Programmatic Agreements
A programmatic agreement (PA) establishes a streamlined process for handling routine environmental requirements for commonly encountered project types. PAs usually set procedures for consultation, review, and compliance with one or more federal laws, but they can also address tribal, state, and local laws. PAs are part of a larger collection of programmatic approaches that include regional permits, programmatic consultations and other alternative arrangements with resource and regulatory agencies regarding environmental process reviews, data collection, and regulatory compliance. Efficiency is increased by considering repetitive actions at a program level rather than by individual projects, and appropriate consideration for the environment is maintained. PAs may be developed on a watershed, ecosystem, state, regional, or national scale.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has extensively promoted PAs through initiatives, such as Every Day Counts (EDC) and regular environmental program implementation. Programmatic approaches have been in transportation legislation including Section 1305 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and the Fixing America's Transportation Act (FAST Act) Section 1304(k), which promotes the implementation of programmatic approaches.
Questions and feedback should be directed to Damaris Santiago at 202-366-2034.
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