Following the decision to prepare an EA, DOE notifies the host state and host tribe of the determination. A Draft EA is prepared and made available to the host state and host tribe for review and comment. After considering comments received during this review period, DOE releases a Final EA and a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or a decision to prepare an EIS and pursue further environmental review is made.
If a FONSI is issued, no further environmental review is required. In some cases, DOE may “develop and consider committing to mitigation measures to avoid, minimize, rectify, reduce, or compensate for potentially significant adverse environmental impacts that would otherwise require full review in an EIS.” (Appropriate Use of Mitigation and Monitoring and Clarifying the Appropriate Use of Mitigated Findings of No Significant Impact, CEQ, 2011). In these cases, a mitigated FONSI is issued. If a mitigated FONSI is issued, a Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) must be prepared. The MAP describes the plan for implementing mitigation commitments made in the EA or FONSI.