A federal project may require which process to determine its environmental impact?

The process that federal projects typically require to determine their environmental impact is the Environmental Assessment (EA). An EA serves as a preliminary analysis that helps to determine whether a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is necessary. It assesses the potential environmental effects of a proposed federal action and allows for identification of possible impacts early in the planning process. If significant environmental effects are anticipated, an EIS will be prepared, but if impacts are minor or can be mitigated, the EA can lead to a finding of no significant impact.

While an Environmental Impact Statement is crucial for larger projects with potentially significant environmental effects, the EA acts as an initial step that helps determine the necessity of an EIS. A negative declaration is a statement that no significant environmental impact will occur and is often related to the EA process. The public review process, although important, is more about stakeholder engagement than assessing environmental impacts directly.