Making NEPA Better, Faster, Fairer

Fulfilling NEPA’s Promise Through the Power of Data Science

We use the tools of data science and AI to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of environmental decision-making.

Notice

Due to a lapse in federal funding, as of May 2024 we are no longer able to provide the NEPAccess public search functions.

But we’re still here, and we’re looking to the future!

We are committed to developing a permanent, publicly available knowledge, discovery & engagement platform for NEPA. You can help us advocate to restore and expand public access to NEPAccess:

• Tell us how the NEPAccess platform assisted you in the past. Let us know how the absence of NEPAccess search functions will impact your future work. Please answer our survey. (5 min).

• Learn more about what NEPAccess used to provide and our vision for the next phase of the project.

NEPAccess is a Knowledge, Discovery & Engagement Platform

Knowledge

We use AI and data science to organize and synthesize NEPA documents – across all agencies – in one easily searchable place. Users can efficiently access previously hard to find-data.

Discovery

We help users discover new connections through our full-text document search function, metadata filters, and map-based searching. This facilitates deeper analysis and synthesis on critical issues.

Engagement

We aim to support transparency of the NEPA process and facilitate communication between citizens and government agencies by building out our online platform for public engagement, digital comment analysis, and data visualization.

Play Video

How people have used NEPAccess

In this video, three NEPAccess users—an environmental law partner, an environmental consultant, and an infrastructure policymaker—describe how the platform assisted their work and can support the NEPA process. (1:34)

About the project

NEPAccess uses the tools of data science and AI to improve the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of environmental decision-making.

At NEPAccess.org, we created a knowledge, discovery and engagement platform for finding and analyzing decades of applied science and public participation in the NEPA process with seed funding from the NSF RIDIR program (1831551). The beta platform (2021-2024) enabled search, download, and analysis of environmental impact statements (EISs) and other documents created under the US National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), all in one place.

The project is led by a transdisciplinary team of University of Arizona researchers.

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