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Platform
How it worksCapture evidence, coordinate review, and export with sources intact.→Free to tryTry our Phase I enginep1.opef.aiRun a real Phase I ESA workflow on p1 with structured intake and export-ready records.→How we fit inWhere OPEF sits in your permitting and compliance workflow.→PartnersIntegrations with compliance platforms and data providers.→
Solutions
Browse all solutions109 permitting domains across 14 regulatory categories.→12 domainsFederal Environmental ReviewNEPA and agency-specific environmental review workflows across all federal programs.→8 domainsSite Assessment & RemediationEnvironmental site assessments, contamination investigations, and regulatory cleanup frameworks.→9 domainsWater & WetlandsClean Water Act permits, wetland jurisdictional determinations, and water quality programs.→9 domainsSpecies & EcosystemsEndangered species consultation, take permits, biological assessments, and habitat conservation.→7 domainsAir Quality & ClimateClean Air Act permits, GHG accounting, noise analysis, and climate disclosure frameworks.→9 domainsEnergy & InfrastructureFERC licensing, renewable energy siting, pipeline safety, and nuclear facility review.→9 domainsCoastal & MaritimeCoastal zone management, offshore permitting, marine sanctuary protection, and maritime safety.→7 domainsCultural Resources & TribalNHPA Section 106 consultation, tribal government engagement, and historic preservation compliance.→9 domainsHazardous Materials & WasteRCRA permitting, CERCLA cleanup, hazardous waste compliance, and chemical risk management.→9 domainsLand Use & ConservationFederal land permits, conservation programs, and statutory use protections for parks and historic resources.→7 domainsAgriculture & ForestryUSDA conservation compliance, timber management, grazing permits, and invasive species programs.→4 domainsDrinking Water & Public HealthSafe Drinking Water Act compliance, underground injection, source water protection, and environmental justice.→5 domainsState Environmental ReviewState-level environmental review statutes including CEQA, SEPA, and state EIR equivalents.→5 domainsReporting & DisclosureClimate and ESG financial disclosure, GHG reporting, TRI, and sustainability frameworks.→
Resources
All guidesNEPA, ESA, administrative records, AI governance, and permitting workflow.→PolicyWhat the FY2026 NEPA Reform Means for Permitting TeamsRecent legislative changes to NEPA timelines and categorical exclusion authority change how agencies and consulting firms structure review processes.→ComplianceFive Common Mistakes in Section 7 ESA Consultation DocumentationSection 7 consultations are consistently among the most litigated parts of federal permitting. These documentation gaps create avoidable risk.→GuidanceHow to Build an Administrative Record That Holds Up in CourtWhen a NEPA decision is challenged, the judge reviews the administrative record—not the narrative. Disorganized or post-hoc records lose cases even when the underlying analysis was sound.→AI & GovernanceUsing AI in Federal Environmental Review: A Governance FrameworkAs AI enters environmental review workflows, agencies need governance that preserves defensibility while allowing speed gains.→ComplianceASTM E1527-21: What Changed and Why It MattersThe 2021 update introduced meaningful changes to recognized environmental condition definitions. Here is what practitioners need to know.→GuidanceCATEX Documentation: What Agencies Actually Need in the RecordCategorical exclusions are common, but poor documentation is a leading cause of successful legal challenges.→
Company
About OPEFMission, principles, and the team behind the platform.→How we fit inWhere OPEF sits in your permitting and compliance workflow.→PartnersIntegrations with compliance platforms and data providers.→CareersFull-time roles, hiring updates, and how we work as a team.→Environmental Professional NetworkFind permitting projects and connect qualified environmental reviewers.→ContactRequest a demo or ask a question about your program.→
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AI does the permittingheavy lifting.

You break ground faster.

OPEF automates the evidence gathering, drafting, and compliance checks behind every permit.

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NEPA · Phase I ESA · FERC · wetlands & more

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Phase I Engine liveTry our product

◎ ↑

What we cover

  • 01NEPA Review
  • 02Phase I ESA
  • 03FERC Licensing/Re-Licensing
  • 04Custom solutions

Plus 100+ more domains

See full coverage →

Don't see your permit type? Contact us.

Spotlight: Phase I ESA

Phase I ESA: ~80 hours of work, cut to under 10 with OPEF.

Teams using OPEF structure intake, findings review, and export in one record instead of rebuilding packages at the end.

Phase I ESA workflow

TraditionalWith OPEF
Total active time~80 hrs8–10 hrs

Representative pilot range; scope and site complexity vary.

  • Intake and records~18 hrs→~2 hrs
  • Findings review~28 hrs→~4 hrs
  • Draft and export~34 hrs→~3 hrs

Less time rebuilding folders. More time on defensible findings.

Based on structured Phase I ESA pilots and demo workflows.
MODELIVE PREVIEW

Rigorous records. Defensible outcomes.

Use OPEF to uncover risk, reduce coordination drag, and keep every permitting decision connected to the evidence behind it.

