This course explores the history of the federal statute that is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementation through the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality. It describes the circumstances that trigger NEPA compliance and provides an overview of the environmental process, including the integration of social, environmental, and economic factors within the framework of existing laws, regulations, policies, and guidance for project decisions. It examines the components of the NEPA process, including purpose and need, scoping, alternatives development and analysis, impact analysis, public involvement, interagency coordination, mitigation, and documentation. The course will touch on practical processes that are involved in preparing and reviewing NEPA documents, cumulative effects assessments, and technical issues such as impacts on threatened or endangered species, wetlands, national historic preservation activities, environmental justice communities, etc. Case studies involving multiple governmental entities and nongovernmental stakeholders will be examined to highlight the essential steps and components needed to design, implement, and participate effectively in a collaborative NEPA process.

Over the course of six Sunday field trips, we will travel from the barrier islands along the Atlantic Ocean in southern New Jersey to the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania, visiting representative sites of the diverse landscapes in the region along the way. At each site we will study and consider interactions between geology, topography, hydrology, soils, vegetation, wildlife, and disturbance. Students will summarize field trip data in a weekly site report. Evening class meetings will provide the opportunity to review field trips and reports and preview upcoming trips. Six all-day Sunday field trips are required.