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NEPA software that drafts the document and marks what to check

ePlan is NEPA software, or environmental review software, for agency staff and environmental consultants. Describe a project and it drafts the scoping letter, categorical exclusion decision memo or environmental assessment from a reference document, marking every fact it could not confirm. Your team reviews, edits and signs; ePlan does not make NEPA determinations.

By Ilya Volodarsky. 9 sources, each read on . This page explains the law; it is not legal advice.

Draft NEPA Documents for Road Repair

    ePlan gets you

    • A first draft of your NEPA Document, from a project description or the files you already have
    • Precedent research: analog projects and their documents, found for you
    • Every fact ePlan can't confirm, marked for your team to fill in
    • A Word download, plus tasks and a Gantt timeline on Pro and Max
    See how it compares

    Describe a project and ePlan drafts the document it needs from a reference document, with every unconfirmed fact marked for you.

    ePlan vs. by hand

    How ePlan compares to drafting a NEPA Document by hand

    The same document, two ways to a first draft.

    ComparedePlan.aiBy hand
    Starting pointePlan.aiA plain-language project description, or the PDFs, Word files and GIS files (shapefile, GeoJSON, KML, GeoPackage) you already haveBy handA blank template, or last year's document retyped
    Precedent researchePlan.aiA research agent searches agency project pages, CEQAnet, the Federal Register, eCFR and EPA's EIS database for your project and up to two analog projectsBy handSearching each agency site and PDF library by hand
    Missing factsePlan.aiEvery fact ePlan can't confirm stays a highlighted [INSERT] placeholder until someone fills itBy handGaps surface in review, or not at all
    Cost to startePlan.aiScoping letters are free. EAs, EIRs and decision memos are on Max at $199 a monthBy handStaff or consultant hours for every draft

    ePlan.ai as of October 2026. “By hand” means a Word template, past documents and agency PDFs. Your team reviews, edits and signs every draft.

    What NEPA software has to keep up with

    The 2023 amendments added page limits, deadlines and CE adoption to the statute[1][2][3]. CEQ's regulations were removed effective April 11, 2025[4][5], and agencies issued their own procedures through 2026[6][7][8]. A tool that still cites 40 CFR parts 1500-1508 as current law, after they were removed, misleads the people relying on it.

    What ePlan does

    One workspace per project:

    • Research: reads your uploads, finds candidate categorical exclusions, and looks up past decisions and documents on analog projects.
    • Drafting: location and purpose filled in; every citation or detail it can't confirm marked for your team.
    • Planning: a Gantt of milestones and tasks, from botany surveys to GIS boundaries.
    • Collaboration: comments and an activity timeline; partners submit project applications, and public projects get a comment page.

    Where NEPA automation stops

    NEPA keeps responsibility with the agency. When a project sponsor prepares an EA or EIS, the lead agency must independently evaluate it and take responsibility for its contents[2], and Interior bars applicants and contractors from preparing decision documents such as a record of decision[9]. ePlan works the same way: it automates the research and the first draft, marks what it can't confirm, and people decide.

    Outline

    What to check in any NEPA software

    Questions worth asking before you pilot a tool, ePlan included. For other tools, see AI tools for NEPA compared.

    1. Sources you can check

      Can you see the regulation, CE number or data source behind each statement?

    2. Your agency's categories

      Does it work from your agency's CE list and documentation rules?

    3. Page limits and deadlines

      Does it help you stay within 75 pages for an EA and 150 for an EIS[2]?

    4. People decide

      Does the workflow leave review and signature with the responsible official?

    5. The project record

      Are tasks, comments and documents kept together?

    6. Price

      What does a seat cost, and what is included?

    Sources

    Where each statement comes from

    Each source was read on October 2, 2026.

    Show all 9 sources
    1. [1]Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, Pub. L. 118-5, section 321 (BUILDER Act). GovInfo, June 3, 2023.
    2. [2]42 U.S.C. 4336a - Timely and unified Federal reviews. United States Code, 2023 edition (GovInfo).
    3. [3]42 U.S.C. 4336c - Adoption of categorical exclusions. United States Code, 2023 edition (GovInfo).
    4. [4]Removal of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations (interim final rule), 90 FR 10610. Council on Environmental Quality, Federal Register, February 25, 2025.
    5. [5]Removal of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations (final rule), 91 FR 618. Council on Environmental Quality, Federal Register, January 8, 2026.
    6. [6]National Environmental Policy Act (USDA final rule), 91 FR 17062. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Register, April 3, 2026.
    7. [7]National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations (Interior final rule), 91 FR 8738. U.S. Department of the Interior, Federal Register, February 24, 2026.
    8. [8]National Environmental Policy Act Regulations (FHWA, FRA and FTA final rule), 91 FR 56029. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Register, September 1, 2026.
    9. [9]43 CFR 46.107 - Procedures for applicant-prepared environmental impact statements and environmental assessments (Interior). Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current.

    Written by

    Ilya Volodarsky

    Ilya Volodarsky founded ePlan.ai. He co-founded Segment and is co-founder and CEO of Wildfires.org.

    XGitHub

    Pricing

    Pick your plan

    One workspace price per plan, powered by shared credits. Draft environmental planning documents in minutes, not weeks.

    Starter
    $0/month

    Try AI environmental planning

    Starter AI Planning

    • Basic Research agents
    • Generate CEQA/NEPA scoping letters
    • GIS shapefile & unit tracking support
    • 3 seats included
    • 5,000 credits/mo
    • 3 active projects
    Get Started
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    Pro
    $99/month

    Get AI environmental planning right from day 1

    Pro AI Planning

    • Precedent (EA) research
    • Realtime task + gantt task management
    • Upload surveys
    • 5 seats included
    • 30,000 credits/mo
    • +$29/mo per extra seat (adds 5,000 credits)
    • Unlimited projects, docs, contractors
    Choose Pro
    Max
    $199/month

    Scale AI environmental planning

    Agentic Planning Team

    • All AI Env Docs (EA/EIR/Decision Memos)
    • Contract generation
    • Team/contractor/citizen collaboration
    • 10 seats included
    • 75,000 credits/mo
    • +$29/mo per extra seat (adds 7,500 credits)
    • Unlimited projects, docs, contractors
    • Priority support
    Choose Max
    EnterpriseCustom
    • ArcGIS/Esri + custom integrations
    • Custom planning agents + credits
    • Government security + SSO/SAML
    • Dedicated onboarding + SLA
    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    • They search past NEPA documents, predict review pathways, help process public comments and draft documents. The agency still makes the NEPA determination, and a person reviews and signs every document.

    Guides

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