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NEPA Process

Key Resources

• AASHTO Practitioner's Handbooks
  • AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook Series, including practical tips on a range of NEPA implementation issues for DOTs.
  • 01 Maintaining a Project File and Preparing an Administrative Record for a NEPA Study (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 02 Responding to Comments on an Environmental Impact Statement (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 03 Managing the NEPA Process for Toll Lanes and Toll Roads (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 04 Tracking Compliance with Environmental Commitments/Use of Environmental Monitors (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 05 Utilizing Community Advisory Committees for NEPA Studies (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 06 Consulting Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 07 Defining the Purpose and Need and Determining the Range of Alternatives for Transportation Projects (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 09 Using the SAFETEA-LU Environmental Review Process (23 U.S.C. 139) (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 10 Using the Transportation Planning Process to Support the NEPA Process (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 11 Complying with Section 4(f) of the U.S. DOT Act (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
  • 12 Assessing Indirect Effects and Cumulative Impacts under NEPA (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)
    
  • 15 Preparing High-Quality NEPA Documents for Transportation Projects (AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook)

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• CEQ NEPA Resources
  • • CEQ NEPA.gov home page
    • Final Regulation on NEPA Implementation (July 2020) Fact Sheet, Regulation Text
    • Guidance on the Consideration of Greenhouse Gases
    • Guidance on the Applicability of E.O. 13807 to States with NEPA Assignment Authority Under the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program (February 26, 2019)
    • Memorandum of Understanding Implementing One Federal Decision Under Executive Order 13807, 9 April 2018
    • One Federal Decision Framework for the Environmental Review and Authorization Process for Major Infrastructure Projects under Executive Order 13807, 20 March 2018
    • Emergencies and the National Environmental Policy Act, 2016
    • Memorandum for Heads of Departments and Agencies: Guidance on Effective Use of Programmatic NEPA Reviews, 18 December 2014

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• Implementing Quality NEPA Documents
  • Examples of Effective Techniques for Preparing High-Quality NEPA Documents (AASHTO 2014)
  • Preparing High-Quality NEPA Documents for Transportation Projects (AASHTO Practioners Handbook #15)

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• FHWA Resources
  • FHWA Environmental Review Toolkit: NEPA and Project Development Resources
  • FHWA NEPA and Project Delivery Resources:
    

    • eNEPA Portal (Project Collaboration Tools for Transportation)
    • NEPA Implementation (laws, regulations and guidance)
    • NEPA and Transportation Decisionmaking
    • NEPA Documentation
    • Environmental Justice
    • Safety and NEPA
    • Interim Guidance on the Application of Travel and Land Use Forecasting in NEPA
    • Active & Inactive Environmental Impact Statements
  • Re:NEPA - the Federal Highway Administration's online "community of practice"

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• NCHRP Reports
  • National Cooperative Highway Research Program Reports
    

    • Guidance for Managing NEPA-Related and Other Risks in Project Delivery, Volume 2: Expediting NEPA Decisions and Other Practitioner Strategies for Addressing High Risk Issues in Project Delivery (NCHRP Web-Only Document 183; NCHRP Project 20-24, Task 71 Phase 2) (May 2014)
    • Potential Use of Social Media in the NEPA Process (NCHRP 25-25, Task 80) (September 2013)
    • Evaluation of Methodologies for Visual Impact Assessments (NCHRP Project 25-33, Report 741) (April 2013)
    • Strategic Options of Inventorying and Updating Environmental Guidance and Links (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 77) (July 2012)
    • NCHRP Web-Only Document 183: Guide for Managing NEPA-Related and Other Risks in Project Delivery (NCHRP Project 20-24, Task 71) (February 2012)
    • Guidelines on the Use of Tiered Environmental Impact Statements for Transportation Projects (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 38) (June 2009)
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    Evaluate Colorado’s ACEA Methodology as a Mechanism for Cumulative Impacts Assessment in Regional Transportation Plans
    

    (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 54)(2009)
    • Evaluate Colorado’s ACEA Methodology as a Mechanism for Cumulative Impacts Assessment in Regional Transportation Plans (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 54)(2009)
    • Effective Project Management for NEPA and Appendix (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 27) (Aug. 2008)
    • Reevaluations of NEPA Documents (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 28) (March 2008)
    • Forecasting Indirect Land Use Effects of Transportation Projects (NCHRP 25-25, Task 22) (2007)
    • Improved Linkage Between Transportation Systems Planning and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (NCHRP Project 8-36, Task 48) (January 2006)
    • A Review and Synthesis of the Requirements for Indirect and Cumulative Impact Analysis and Mitigation under Major Environmental Laws and Regulations (NCHRP 25-25 Task 11)(2006)
    • Synthesis on Data Needs for EA and EIS Documentation (NCHRP Project 25-25, Task 1) (January 2005)
    • Handbook on Integrating Land Use Considerations into Transportation Projects to Address Induced Growth (NCHRP 25-25 Task 3)(2005)
    • Desk Reference for Estimating the Indirect Effects of Proposed Transportation Projects (NCHRP Report 466)(2002)

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• EPA Links
  • EPA NEPA Website: including information on filing EISs, e-NEPA electronic filing, NEPAssist, NEPA and Environmental Justice, and the EIS database.

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• Other Resources
  • 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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• Samples and Templates for SAFETEA-LU Section 6002 Environmental Review Process
  • Sample and Templates
    
    

    • Coordination Plan Template FHWA California Division
    • Cooperation/Participating Agency Sample Letter FHWA California Division
    • Participating Agency Sample Letter FHWA California Division
    • Cooperating Agency Invitation Template - FHWA
    • Participating Agencies Invitation Template - FHWA
    • Participating Agencies Sample for Tribes - FHWA
    • Section 6002 Notice to FHWA (Oregon DOT)
    • Section 6002 Notice to FTA (Oregon DOT)
    • Participating Agency Invitation Template (Oregon DOT)
    • Coordination Plan Template (Oregon DOT)
    • Participating Agency Letter (Ohio DOT)

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