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Environmental Programs

What's New

  • FTA recently updated its environmental review process standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reflect changes made by MAP-21 and the FAST Act.  The SOPs are not formal guidance, but provide FTA staff with process requirements and best practices for consideration as they manage public transportation projects through the environmental review process. FTA and FHWA recently issued a final rule implementing FAST Act changes to our categorical exclusions for projects receiving limited Federal financial assistance and FHWA's process for programmatic agreements.
  • FTA recently updated its Guidance for Implementation of FTA’s Categorical Exclusions (23 C.F.R. §771.118) to reflect inflation adjustments to the previous threshold limits of FTA’s “Action with Limited Federal Funding” categorical exclusion, along with implementation changes. The inflation adjustments are discussed in the rule.
  • FTA and FHWA recently issued a final rule for the transportation planning process, implementing changes to that process in MAP-21 and the FAST Act, including new authority for integrating the planning and environmental review processes as well as programmatic mitigation plans. Learn more about the final rule.
  • Overview of FAST Act Section 1301, Satisfaction of Requirements for Certain Historic Sites

Overview

The Office of Environmental Programs, within FTA's Office of Planning and Environment, develops and promotes approaches to enhance and integrate environmental decision-making in transportation planning, programming and projects. It serves as FTA's principal advocate for the improvement of the human environment and for minimizing the adverse impact of transportation on the natural environment. In addition, the Office of Environmental Programs:

  • Develops technical guidance, training, and other planning assistance for FTA Regional Offices and grantees, including site planning, land use and environmental impacts; environmental justice reviews; and public involvement and coordination of transportation and air quality planning;
  • Develops and provides guidance and training on the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related legislation;
  • Evaluates human, natural environment programs and processes, and FTA's management of the NEPA process, and uses results in planning program administration;
  • Provides guidance and assistance to FTA Regional Offices in support of community and public involvement. Develops training courses, publications, and other approaches to promote public involvement. Works with FTA Regional Offices to identify and avoid potential concerns or complaints;
  • Represents FTA in federal interagency work groups developing legislative proposals relating to the environment and transportation.
  • Provides technical assistance on the transportation impacts of environmental legislation being considered by Congress.  
  • Develops FTA policies, regulations, procedures and guidelines in the following areas: air quality, global climate change, water quality and Clean Water Act issues wetlands, threatened and endangered species, fish and wildlife, hazardous waste and brownfields, coastal zones and coastal barrier protection rights-of-way acquisition; and
  • Performs interagency environmental coordination with Federal agencies including the Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, on specific transit projects to resolve conflicts and/or expedite development and decision-making and on policy, regulatory and/or operational issues to unify and integrate Federal coordination and decision-making relating to funding, permits, land transfers and other federal actions or approvals.

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