Public Involvement and Interagency Consultation Processes

How does the public get involved?
Developing an effective public involvement program is a strategic effort that requires assembling a selection of techniques to meet the needs of a given transportation plan, program, or project. Current federal statutes and regulations derived largely from the periodic transportation appropriation bills for instance, Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, which has been codified as 23 USC § 139 and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) provide general guidelines for locally developed public involvement processes and procedures.

FTA is committed to carrying out public involvement program according to 23 USC 128, 23 CFR 771.111(h) and 40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508. Information regarding the FTA public involvement process can be found here.

How does FTA involve Indian tribes in the environmental review process?
Although the statutory language of NEPA does not mention Indian tribes, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1502.2(d)(2)) and guidance do require FTA and grant applicants to coordinate and consult with tribes at various stages of the environmental review process.  Detailed information on what is involved in tribal consultation can be found here.

How are historic resources protected?
Historic, archaeological, and cultural resources are protected under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.  Information regarding this regulation and how it applies under NEPA to a proposed project can be found here.