NOAA Letter to Tennessee DOT

Tom Love
Transportation Manager 1
State of Tennessee
Department of Transportation
Environmental Division
Suite 900, James K Polk Bldg
505 Deaderick St
Nashville, TN 37243-0334

Dear Mr. Love:

Thank you for inviting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to serve as a participating agency in the development of several environmental impact statements and environmental assessments for proposed Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) projects.

We would be pleased to provide you with information for the projects as needed and to the extent that our staffing resources allow; however, due to a lack of jurisdiction and authority with respect to the area in which the projects take place, a lack of expertise and information relevant to the projects, and no intention to submit comments on the projects, we are declining to become a participating agency on TDOT projects.

NOAA will continue to provide technical assistance and recommendations to the TDOT for their projects, under applicable laws, as appropriate.

Until otherwise notified in the future, please assume that NOAA does not intend to accept any invitations to become a participating agency on any TDOT projects and will not respond individually to any further invitations.

Sincerely,
Rodney F. Weiher, Ph. D.
NOAA NEPA Coordinator