The processing of a special permit application may involve the preparation of a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the President’s Council on Economic Quality regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1800), and DOT policy. To the extent PHMSA’s grant or denial of the above referenced special permit (SP) request may constitute a Federal action under NEPA, in addition to analyzing any potential risks to public safety, PHMSA also analyzes any potential risks to the environment that could result from such grant or denial. Specifically, PHMSA evaluates whether the special permit would significantly impact the likelihood of a pipeline spill or failure as compared to the environmental status quo in the absence of the special permit.