• All federal environmental projects need to assess their impact on the earth.vue a??rioenne...environs d'Alger image by rachid amrous-spleen from Fotolia.com
  
  An Environmental Impact Assessment, or EIA, is an assessment that provides insights to decision makers who need to consider all the environmental impacts of a particular federal project. The assessment is given to the public to describe, define and analyze projects that may negatively impact the environment. It is a means of looking at projects from the beginning stages through implementation and analysis to be able to fully comprehend its effects. This also is a way to avoid or reduce further environmental impact and find more efficient alternatives of implementing projects that affect the environment.
  
  

Preliminary Activities

• At this beginning stage, a collection of background information on the project is collected and overseen by an Environmental Impact Agency coordinator. This happens shortly after the project has been brought to attention.
  
  

Impact Identification

• The impact identification is a means of identifying a broad range of environmental impacts that may result from the project. Each possible impact must be defined so they can be evaluated throughout the project.
  
  

Baseline Study

• The baseline study allows for a collection of data before the actual project goes into effect. This is a way to get some basic information to look at beforehand.
  
  

Impact Evaluation

• The baseline study and the other preliminary activities offer basic information so an impact evaluation can be made. If there are any issues that come up from the baseline study or from other issues that are predicted, alternatives must be given and decided upon before implementing the project.
  
  

Environmental Assessment

• There are different components that make up the actual Environmental Assessment. The assessment must first give an overall summary of the project. An introduction follows this and must include a description of the structure, background, purpose and need for action, the proposed action, decision framework, public involvement and any other issues involved. The proposed action must be listed as well as any alternatives to the proposed action, a designated way to mitigate all alternatives and a comparison of all alternatives. The environmental consequences should be listed next. Consultation and coordination is listed after that.
  
  

Documentation

• Documentation is done on the actual project and clearly spells out what action should be implemented. If any alternatives to the project are requested, each are defined, as well as any other environmentally and economic impacts that may occur from the project.
  
  

Action

• The federal government looks at the initial environmental assessment and all other components to decide whether there is a significant environmental effect. From the release of the environmental assessment, it is determined if a Finding of No Significant Impact, or FONSI, or an Environmental Impact Statement, EIS, will be released. If the latter is the determination, the EIS describes the impacts in detail and project alternatives are then implemented.