PLAC 5870

Course Description

This course is intended to provide students with a broad background of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the subsequent laws and administrative processes from which developed the environmental impact assessment, particularly the environmental impact statement. The course introduces a framework for conducting environmental impact assessments, technological methods for predicting changes in environmental characteristics, considerations involved in interpreting significance of predicted impacts, techniques for accomplishing public participation, and practical considerations for writing environmental impact statements as applied to a local project. Students will also discuss the future of Environmental Impact Assessments, Community Impact Assessments, Health Impact Assessments and other similar tools.