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NEPA Process

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The NEPA Process topic describes a range of policies, programs, and resources related to the National Environmental Policy Act review process for transportation projects. NEPA requires transportation agencies to consider potential impacts to the social and natural environment. The NEPA statute and implementing regulations set forth a process to evaluate potential impacts as well as requirements for documentation of decisions resulting from that process.

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Recent Developments

• CEQ Updates Guidance on NEPA Procedures for Emergency Response Actions
• AASHTO Posts NEPA Case Law Year-in-Review Report
• CEQ Issues Final Rule to Revise NEPA Regulations
• Executive Order Calls for Use of Emergency Authority to Expedite Projects for Economic Recovery
• CEQ Proposes Revisions to NEPA Implementing Rules
• President Marks NEPA Anniversary with Promise to ‘Modernize’ the Law
• NEPA Case Law for Highway, Transit and Rail Projects: 2018 Year in Review
• FHWA, FTA, FRA Issue Joint Guidance on NEPA Re-Evaluations
• CEQ Reports on Page-Count of Federal Agency EISs
• CEQ Issues Draft Guidance on Considering GHGs under NEPA

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Key Resources

• AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook Series, including practical tips on a range of NEPA implementation issues for DOTs.
• 15 Preparing High-Quality NEPA Documents for Transportation Projects (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
• Examples of Effective Techniques for Preparing High-Quality NEPA Documents (AASHTO 2014)
• FHWA Environmental Review Toolkit: NEPA and Project Development Resources
• Re:NEPA - the Federal Highway Administration's online "community of practice"
• EPA NEPA Website: including information on filing EISs, e-NEPA electronic filing, NEPAssist, NEPA and Environmental Justice, and the EIS database.
• Evaluation Guidance Needed for States with National Environmental Policy Act Authority (Government Accountability Office, Jan. 2018) - a review of provisions to expedite the NEPA process for transportation projects, including assignment of NEPA authority to states

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