Categorical Exclusion

The draft version of the Environmental Impact Statement that is released to the public and other agencies for review and comment

Departmental Manual

This type of decision is used when the environmental analysis has been "categorically excluded" (CE) from documentation in an EA or an EIS. Ordinarily, decisions documented in a Decision Memo are not subject to administrative appeal; the exception is the category of small timber sales (unless there has been no expression of public interest in the sale).

This type of decision is used when an Environmental Assessment (EA) is conducted and it is concluded that no significant environmental impact will result from implementing the preferred alternative. (If a significant environmental impact will result, an EIS must be prepared.) Decisions documented in a Decision Notice are subject to administrative appeal unless there has been no expression of public interest in the action.

Documentation of Land Use Plan Conformance and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Adequacy

A worksheet for determining and documenting that a new site-specific proposed action both conforms to the existing land use plan(s) and is adequately analyzed in existing NEPA documents. The signed conclusion in the worksheet is an interim step in BLM's internal analysis process and is not an appealable decision. A Documentation of NEPA Adequacy (DNA) identifies previously prepared NEPA documents which adequately describe the environmental consequences of a newly proposed action. In most cases a DNA is prepared without additional public involvement.

Department of the Interior

Decision Record (for an EA)

Environmental Assessment