The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration Amendments have issued amendments to the federal environmental review procedures for highway and transit projects in a joint final rule published in the Federal Register (74 Fed. Reg. 12526). The rule amends the agencies' joint regulations implementing National Environmental Policy Act pursuant to the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), particularly the law's provisions related to the Section 6002 environmental review process and Section 6010 categorical exclusion provisions. For more information, link to the Federal Register notice . (3-24-09)

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The Federal Highway Administration has published the second audit of the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) program to assume federal authority for environmental reviews for transportation projects under the pilot program established by Section 6005 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).  The audit report, published in the Feb. 17 Federal Register, finds that Caltrans “has been carrying out the responsibilities it has assumed in keeping with the intent” of the memorandum of understanding for the program. The audit – which covers the first year of the program – reviews the pilot program’s compliance with criteria established in the FHWA/Caltrans MOU. It details areas of compliance as well as areas that need improvement or that are deemed deficient and must be improved.  For more information, link to the Federal Register notice. (2-17-09)

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An advanced training seminar on applying National Environmental Policy Act principles to the decisionmaking process for transportation projects is now available through the National Highway Institute. The class, Advanced Seminar on Transportation Project Development: Navigating the NEPA Maze (FHWA-NHI-142055), is an interactive three-day seminar designed to provide the tools and strategies necessary for practitioners. Prerequisites include: NEPA and Transportation Decisionmaking (FHWA-NHI-142005) or the web-based Introduction to NEPA and Transportation Decisionmaking (FHWA-NHI-142052). For more information, link to the course description on the NHI website. (1-29-09)

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The Federal Transit Administration has withdrawn its guidelines for preparing environmental assessments pursuant to NEPA (circular C5620.1). According to the agency the guidance, which was issued in 1979, is outdated and should not be used or cited in documents prepared for federally funded transit projects. FTA intends to issue new guidance at a later date. For more information, link to the Federal Register notice. (1-21-09)

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The January 2009 issue of the Federal Highway Administration's Successes in Stewardship newsletter features lessons learned about expediting the environmental review processes following a bridge collapse or similar emergency. The newsletter summarizes an August 2008 FHWA report that analyzed five case studies of collapsed bridges showing how key elements of the environmental review process were completed comparatively quickly due to a sense of urgency by stakeholders. The report identified several practices for expediting environmental review, including promoting regular dialogue and working relationships among affected agencies, limiting the scope of projects, establishing emergency procedures, and others. For more information, link to the Jan. 2009 Successes in Stewardship newsletter, Meeting Environmental Requirements After A Bridge Collapse. (1-5-09)

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