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• 2025 NEPA Case Law Review

  • When
    15 Oct 2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

  90-minute Zoom webinar hosted by NAEP

  About

  The panel is based on a paper that reviews substantive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) cases issued by United States Courts of Appeals in 2025. The implications of the decisions and relevance to NEPA practitioners will be explained. This session will summarize the more detailed paper prepared for this session. The paper briefly explains, with an emphasis on the substantive NEPA findings, each opinion issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals. The paper identifies statistics regarding the NEPA appellate opinions, such as twelve-year record of NEPA cases, organized by circuit, and by year. The paper also identifies the agencies involved in each case and presents statistics relevant to the agencies; the paper further identifies the prevailing ratio of federal agencies, including by agency and by document type (categorical exclusion, environmental assessment, environmental impact statement). The paper analyzes the trends in the court opinions involving NEPA for 2025, with an emphasis on substantive NEPA practice, and by grouping of the cases. Finally, each court opinion is paraphrased and organized in a manner easy to read for practitioners to find the court's ruling. Appellate opinions are grouped and analyzed by agency. Past trends include challenges to purpose and need, alternatives considered, public comment, scientific impact assessment methodologies, GHG emissions and climate change impact assessment, incomplete or unavailable information, determination of significance, segmentation, duty to supplement, connected actions, federal actions, cumulative impact assessment, mitigation, monitoring and adaptive management. Suggestions for improving the implementation of the NEPA process and to meeting current challenges are offered, looking ahead to the future with renewed emphasis on one of the world's oldest and most forward-looking environmental laws.

  NAEP Members: Free
  Chapter Members & Non-Members: $50
  

  Learn more and register: https://www.naep.org/webinars

  
  

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• Unlock the Future of Environmental Review and Permitting: Introducing PermitAI

  • When
    19 Oct 2026
  •  
    12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

  Register

  A Lunchtime webinar on using AI to speed up environmental review and permitting.

  Are you ready to streamline your environmental review and permitting workflows and harness the power of artificial intelligence? Join the MN, IL, and Rocky Mountain Chapters of the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) for a joint lunchtime webinar exploring the cutting-edge capabilities of PermitAI.

  • Date: October 19, 2026

  • Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM CST/11:30 AM-12:30 PM MST

  • Location: MS Teams

  Why Attend?

  Environmental review and permitting is growing increasingly complex, but AI-driven tools are changing the landscape. In this dynamic, one-hour session, the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will demonstrate how their PermitAI tools can help environmental professionals accelerate review timelines, support data-driven decision making, and regulatory compliance.

  What You'll Learn:

  • An insider look at PermitAI’s core features and user interface.

  • Real-world applications and case studies for environmental professionals. 

  • Best practices for effectively integrating AI tools into your current workflows

  • Live Q&A with PNNL speakers.

  Registration:

  This is a free event for members of the MN, IL, and Rocky Mountain Chapters of the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP). MNAEP members can login on our website using the email associated with your membership to register. Not a member? Join today! Non-members may register for this webinar for $25. Payment may be made via PayPal (MinnesotaAEP@gmail.com), Venmo (@Minnesota-AEP185), or via check (please email minnesotaaep@gmail.com for mailing address).

  The webinar will be recorded for those unable to attend. Certificates of attendance can be provided for those seeking continuing education credits such as Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) or other credentialed professions.
  

  
  

  
  

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• Student Mentorship Program Kickoff

  • When
    20 Oct 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    University of Minnesota - Exact Location TBD

  Register

  MNAEP Mentorship Program

  October 2026 – April 2027

  MNAEP is excited to launch another mentorship program following the success of our summer pilot! This program brings together college students, young professionals, and experienced environmental professionals for meaningful connections, professional guidance, and career growth.

  Whether you're looking to gain insight from an experienced professional or interested in supporting the next generation of environmental professionals, we invite you to participate.

  Program Details

  Mentors and mentees will meet approximately once per month, with an expected time commitment of 1–2 hours per month.

  MNAEP will also host networking events specifically for mentors and mentees, along with additional general MNAEP networking opportunities that all participants are encouraged to attend.

  Additional program details will be shared with prospective mentors and mentees in the coming week.

  Kickoff Meeting

  Tuesday, October 20, 2026
  6:00–7:00 p.m.
  University of Minnesota Campus
  Exact location to be provided to participants

  The kickoff meeting will be an opportunity to meet fellow participants, learn more about the program, and get started with your mentorship experience.

  Interested in Participating?

  Prospective Mentees

  College students and young professionals interested in participating as mentees should complete the sign-up form below. The form will help us learn more about you, your interests, and what you're looking for in a mentor so we can create the best possible match.

