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Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) and STB—EIS for the Shipment and Storage
of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF)
ICF International is serving on the team of third-party
independent contractors to the NRC and STB in
their environmental review of the proposed construction
of a SNF storage facility and a new 30-mile rail
line to serve the facility. The NRC is the lead
agency, with STB, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA),
and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) serving as
cooperating agencies. We implemented a coordinated
management and database approach to support comment
response activities among NRC, STB, BLM, BIA,
and their contractors. In total, approximately
100 people have been working simultaneously in
our Web-accessible database to summarize and respond
to comments.
Railroad Construction, Mergers,
Acquisitions, and Privatization
ICF International has prepared or reviewed EISs and
EAs, on both the government side (STB) and the
applicant side, for several important railroad
construction projects, mergers, acquisitions,
and privatization activities. These include the
construction of the Bayport Loop in Houston, the
merger of Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF),
the Canadian National (CN) acquisition of Illinois
Central, the CSX and Norfolk Southern acquisition
of Conrail, the proposed BNSF-CN merger, and the
Long Island Rail Road privatization of freight
operations.
DOJ, Office of Justice Programs,
Corrections Program Office (OJP/CPO) - NEPA Review,
Document Preparation, Guidance, and Training Support
ICF International is reviewing EAs and related technical
documents for over 200 federal grant-funded new
or expanded state and local prisons and jails
for violent offenders. Under this multibillion-dollar
government program, we are providing guidance,
technical assistance, and training to OJP/CPO
and grantee staff. We are also preparing EAs for
some of these facilities.
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC)—Programmatic EIS for Rulemakings
on Deregulation
ICF International prepared a Programmatic EIS for
rulemakings proposed by FERC. These rulemakings
included proposed Regulations Governing Independent
Power Producers and proposed Regulations Governing
Bidding Programs. Our detailed knowledge of utility
regulations and economics was required to evaluate
the nationwide impact of the rulemakings.
DOE—Headquarters and
Site-Specific NEPA Support
For over 15 years, ICF International provided technical
assistance to support the timely implementation
of DOE's proposed actions by assuring compliance
with NEPA and other environmental review requirements.
The support has included independent review of
NEPA and related environmental documents, and
review of highly complex documents for technical
accuracy and adequacy, appropriateness of analytical
approach, and scientific methodology. In addition,
ICF International prepared a Supplemental EIS/Environmental
Impact Report (SEIS/EIR) under NEPA and California
Environmental Quality Act regulations for the
sale of all federal ownership interests in Naval
Petroleum Reserve Number 1 (NPR-1). The controversial
$3.6 billion sale was the largest divestiture
ever by the federal government and drew criticism
from several Native American and environmental
groups. We worked closely with DOE and DOJ to
successfully defend the EIS/EIR from a legal challenge
related to NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and
National Historic Preservation Act. We also recently
prepared an EA for the construction of a gas-fired
power plant at NPR-2. We prepared an EIS to evaluate
the impacts of siting, developing, constructing,
and operating oil storage caverns, pipelines,
marine terminals, and other support facilities
for the expansion of DOE's Strategic Petroleum
Reserve (SPR) across four states in the Gulf Coast
region. We also prepared several EAs for other
activities at the SPR.
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U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD)—NEPA Training
ICF International is developing and delivering NEPA
training for HUD's Office of Native American Programs.
The training is being delivered at 12 locations
nationwide to Native American housing officials.
The training covers NEPA requirements, the requirements
of related laws and authorities, and how to prepare
NEPA documents.
EIAs and Environmental Mitigation
Plans for Roads and Highways in Panama
ICF International prepared an EIA, Community Participation
Plan, and Environmental Action and Mitigation
Plan for a proposed 80-km road in the Bocas del
Toro Province of Panama. This road served as the
first major incursion into a sensitive coastal
environment that includes lands owned and occupied
by indigenous communities. We managed teams collecting
environmental and socioeconomic data in the field,
worked with local communities to gain their input,
and coordinated with the road design team, local
environmental agencies, and local and international
non-government organizations concerned about the
project.
The Environmental Action and Mitigation Plan
for the road includes measures for minimizing
the impacts of the road construction and several
detailed plans intended to control secondary impacts
by designating and strengthening the management
of protected areas in the Province. Working with
the Panamanian Nature Conservancy (ANCON), ICF International prepared the EIA for a proposed highway
serving Panama City. The impact area included
highly urbanized areas and fragile rainforest
ecosystems. ICF and ANCON conducted a public participation
program, and ICF International conducted the impact
analysis. For impacts that appeared to be significant,
ICF International prepared a detailed Environmental
Action Plan defining specific mitigation, monitoring,
and compensation measures. For Constructora Urbana
S.A., a Panamanian construction company, ICF International
prepared a series of environmental studies regarding
the mitigation of potential impacts caused by
the construction of a new Punta-Peña and
Almirante road. This 80-mile road is located near
the friendship bi-national park and other national
reserves. The road also crosses the Comarca Ngöbe,
a tribal land.
Environmental Analysis for
Petroleum Terminal and Pipeline in Columbia, for
ECOPETROL
For Colombia's national oil company (ECOPETROL),
ICF International performed an environmental assessment
of several possible alternative locations and
configurations of a seaport, petroleum loading
terminal, and the first section of a Pacific Coast
pipeline. The purpose was to evaluate the environmental
impacts of a variety of configurations so as to
minimize or avoid negative impacts.
Environmental Assessment
for a Petrochemical Plant in Maracaibo, Venezuela,
for PRALCA
In cooperation with a Venezuelan consulting firm,
ICF International prepared an environmental impact
assessment for a petrochemical plant partially
funded by the World Bank and operated by PRALCA,
a consortium of Venezuelan and U.S. companies.
Submitted in fulfillment of World Bank guidelines,
ICF International reviewed relevant Venezuelan and
international environmental regulations and assessed
direct wastewater charges to surface waters, indirect
discharges to publicly owned treatment works,
air emissions, and noise issue.
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