PAL Agreement Details
Memorandum of Understanding between Federal Highway Administration and the California Department of Transportation – State Assumption Responsibility for Categorical Exclusions
NEPA
California
08/12/2020
Agreement Overview:
Under Section 6004(a) of SAFETEA-LU for projects covered by the MOU, FHWA legally assigns responsibilities to California Department of Transportation to assume responsibility for determining whether activities are included in classes of action that are Categorical Exclusions. The agreement is an official delegation under SAFETEA-LU, which was published in the Federal Register on April 11, 2007 and was officially adopted. Its primary streamlining feature is elimination of FHWA review of CE projects. Tribal consultation under Section 106 is not delegated by FHWA.
Signatories
California Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration – California Division
April 18, 2022
Renewal is dependent on results of FHWA evaluation of the effectiveness of the MOU and its overall impact on the environmental review process. At least six months prior to the end of the initial term, California DOT and FHWA will meet to review results of monitoring and consider amendments to the MOU. This is the second generation of this agreement.
It took approximately eighteen months to develop the PA. The MOU was renewed in June, 2010 with clarification improvements.
Jay Norvell (Primary Contact)
Cindy Adams (Secondary Contact)
Jay Norvell
Chief, Division of Environmental Analysis
California Department of Transportation
Division of Environmental Analysis
[email protected]
(916) 653-7136
Cindy Adams
NEPA Delegation Manager
California Department of Transportation
Division of Environmental Analysis
[email protected]
(916)653-5157
Agreement Document
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