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Improving Health in the United States The Role of Health Impact Assessment (2011) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix F: Analysis of Health Effects under the National Environmental Policy Act
Pages 204-210

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From page 204...
... Although there is no formal guidance, existing regulations and relevant guidance provide a foundation for improving the analysis of health effects in an EIS. To assist the agencies in conducting a more robust, systematic analysis of health impacts, this appendix addresses the following issues:  Determining when to conduct a systematic analysis of health effects in an EIS or environmental assessment.
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From page 205...
... The effects of federal-agency actions subject to NEPA that may impact health include emissions of hazardous substances; changes in community demographics; involuntary displacement of residents or businesses; changes in industry actions or practices, employment, government revenues, or land-use patterns; changes in modes or safety of transportation; reductions in access to natural resources; and changes in food and agricultural resources. Although environmental-justice guidance is intended to assist agencies in addressing the potential for disparate effects on low-income and minority-group communities, some of the principles also have relevance to health effects in the general population.
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From page 206...
... discusses what is relevant to health effects in the general population and states the following: The EPA NEPA analyst should develop a full understanding of baseline demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental conditions so that a comprehensive assessment of the types of impacts that may be imposed upon all human and natural resources…can be conducted and an under standing of how these impacts may translate into human health concerns can be developed. NEPA and CEQ regulations do not identify any category of health effect that is exempt from consideration under NEPA.
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From page 207...
... . ANALYZING THE HEALTH EFFECTS As noted above, CEQ regulations require that agencies consider "the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects" of the proposed action and alternative and, as noted in Chapter 4, define health as one of the effects that should be included (40 CFR § 1502.16, 40 CFR § 1508.8)
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From page 208...
... establish health-based thresholds that trigger actions to minimize exposure to specific pollutants. Many impacts included in an EIS -- including some health effects -- have no such thresholds or regulatory standards.
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From page 209...
... . Thus, when health effects are to be included, agencies should solicit the participation of public-health experts.
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Key Terms

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  • national environmental
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  • mitigation measures
  • health agencies

  • ceq regulations
  • lead agency
  • impact assessment
  • cooperating agency
  • health impact

  • health impacts
  • consider health
  • health determinants
  • proposed action
  • identified effects

  • government revenues
  • systematic analysis
  • cumulative health
  • health mitigation
  • significant health

  • impact health
  • relevant health
  • federal health
  • regulations require
  • clean air

  • hazardous substances
  • nor federal
  • air act
  • defensible according
  • agencies consider


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