planning includes access to Adobe Acrobat software which is used to comply with Section 508c. CASO, Office of Communications will provide 508c training on an individual basis or through Webex sessions on an as-needed basis. For more information about 508c, contact Natividad Chavez, nchavez@blm.gov or (916) 978-4623.
Signed by:
Jerome E. Perez
State Director
Authenticated by:
Richard A. Erickson
Records Management
Attachments – 2
1 - BLM State ePlanning Deployment Template for California (11 pp)
2 – ePlanning and Section 106 (1 p)