Section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) established an environmental review process for highway and transit projects that involve preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS). This Handbook provides assistance to practitioners in complying with the Section 6002 requirements, while also using this process to achieve better, faster, and more efficient environmental reviews.
Issues covered in this Handbook include: initiating the environmental review process, inviting participating agencies, establishing the coordination plan, including project schedules, setting comment deadlines providing agency and public involvement for determining purposing and need, defining purpose and need, determining methodologies for alternatives analysis, resolving issues of concern, developing detailed preferred alternatives, and reporting permit decision delays.