NEPA Assignment Surface ce T Transpor ortation P Proj oject ct - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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NEPA Assignment Surface ce T Transpor ortation P Proj oject ct D Delivery P Prog ogram Presentation to MPOs, State and Federal Agencies December 2017 Overview NEPA Assignment Overview NDOTs Approach CE Assignment

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SLIDE 1

NEPA Assignment

Surface ce T Transpor

  • rtation P

Proj

  • ject

ct D Delivery P Prog

  • gram

Presentation to MPO’s, State and Federal Agencies

December 2017

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SLIDE 2

Overview

  • NEPA Assignment Overview
  • NDOT’s Approach
  • CE Assignment Requirements
  • Anticipated Changes
  • Next Steps to CE Assignment / Timeline
  • Full NEPA Assignment Goal
  • How can your Agency help?
  • Discussion / Q&A
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SLIDE 3

NEPA Assignment Overview

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SLIDE 4

What is NEPA Assignment?

  • Formal assignment of FHWA’s NEPA responsibilities to a State
  • All NEPA classes of action – CEs, EAs and EISs
  • All environmental laws, rules, and orders
  • NDOT will be the lead Federal Agency on all federal-aid projects for

environmental decision-making

  • NDOT is legally responsible and liable for compliance

NEPA Assignm gnment ent doe

  • es not

not chang hange any e any cur urrent ent legal gal requirem emen

  • ents. The

here ar e are no no shor hortcut uts!

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SLIDE 5

NEPA Classes of Action

NDOT h has h had re responsibility ty f for c r certa tain C CE documents ts b by pro rogrammati tic a agreement w t with th F FHWA since 20 2015 15.

Cate ategori rical Exclusi usion (CE) E) (23 23 U USC 326 C 326) Enviro ronm nmental al A Asse sessment nt ( (EA) & & Envir ironmenta tal I Impact S t Sta tatement (E t (EIS IS) (23 23 U USC 327 C 327)

95% o

  • f ND

NDOT’ OT’s p prog

  • gram

5% 5% EAs, l limited E EISs “Typ ypica cal” ND NDOT p OT proj

  • ject (ass

asset p preser servation, maintenance nce w work, fewer impacts t to resour

  • urce

ces, RO ROW)

More c e complicated ed projects cts (ne

new l lane nes, ne new alignm nment nt, lot

  • ts of
  • f ROW acq

cqui uisition, n, p pot

  • tential p

pub ublic con controversy)

Shor

  • rter pr

proj

  • ject d

del elivery time Exten ensive coordinat nation, review, a and docum ument ntat ation n requirem emen ents Pr Process ss in Pl n Plac ace Requi uires ne s new SOP and and Gui uidanc dance

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SLIDE 6

NEPA Assignment Options

23 U 23 USC § 326 26 Ca Categorical al E Exclusi usions ns (CE CEs O ONLY) 23 23 US USC § 327 27 Full l Pro rogram (C (CEs, E , EAs, & , & EIS ISs)

Demonstrate R Readi adine ness ss – ND NDOT a OT already res espo ponsible f for

  • r approving ≈ 80% of CEs

Demonstrate R Readi adine ness ss – bi bigger, mor

  • re d

diver erse e responsib ibilitie lities Less r ss risk sk exp xposur sure ( (no not i in n Fe Fede deral al Register) Greater r risk sk exp xposur sure Fast Faster implem ementation

  • n

Lon Longer Implem emen entation

  • n

No No a application

  • n

Forma mal appli licatio ion w with ith p publi lic comment p perio iod MOU OU ( (3 y 3 yea ears) – si signe ned b by D Divisi sion n Adm dmini nistrator MO MOU (5 y year ars) s) – signed b by Age Agency cy Ad Administrato tor Self asse assessm ssment repo eporting Self asse assessm ssment repo eporting Moni nitoring ng reviews ws – perfor

  • rmed

ed b by NE NE D Division

  • n

Audi udit reviews ws – HQ Q No per

  • performance measu

asures r s requi uired Repo eport on

  • n spec

pecific per performance m e mea easures

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SLIDE 7

Limitations of NEPA Assignment

  • The MOU defines the range of project actions and environmental

responsibilities the State assumes

  • FHWA retains the following:
  • Engineering decisions (such as Interchange Justification Reports)
  • Project level air quality conformity determinations
  • Government-to-Government Tribal consultation
  • USDOT responsibilities for statewide and metropolitan planning
  • Projects that cross state lines
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SLIDE 8

Exclusions from MOU

  • Projects that are not designed and constructed by NDOT
  • Direct recipient FAHP projects
  • Recreational Trails Program
  • Grants (TIGER, FASTLANE)
  • Tribal projects
  • Specific projects designated in MOU to remain with FHWA
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SLIDE 9

NDOT’s Approach

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SLIDE 10

What has already happened?

