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Re: NEPA
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Federal Agency Action Plan for Environmental Streamlining

  • Advance the use of existing Federal agency powers for administrative delegation of authorities to states and pilot projects to promote expedited reviews;
    • 2002 Focus:
      • Develop national templates for regional general permits, NEPA/404 mergers, Section 106 delegations/testing of alternative procedures, 4(f) programmatic agreements, ESA programmatic agreements
      • Conduct at least one Executive Session

  • Encourage the use of flexible mitigation approaches, such as wetland banking or compensation strategies that promote investment in environmentally sensitive geographic regions, in lieu of project site-specific mitigation only;
    • 2002 Focus:
      • Test watershed-based approaches, environmental stewardship implementation/oversight, innovative mitigation pilots
      • Identify environmental research priorities that support flexible mitigation

  • Target opportunities for maximizing financial and staff resources through cross-training, issue clarification, website linkages, and interagency personnel agreements;
    • 2002 Focus:
      • Finalize guidance on agency funded positions, review existing agreements to underscore linkage to expedited reviews, develop web-based training, identify multi-year interagency training agenda, assist with the development of AASHTO's center for environmental excellence
      • Work with CEQ to facilitate interagency guidance and clarification on key topics (e.g. secondary/cumulative impacts)
      • Sponsor field workshops with FHWA

  • Establish performance evaluation measures, including the development of timeframes at the project level;
    • 2002 Focus:
      • Define streamlining performance evaluation tracking measures for each resource agency
      • Assess and develop general timeframes for project reviews

  • Specify the development of a dispute resolution system;
    • 2002 Focus:
      • Promote NEPA conflict management through regional interagency facilitated workshops
      • Provide technical assistance to field offices, using the transportation roster and services of the Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution




FHWA