Each and every project selected for funding by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) must adhere to the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and/or the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before the project can receive final approval. The project sponsor (grant applicant) must complete this environmental analysis, obtain State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) clearance, and acquire all necessary permits (124, 310, 404, etc.) associated with the proposed project. It is the sponsor's responsibility to complete the environmental analysis.

To aid grant applicants in their environmental analysis, FWP has written the MEPA/NEPA Checklist (see this web site). This document is a synthesis of criteria needed to make an evaluation of the likely impacts to the human environment from proposed actions of the project. The completion of this analysis will help FWP to fulfill its oversight obligations and satisfy rules and regulations of both the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Section 10 of the Checklist asks the applicant to consider all reasonable alternatives to the proposed project, including the required "no action" alternative. Pay close attention to this section. It is a valuable planning tool to ensure that your project is the best it can be. After a careful analysis of all reasonable alternatives, for example, you may decide that the project would be better if you made slight modifications to the scope of work to be accomplished. These changes may be beneficial to both the motorboat facility users and to the human environment.

Address all potential effects the project is likely to have on the human environment. It is unlikely a project will have no impacts. Such impacts may be negative or positive. Displacing wildlife from public land to private land is a negative impact, while improving a boat ramp or an access road to lead people away from another significant wildlife area is a positive impact. Weeds are a significant problem throughout Montana. An appropriate and acceptable weed plan must be a part of the environmental analysis and MEPA/NEPA review for all projects.

Sponsors should pay special attention to the public-comment requirements at the end of the MEPA/NEPA Checklist. Requirements include soliciting public input to the proposed project through a legal ad in a daily newspaper with widest circulation in the immediate project area. The legal ad must run for at least one day. The public comment period must be open for at least 30 days. Please plan your grant application schedule accordingly and start work on this part of the application right away.