Environmental Memoranda Series

Note: Environmental Compliance Memoranda have been renumbered by series.  The series are:

10 - Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Guidance

20 - Environmental Compliance Guidance

30 - Environmental Liabilities Guidance

40 - CERCLA Response (and Recovery) Guidance

50 - Environmental Review Guidance

60 - Environmental Assessment Guidance

70 - Environmental Justice Guidance

The current memoranda are listed below:

• Environmental Compliance Memoranda (ECM)*
  • Discontinuing of Memoranda in Effect for OEPC Guidance
  • ECM 10-1, Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Process for CHF Projects
  • ECM 10-2,  Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Record of Decision (ROD) Surname Guidance
  • ECM 10-3,  Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Project Nomination Guidance
  • ECM 10-4,  Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Financial Management Guidance
  • ECM 10-5,  Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Cost Recovery Guidance
  • ECM 10-6  Central Hazardous Materials Fund (CHF) Administrative Record Guidance
  • ECM 10-7,  Policy and Procedures for Prioritization of Contaminated Sites
  • ECM 10-8,  CHF Strategic Prioritization Framework
  • ECM 20-5, Biosecurity Protocols for Hawaii Islands
  • ECM 20-7, Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation Federal Program Guidance
  • ECM 30-2, Locations of Concern and Comprehensive Inventory of Contaminated Sites
  • ECM 50-1, Environmental Review Compliance and Federal Finance Assistance Programs 
  • ECM 70-1, Reporting Environmental Justice Activities

• Older ECMs (these ECMs will be renumbered and revised in the future):

  • ECM 03-2, Department Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Council 
  • ECM 08-02,  Interpretive Guidance on the Department's Environmental Management Systems Policy (515DM4)

  • ECM 07-3, Statement of Principals for Collaborative Decision Making at Mixed Ownership Sites

  • ECM 07-4, Policy and Procedures for Prioritization of EDL Sites

  • ECM 10-2, Pre-Acquisition EA Guidance for Federal Lands

  • ECM 16-4, Department Procedures Related to Pollution Removal Funding

  • ECM 14-3, Large Capacity Cesspool Definition

  • ECM 15-2, Departmental Guidance on Class V Underground Injection Control Wells

  • ECM 15-3, Authorizing CERCLA Response Actions Undertaken by Other Federal Agencies on DOI-Managed Lands

• Rescinded Environmental Compliance Memoranda (ECMs)

  • ECM 95-3, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Responsibilities Under the Departmental Environmental Justice Policy--RESCINDED 09/05/2018
  • ECM 97-2, Departmental Responsibilities for Indian Trust Resources and Indian Sacred Sites on Federal Lands--RESCINDED 09/05/2018

• Environmental Review Memoranda (ERM)*
  • ERM 10-1 Electronic Distribution of Environmental Review Assignments
  • ERM10-2 Procedures for Reviewing Project and Environmental Reports Prepared by or for Non-Federal Agencies
  • ERM 10-3 Interventions in Proceedings of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
  • ERM 10-4 Trial-Type Hearing Requests on Mandatory Conditions and Prescriptions for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Hydroelectric Power Licensing Proceedings Under Sections 4(e) and 18 of the Federal Power Act
  • ERM 10-5 Departmental Participation in Hydroelectric Power Licensing by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
  • ERM 10-6 Evaluating Alternative Conditions and Prescriptions in Hydroelectric Power Licensing or Relicensing Proceedings Before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
  • ERM 10-7 Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act
  • ERM 10-8 Guidance on Referrals to CEQ of Proposed Federal Actions Found to be Environmentally Unsatisfactory
  • ERM 10-9 Entering Information into the Department’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Tracking Database
  • ERM 10-11 Departmental Clearance Process for Environmental Impact Statements 
• Discontinued/Rescinded ERMs
  • ERM 10-12 Reporting Costs Associated with Developing Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) and Environmental Assessments (EAs) -- RESCINDED 06/07/2022
  • ERM 17-1 Memoranda in Effect

• Environmental Statement Memoranda (ESM)*
  • ESM 13-1 Environmental Statement Memoranda
  • ESM 13-2 Approving and Filing Environmental Impact Statements (under revision)
  • ESM 13-3 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance in Emergency Situations
  • ESM 13-4 Use of Departmental Categorical Exclusion for Policies, Directives, Regulations, and Guidelines
  • ESM 13-5 Review and Approval of Bureau and Office NEPA Chapters, Categorical Exclusions, Handbooks, and Other Guidance
  • ESM 13-6 State and Local Agency Review of Environmental Statements
  • ESM 13-7 Publication and Distribution of Department of the Interior National Environmental Policy Act Compliance Documents via Electronic Methods
  • ESM 13-8 Preparing a Decision Memorandum When Using the Department's Categorical Exclusions for Fuels Treatment or Rehabilitation
  • ESM 13-9 Implementing Public Participation and Community-Based Training
  • ESM 13-10 Implementing Integrated Analyses in the National Environmental  Policy Act (NEPA) Process (under revision)
  • ESM 13-11 Coordinating Adaptive Management and National Environmental Policy Act Processes
  • ESM 13-12 Standard Checklist for Use in Preparing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Documents and for Complying with NEPA, Council on Environmental Quality, and Departmental Procedures
  • ESM 13-13 Approving and Publishing Proposed and Final Bureau Categorical Exclusions (CEs) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• ESM Recissions:
  • ESM 17-1  Environmental Statement Memoranda
  • ESM 13-12 Incorporating Consensus-Based Management in Agency Planning and Operations