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Slide 1
Idaho Transportation Department
Linking Planning with
NEPA
in eastern Idaho
Contact information is provided for both Elaine Somers (U.S.
EPA) and William Shaw (Idaho Transportation Department).
Slide 2
Map of Idaho
This slide shows a map of Idaho.
Slide 3
ITD
District 6 Corridors
This slide shows a graphic of the Idaho Transportation Department district offices.
Slide 4
Flow Charts
This slide shows a flow chart for Pavement Management, Planning, Project Management, and External Data Sources.
Slide 5
Corridor Studies and Planning
This slide shows a graphic of the corridor planning process at ITD.
Slide 6
This slide shows a picture of the Cutthroat Trout.
Slide 7
Howard Creek
This slide shows a picture of Howard Creek during the planning phase and after the construction phase.
Slide 8
Targhee Creek
This slide shows a picture of Targhee Creek during the planning phase and after the construction phase.
Slide 9
Participants
This slide shows a chart of the participants (plus 31 ITD staff members) that participated in the process.
Slide 10
Conceptual District Transportation Plan
This slide shows a circular graphic depicting development of a district transportation plan.
Slide 11
Project Chartering
This slide shows a graphic of Project Chartering within ITD.
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U.S. EPA Region 10
Slide 1
Corridor Planning and NEPA
Resource Agency Perspectives
Elaine Somers
EPA Region 10
Slide 2
SAFETEA-LU
Sections 6001, 6002, Appendix A, and
DOT
Regulations are good!
- Support purpose, intent of NEPA
- Respond to
CEQ
NEPA requirement for early involvement
- Facilitate consideration of environment in planning and project development
- Foster other benefits of early involvement
- Reflect common views/ needs of resource agencies
Slide 3
Appendix A
- Consultation with agencies, Tribes re: conservation plans, maps, resource inventories, mitigation
- Early and continuous involvement
- Level of detail
- Thorough documentation
- Sound, credible analyses using reliable data, rational up-to-date assumptions
- Purpose and need guidance
- Initiating NEPA with planning studies guidance
- Use of planning info for affected environment, environmental consequences, indirect and cumulative effects
- Makes no guarantees
Slide 4
Corridor Planning in EPA Region 10
- ITD District 6 — active user; encouraged statewide
- WA — pre-SAFETEA-LU: limited tiering, corridor planning within NEPA
- Oregon
CETAS
process — a successful model
Slide 5
Elsewhere
- Colorado DOT
- Dedicated staffing: Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Manager
- Linking Planning and NEPA training: online, interactive
-
PEL
Decision Tool: web-based, interactive
-
FHWA
PEL Questionnaire: level of detail guidance; planning documentation
- Resource agency coordination: Environmental forum
- Many corridor studies
Slide 6
Idaho Corridor Planning and NEPA Integration Guide
- 5 approaches:
- 1 tiered
- 3 within NEPA umbrella
- 1 outside/ prior to NEPA (for when streamlining is not necessary)
Slide 7
Corridor/ subarea plans — to use or not to use?
- Transportation planners must evaluate situation, pros/ cons
- Resource agencies want early and continuous involvement
- Prefer within NEPA umbrella
Slide 8
Offerings
- Urge use of "within NEPA" approaches
- Ensure each resource agency, Tribe is invited to participate from the beginning
- Create ways to enable participation
- Site visits, teleconferences, videoconference, environmental forum (ala
CDOT), electronic communications, clustered meetings/ site visits for out-of-area participants, other
- Have inclusive, continuous public involvement
- Use Appendix A guidance
Slide 9
More offerings
- At a minimum, follow procedures for participating/cooperating agencies (S. 6002) in planning and project development, i.e., have check-in points.
- Consider whether to establish an interagency
MOA, with formal concurrence or consultation points, conflict resolution process, and other features.
- Determine means and methods for documentation.
- Use Origin/Destination studies to inform planning.
- For success, ensure corridor planning is inclusive, manageable, appropriately iterative, and result in more informed decision making, per intent of NEPA.
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