The Scoping Process
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing the NEPA process directs federal agencies that have made a decision to prepare an environmental impact statement to engage in a public scoping process. The scoping process is designed to provide an early and open means of determining the scope of issues (problems, needs, and opportunities) to be identified and addressed in the draft environmental impact assessment. Scoping is the process used to: a) identify the affected public and agency concerns; b) facilitate an efficient EIS preparation process; c) define the issues and alternatives that will be examined in detail in the EIS; and d) save time in the overall process by helping to ensure that the draft statements adequately address relevant issues. Scoping is a process, not an event or a meeting. It continues throughout the planning for a draft EIS and may involve meetings, telephone conversations, and/or written comments. (Council on Environmental Quality, Memorandum for General Counsel, April 30, 1981).
The Corps will conduct two scoping meetings to determine the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA), Louisiana - Caminada Headland and Shell Island Restoration Feasibility Study. Notices with the dates and locations of scoping meetings were mailed to the affected and interested public on May 17, 2005. Scoping meetings will be held:
June 14, 2005 at Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Hwy 23, Belle Chase, LA
June 16, 2005 at Larose Civic Center, 307 East 5th Street, Larose, LA
Meetings will begin at 6:00 pm. For more information and meeting format please visit the June meetings page at the link below:Public Meetings
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