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NAVAIR Releases Environmental Planning Instruction New Guide Provides Insights into NEPA Compliance I n June 2007, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) released its environmental planning instruction to guide compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) entitled “NAVAIRINST 5090.3 Environmental Planning for NAVAIR Actions.” In April 2005, NAVAIR leadership decided that the development of a NAVAIR instruction was needed to guide actions pertaining to NEPA. Additionally, the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness Division (CNO N45) Supplemental Environmental Planning Policy (dated 23 September 2004) instituted new NEPA planning and report requirements that NAVAIR needed to address in the new instruction. A NEPA policy group was established in May 2005. Membership consisted of representatives from the following NAVAIR organizations:
The Environmental Programs Department (AIR 1.6),
Test and Evaluation (AIR 5.0),
Corporate Operations (AIR 7.0),

and
Office of Counsel, Command Support Staff (AIR 11.4) This policy group decided that vice a new policy an instruction should be prepared. A first draft of the instruction was completed in late 2005. After numerous briefings, updates and interim reviews, a final review and comment was completed in May 2007. The purpose of the instruction is to institutionalize the process and procedures for NAVAIR environmental planning and to establish review and approval procedures. The scope of the instruction includes both acquisition and non-acquisition actions required by NEPA (and Executive Order 12114 “Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions”). The instruction applies to all NAVAIR Competencies, Program Executive Offices, Naval Air Warfare Centers, and Fleet Readiness Centers. The new NAVAIR environmental planning instruction provides for NEPA project visibility, quality control as well as implements the CNO N45 supplemental requirements. The new instruction clarifies

roles and responsibilities as well as project team formation early in the planning process The following is a summary of the changes instituted in the new instruction:
Requires an Initial Planning Meeting (IPM).
Establishes a standing Environmental Planning Council for review and approval of proposed environmental planning strategiesstarting with the IPM. The purpose of the instruction is to institutionalize the process and procedures for NAVAIR environmental planning and to establish review and approval procedures. 60 Currents W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 The new NAVAIR environmental planning instruction provides for NEPA project visibility, quality control as well as implements the CNO N45 supplemental requirements. instruction (NAVAIRINST 5090.3) can be downloaded from NAVAIR’s directives web site at http://directives. navair.navymil or by contacting Nick Paraskevas or Scott Sysum. 
Requires the Vice Commander NAVAIR (AIR 09) to review and approve non-acquisition

Notification Letters and Environmental Assessments (EA)/Overseas Environmental Assessments (OEA).
Requires AIR 1.6 and AIR 114 to review/endorse all Notification Letters, EAs/OEAs and draft Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)/Overseas Environmental Impact Statements (OEIS).
Establishes AIR 1.6 as the NAVAIR central repository of all environmental planning documents.
Requires the action proponent (the Program Manager (PM)) to file an after action report to CNO’s Operational Environmental Readiness and Planning Branch (N456) on the mitigation if required.
Requires the action proponent (the PM) to file NEPA documentation for testing actions covered by an existing EIS.
Discourages the use of a Memorandum For Record. C O N TAC T S Nick Paraskevas Naval Air Systems Command 301-757-2140 DSN: 757-2140 nicholas.paraskevas@navymil Scott Sysum Naval Air Systems Command 301-757-2139 DSN: 757-2139 scott.sysum@navymil An electronic copy (pdf) of the new NAVAIR environmental

planning W I N T E R 2 0 0 8 Currents 61