Environmental Analysis and Decision Making

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture At a Glance: Environmental Analysis and Decision Making Forest Service FS-1110a March

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3 2017 Environmental Analysis and Decision Making The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is committed to improving the health, diversity, resilience, and productivity of national forests and grasslands; to being a good neighbor; and to creating jobs and economic benefits for all Americans. Part of this commitment is to increase the efficiency of environmental analysis and decision-making policies and procedures to accomplish more work on the ground. All Forest Service branches the National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, Research and Development, and Business Operations are fully engaged and committed to improving processes and policies that guide environmental analysis and decision making as well as working to affect change in the culture that drives it. The Forest Service will accomplish improvements to its environmental analysis and decision making, while continuing to follow the law and delivering scientifically based, high-quality environmental analysis that leads to sound land management decisions and honors stewardship responsibilities. The anticipated outcome of the Environmental Analysis and Decision Making effort is a decrease in cost and an increase in efficiency by 20 percent, as well as the implementation of comprehensive, national environmental analysis and decision making improvements by The Forest Service is working to improve the way it conducts environmental analysis and makes decisions. Gathered employees from all levels of the Forest Service to discuss environmental analysis and decision making and to develop a path forward for improvement. Formed Forest Service regional and Washington Office deputy area cadres to identify specific actions units could take and successful innovations that could be adopted nationally. The cadres initiated the following activities: Train Employees Examine and Reform Forest Service Policy Improve Efficiency through Technology Develop New Performance Standards Improve Consultation with Other Agencies Change the Way the Agency Does Business 2018 Published Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, 36 Code of Federal Regulations 220, and Forest Service Handbook as part of reforming agency policies. Launching public engagement, in cooperation with the National Forest Foundation and the Nature Conservancy, through partner round tables; a National Environmental Policy Act expert group; and webinars to gather ideas, innovations, and state-of-the-art practices. In support of the six activities, initiated in 2017: Publishing final rule. Delivering National Environmental Policy Act online training courses. Developing and delivering categorical exclusion templates. Completing update of performance measures. Completing final task force reports identifying opportunities to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of how the agency conducts consultation. Capitalizing on knowledge and innovations from the field, sharing lessons learned, and highlighting key elements of efficient environmental analysis and decision making processes. Developing draft environmental analysis and decision making implementation and monitoring plans Realize full implementation of a national-level approach to reforming environmental analysis and decision-making culture, policies, and procedures. 1

4 The Need The Forest Service must improve processes to be more efficient and effective in sustaining the health, diversity, resilience, and productivity of forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations, with existing capacity. To mitigate risk associated with fire and disease, the agency must move cost effectively and quickly to restore more than 80 million acres of National Forest System land. Additionally, more than 6,000 special use permits are waiting to be completed, which impacts more than 7,000 businesses and 120,000 jobs. By using innovations, technology, and valuable input from employees, partners, and Tribes, the Forest Service is positioned to increase the pace and scale of its work to meet the needs of the American people, while holding true to the agency s obligation to ensure the health and resilience of forests and grasslands. Environmental analysis and decision making is taking an average of 4 years to complete and costing about $1 million a day. 2

5 There is a critical need to increase the pace and scale of restoration across national forests and grasslands. 3

6 Environmental Analysis and Decision Making Achieving the Goal The Forest Service is building on past and ongoing efforts to implement a comprehensive, national approach to reforming agency culture, policies, and procedures through the following six activities: Train Our Employees Enhance training efforts to increase the capacity of subject-matter experts as they perform work under the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental laws. Examine and Reform Forest Service Policy Reform compliance policies under the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental laws by expanding use of categorical exclusions, improving process efficiency, and enhancing coordination with other agencies. Improve Efficiency Through Technology Reform, streamline, and develop standard approaches and electronic templates for categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and administrative records. 4

7 Develop New Performance Standards Develop measures that reflect the Forest Service s commitment to change by strengthening accountability and ensuring a focus on change implementation. Improve Consultation With Other Agencies Form national task forces to review and make recommendations on processes associated with consultation requirements under the Endangered Species Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. Change the Way We Do Business Improve efficiency by strengthening project design and implementation, focusing environmental analysis, more effectively integrating public engagement, incorporating innovation, and working closely with partners and agency staff to identify new ways to accomplish our mission. Improving the efficiency of environmental analysis and decision making is critical to meeting the needs of the public and the environment. 5

8 Who s Involved The Chief and the National Leadership Council those at the highest level of Forest Service leadership are committed to keeping the Environmental Analysis and Decision Making effort transparent and collaborative and to engaging partners and communities. Leadership is challenging all Forest Service employees to be creative, to design new ways to accomplish the mission, and to embrace change. Innovative opportunities to improve how the agency conducts environmental analysis and makes decisions, while continuing to honor its stewardship responsibilities, will come from its employees. Cadres from each region and deputy area are supporting the effort by advising, informing, and engaging at the regional and unit level. Cadres are capitalizing on the knowledge and innovations from the field, regions, and deputy areas and sharing lessons learned, struggles, and opportunities. A national coordination team is providing support and liaising with other agency efforts, and engaging with Forest Service leadership in support of the Environmental Analysis and Decision Making effort. Through regional and national-level round tables, the agency will tap into the valuable knowledge, expertise, and networks of those we serve. Working with partners and tribes, the Forest Service will discover creative solutions to working more efficiently and effectively, so we all can enjoy healthy, resilient, and productive forests and grasslands long into the future. For more information about the Environmental Analysis and Decision Making effort and ways to contribute, visit Contacts Chris French, Associate Deputy Chief National Forest System, USDA Forest Service , cfrench@fs.fed.us Caleb O Kray, National EADM Lead National Forest System, USDA Forest Service , cokray@fs.fed.us 6 USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.