  Prospective Mentors

  Experienced environmental professionals interested in serving as mentors should also complete the sign-up form below.

  Mentoring is a great opportunity to support the next generation of environmental professionals, build meaningful professional connections, and help shape the future of the MNAEP mentoring program.

  Sign Up

  The deadline to submit your interest form is Friday, October 16, 2026.

  Complete the Mentorship Program Sign-Up Form →

  We look forward to bringing mentors and mentees together this fall!

  
  

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• NEPA Essentials Workshop

  • When
    21 Oct 2026
  • Location
    Virtual

  The National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) has designed the 8-hour NEPA Essentials workshop for new and emerging environmental professionals engaged in the preparation of Categorical Exclusions and Environmental Assessments to fulfill federal Lead Agencies responsibilities pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, referred to as NEPA. This course is designed to help you understand the basic requirements and how to fulfill the spirit and legislative intent of NEPA. You will learn what NEPA is, when the NEPA requirements apply to projects, the roles and responsibilities of the federal Lead Agency and Cooperating Agencies and project sponsors within the context of NEPA, about the three different NEPA classes of action, how to determine when each class of action applies, and the different environmental review, documentation, and public involvement requirements, focusing on Categorical Exclusions and Environmental Assessment. The workshop will use a Case Study to illustrate best practices for effective analysis and writing for the required purpose and need statement, consideration of alternatives, characterization of the affected environment, and evaluation of environmental effects. NAEP welcomes you to connect with other environmental professionals by engaging in this learning opportunity.

  This workshop will cover National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) basics, including policies, procedures, and environmental documents necessary for successful compliance. It is primarily designed for new and mid-level NEPA practitioners and will inform agency staff, consultants, regulators, applicants, and other interested professionals about best NEPA practices. NEPA is a far-reaching law that applies to virtually all U.S. federal agencies and most activities that affect the environment. Many state, local, and private undertakings must be evaluated pursuant to NEPA if they receive federal funding, require federal permits, or would take place on federal land. The key to successfully implementing NEPA is attaining a working knowledge of the regulations, legal interpretations, and typical federal agency practices. This workshop will cover all of these aspects of NEPA. Workshop topics include:

  • NEPA’s legal and regulatory framework
  • Determining whether NEPA applies to a proposed action
  • Key steps in the NEPA environmental review process
  • Determining which type of NEPA document to prepare
  • Scoping for NEPA analyses
  • Successful integration of NEPA with other environmental laws
  • Direct, indirect, and cumulative impact analysis
  • Determining the significance of impacts
  • Developing and evaluating a reasonable range of alternatives
  • Writing adequate and feasible mitigation measures
  • Legal adequacy of NEPA documents and NEPA case law

  Learn more and register at: https://naep.memberclicks.net/nepa-workshops

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• NEPA Advanced Workshop

  • When
    22 Oct 2026
  • Location
    Virtual

  The National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) has designed the 8-hour Advanced NEPA workshop for emerging and experienced environmental professionals engaged in the preparation of Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements to fulfill federal Lead Agencies' responsibilities pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This course is designed to help you understand the requirements and how to fulfill the spirit and legislative intent of NEPA. The Advanced NEPA Workshop is intended to provide participants with practical tools regarding the preparation and review of environmental documents. 

  The workshop will start with a summary of recent changes to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, and other related procedural updates related to consideration of Waters of the United States, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice and Best Practices for achieving Agency timelines for preparation of environmental impact statements and environmental assessments.  The introductory panel will be followed by subject matter expert detailed presentations on the Clean Water Act,  climate change, environmental justice, the Endangered Species Act, and Section 106 Consultations pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act.  NAEP welcomes you to connect with other environmental professionals by engaging in this learning opportunity.

  Learn more and register at: https://naep.memberclicks.net/nepa-workshops

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• Annual Board Meeting and Elections

  • When
    5 Nov 2026
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    KLJ Engineering, St. Louis Park

  Register

  Join MNAEP on Thursday, November 5th for our annual board meeting and elections. All attendees will hear an update about the association and members are invited to vote in the board elections.

  Give 1-year director positions are open to new candidates, including:

  • Program Director

  • Communications Director

  • Director of Student Relations

  • Directors at Large (2)

  Serving on the board is a great way to shape chapter programming, support communications, contribute to web design, and more. Eligible candidates must be members of MNAEP at the time of elections.

  Link to Description of Open Positions

  Interested in joining the Board of Directors?
  Please email minnesotaaep@gmail.com with:

  • Your name
  • The position(s) you’re interested in
  • A brief paragraph about yourself

  Elections will be held at 6pm at KLJ's office in St. Louis Park.

  
  

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