Explore our platform
Build a complete project record from studies, maps, agency files, site materials, comments, and citations.
OPEF Capture workflow building a complete project record from intake sources

How permitting teams use OPEF

Structure the record early, coordinate across consultants and applicants, and export with sources intact.

Record collection

Bring permitting work into one system — studies, maps, site evidence, agency correspondence, public comments, citations, and draft documents.

NHD FLOWLINE

Evidence structuring

Turn scattered PDFs, scans, forms, photos, maps, and field notes into structured facts with source traceability and reviewer context.

SURVEY POINT

Rulepack validation

Check screening, drafting, alternatives, mitigation, public engagement, and due diligence workflows against project-specific requirements.

ELEV. 612 FT

Document generation

Generate review-ready sections, determinations, response matrices, Phase I summaries, and administrative record exports with rationale and audit trails built in.

WETLAND DELINEATION
PRODUCTPHASE-I-ESA

Free to try

Try our Phase I engine.

Run a real Phase I ESA workflow on p1—structured intake, findings review, and export-ready records. Start in minutes and see how your team works before you commit.

Evidence packet · Finding review · Export center

p1.opef.ai · ASTM E1527-21

FreeStart on p1.opef.ai
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  • No sales call
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Have specific permitting needs?

Federal NEPA, state permits, and local land-use approvals each carry different record requirements. We scope OPEF to the jurisdiction and program type your team runs.

Phase I ESA is live today, but OPEF is built as a configurable record layer for federal, state, and local environmental review. If your team needs structured evidence intake, review coordination, or agency-ready exports for another workflow, contact us.

We can scope the record and move fast when timelines are tight.

Contact us→
01

Federal trigger routing

Screen nexus and route to the likely CATEX, EA, or EIS pathway before studies pile up.

02

Evidence record

Connect studies, maps, agency files, and comments in one project record.

03

Agency-ready export

Package citations, decisions, and audit history for administrative record contexts.

Built for the messy middle of environmental review.

OPEF is designed for the work between raw evidence and final submission: organizing sources, resolving gaps, supporting review, and preserving the record.

109mapped permitting domains

Templates and controls across federal, state, site assessment, water, species, and reporting workflows.

14regulatory categories covered

A broad permitting coverage model spanning NEPA, ESA, CWA, Phase I ESA, land use, energy, and more.

8–10hPhase I ESA package target

Designed to move source ingestion, review, mapping, citations, and draft preparation into a single-workday workflow.

1source-linked project record

Evidence, citations, reviewer actions, audit history, and exports connected across the permitting lifecycle.

24/7record access for project teams

Evidence, citations, reviewer actions, and audit trails available across the permitting lifecycle

OPEF evidence framework: source files, findings, review decisions, and audit-ready records flow through OPEF

OPEF Evidence Standards Initiative

A collaboration between leading environmental consultancies, federal agency advisors, and OPEF, the Evidence Standards Initiative establishes high-quality, open evidence frameworks for permitting teams, agencies, reviewers, and compliance professionals worldwide.

Explore the Initiative →

Our mission

Modernizing environmental review

“Our mission is to accelerate a future where environmental permitting isn’t a bottleneck — it’s a well-structured, evidence-driven process that protects both projects and the environment. OPEF gives teams the tools to make that transition simple, fast, and defensible.”

Learn more →
Topographic mountain landscape with the OPEF mission: remove the permitting bottleneck in America, unlocking faster growth, greater public good, and more opportunities for every community.WATERSHED BOUNDARY

Let’s get to work

Explore field-tested resources and get insights from our permitting experts.

Policy

Deadlines Alone Won't Fix Permitting

Read article →

Guide

ASTM E1527-21: What Changed and Why It Matters

Read guide →

Guide

Environmental permitting compliance: 2026 federal requirements edition

Read guide →

New

Announcing OPEF Agent and the AI-assisted permitting workflow toolkit

Read guide →
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Field ready

Built on real-world data. Proven in the field.

Rulepack validated

Aligned to jurisdictional rules. Continuously updated.

Permitting focused

From application to decision. Every step, covered.

Human review

AI-powered insights. Expert decision-making.

Platform

How it worksRulepacksData sourcesHow we fit inIntegrations

Solutions

Environmental consultantsEngineers & developersEnergy & utilitiesGovernment agenciesTribal nations

Resources

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Company

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Fixing the #1 bottleneck in American infrastructure: permitting.

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Built for better decisions.

Evidence-backed, AI-accelerated

The system of record for environmental permitting

Purpose-built tools to help permitting teams move faster without sacrificing evidence quality, reviewer control, or defensibility.

Meet OPEF Agent →

Agents to accelerate work

Delegate source organization, evidence extraction, drafting support, and workflow preparation to purpose-built permitting agents.

Intelligence to improve decisions

Surface relevant guidance, precedent, project history, rulepack checks, and source-linked evidence while teams draft, review, and resolve issues.

Full controls for high-stakes review

Keep humans in control with reviewer workflows, source traceability, audit logs, and transparent rationale behind every output.

ELEV. 843 FTWETLAND DELINEATION
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Summarize this Phase I ESA reportFlag missing NEPA screening criteriaDraft a categorical exclusion determination