  • Built support of Innovation Task Force, Highway Commission
  • Passed New Legislation, LB271 (April 2017)
  • Kick-Off Meeting (June 2017)
  • Readiness Assessment (August 2017)
  • Interagency Kick-Off Meeting (August 2017)
  • NDOT/FHWA Workshop (October 2017)
  • Decision on Assignment Option (November 2017)
  • Staff Changes (2017)
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SLIDE 11

NDOT’s Pathway Decision

  • NDOT will seek both CE Assignment and the Full NEPA Program as

separate, but simultaneous efforts.

  • MOU for CE Assignment first, followed by formal application for Full

Program Assignment

  • Quickly assume responsibility for majority of program
  • Gain efficiencies for these projects, resulting in savings for State and Local

projects

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SLIDE 12

CE Assignment Requirements

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SLIDE 13

CE Assignment Requirements

  • Public and Agency Outreach
  • Guidance, Manuals, PAs will be changed to reflect that NDOT has assumed

FHWA’s responsibilities

  • Draft MOU  Public Comment  Execute MOU
  • Other MOU commitments:
  • Financial Assurance
  • Maintain detailed files, records and make them available to FHWA
  • Conduct regular self assessments and continuous QA/QC on all actions
  • Ensure professional and experienced staff to meet the needs and expectations of CE

Assignment

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SLIDE 14

Anticipated Changes

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SLIDE 15

Improvements at NDOT

  • This is an Agency-wide effort!
  • Staffing Additions
  • Improved Documentation of Documentation
  • Record retention
  • Record how and why decision are made
  • Ensure actions are tracked and documented
  • Complete and update existing Guidance, Manuals, and SOPs
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SLIDE 16

Improvements at NDOT

  • Quality Assurance and Quality Control
  • Must ensure the completeness and accuracy of all environmental decisions
  • Must conduct regular self-assessments
  • Active tracking and implementation of corrective actions
  • Develop Training Program
  • Internal and External
  • Opportunities for Agency and Consultant participation
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SLIDE 17

How will this change the process?

  • Resource Agencies & MPOs may not see much change – NDOT already

handles the program on a day-to-day basis

  • Update existing Programmatic Agreements
  • Cover Letter with Agency signature
  • Describe new roles and responsibilities
  • Incorporate and develop conflict/escalation procedures – FHWA will no

longer serve as intermediary All env nviron

  • nmen

ental requirements s and and com

  • mmitments

s wil ill l be be ad adher ered ed t to,

  • , jus

ust as as the hey ar are e tod

  • day

ay.

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SLIDE 18

How will this change the process?

How might the process change as we work with your Agency or MPO?

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SLIDE 19

How will this impact FHWA?

  • FHWA retains oversight responsibilities and will provide:
  • Training
  • Program Technical Assistance and policy interpretation
  • Monitoring Reviews of NDOT processing and decision-making at specified

intervals

  • Process and Program reviews
  • Reports to Congress
  • FHW

HWA c cannot

  • t a

assist o

  • r help ND

NDOT with proj

  • jec

ect s speci ecific c deci cision-mak aking g

  • n e

envir ironmenta tal m matte tters rs

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SLIDE 20

Next Steps & Timeline

Limited waiver of sovereign immunity Identify desired scope of Assignment

  • Outreach – Listen and learn
  • Update existing Documentation, Programmatic Agreements
  • Prepare MOU
  • Train and implement
  • MOU executed by Spring 2018
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SLIDE 21

Full NEPA Assignment Goal

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SLIDE 22

Full NEPA Assignment Goal

  • There is overlap in effort, outreach will continue
  • Immediately proceed into Full Program requirements
  • Legal Sufficiency Review and Audit Procedures & Training
  • Establish Performance Measures
  • Update and review remaining policies and documentation to reflect full program

responsibilities

  • Formal Application – Goal to submit in fall 2018
  • MOU goal in spring 2019
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SLIDE 23

How can your Agency help?

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SLIDE 24

How can your Agency help?

  • Share your thoughts and concerns so that we can understand and

address them

  • Work with NDOT to update any areas that are necessary
  • Processes/procedures/guidance documents
  • Programmatic Agreements
  • Prepare letters of support during public comment periods
  • Help us continue to improve and ensure positive performance of this

program

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SLIDE 25

NEPA Assignment

Co Contac acts: s: Bran andi die Neemann ann, Project Development Engineer Project ct D Development Division

  • n

Brandie.Neemann@nebraska.gov (402) 479-4795 Jaso son J Jurgens ns, Environmental Section Manager Project ct D Development Division

  • n

Jason.Jurgens@nebraska.gov (402) 479-4418 Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program