Tip 6: Hone Your Focus

Key Points

• A well-defined Purpose and Need (P&N) Statement is key to establishing the scope of analysis, range of reasonable alternatives, and rationale for selection of an alternative.
• Focus on significant issue-driven analysis.

Tips for Developing the P&N Statement

• The Purpose should be one to two sentences to explain what is being addressed.
• The Need should be one to two paragraphs to explain why the action is being considered.
• Improving the focus of the P&N statement will improve the focus of the alternatives.
• Develop the P&N statement very early in the NEPA process and include the P&N in the scoping notice or in the overview presented at the scoping meetings.
• Reexamine and update the P&N statement during the NEPA scoping process, if needed.

Tips for Developing Reasonable Alternatives

• Determine which alternatives are reasonable, prudent, and practicable (see checklist below).
• To be “reasonable,” proposed alternatives must respond to the P&N.
• The range of alternatives may need to reflect the jurisdiction and authorities of cooperating agencies.
• An action alternative may be eliminated from detailed analysis if:
  • It is ineffective in responding to part of the P&N.
  • It is technically or economically infeasible. (Consider whether implementation of the alternative is likely, given past and current practice and technology; this does not require cost-benefit analysis or speculation about an applicant’s costs and profits).
  • It is inconsistent with the basic policy objectives for the management of the area.
  • Its implementation is remote or speculative.
  • It is substantially similar in design to an alternative that is analyzed.
  • It would have substantially similar effects to an alternative that is analyzed.
  • It duplicates other less environmentally damaging or less expensive alternatives.
  • It is expected to have too great an environmental impact.

Tips for Focusing the Analysis

• Analyze only issues and impacts relevant to making informed decisions.
• Avoid analyzing irrelevant and insignificant topics. Relegate the analysis of less relevant topics and documentation to an appendix or source document.
• Focus the level of detail in the analysis to reflect the importance of the issue:
  • Restrict text to pertinent facts only.
  • Exclude material not directly applicable to potential significant impacts.
  • Include only information and data needed to support the conclusions reached.