Environmental Policy

The FAA's Office of Environment and Energy develops and coordinates policy recommendations and legislative issues on environmental and energy-related matters. 

Environmental Review

The FAA considers the impact of its actions on the environment through coordinated environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Historic Preservation Act, and other federal laws.

• Order 1050.1F Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures outlines how the FAA implements NEPA and related federal laws. 
• The 1050.1F Desk Reference provides additional guidance for environmental impact analysis performed to comply with NEPA. The Desk Reference is designed to be used in conjunction with Order 1050.1F.
• The Office of Environment and Energy implements NEPA for FAA actions related to environmental policy and energy-related matters. The environmental review process may result in the preparation of environmental documents (environmental impact statements (EISs), environmental assessment (EAs), or findings of no significant impact (FONSIs)). 

Additional Guidance and Memoranda

• Use and Documentation of Categorical Exclusions (September 2019)
• Guidance on Noise Screening Assessments (June 2018)
• Consolidated Guidance for Implementation of the Categorical Exclusion in Section 213(c)(1) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (June 2018)
• Section 106 Handbook: How to Assess the Effects of FAA Actions on Historic Properties under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (June 2015)
• Approval of Aerobatic Practice Area (APA) noise equivalent methodology (November 2012)
• DOT Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (July 1985)
• CEQ Guidance Documents

Community Involvement

The FAA is committed to open and effective public participation and regards community involvement as an important consideration in decisions that affect the public. 

• The FAA Community Involvement Manual provides FAA practitioners with an understanding of the value of community involvement and describes practices and effective techniques for community participation.
• The Promising Practices for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making (October 2022) provides practices which can promote a shared understanding of meaningful public involvement with an aim to incorporate meaningful public involvement into each stage of the transportation decision-making process.

Additional Environmental Programs

• Airport Environmental Programs
• Air Traffic Organization Environmental Reviews
• Commercial Space Transportation Environmental Program
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Drones