The Environmental Review Process for Municipally Managed Federally Funded Projects

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The Environmental Review Process for Municipally
Managed Federally Funded Projects

• Charles H. Hood, Acting Administrator
• Kevin T. Nyhan, Senior Environmental Manager

[phone]
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All Federally Funded Projects Require
Environmental Review

• National Environmental Policy Act
• Assess alternatives
• Avoid, minimize, and/or mitigate impacts
• Project classification (I, II, III) (EIS, CE, EA)
• Most municipally managed, TE, CMAQ projects are
  Class II, CEs
• Environmental review does not supercede the need
  to obtain other permits, etc. (i.e. Wetlands
  Bureau, Corps of Engineers), which are the
  responsibility of the project sponsor.

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All Federally Funded Projects Require
Environmental Review

• Applicable Laws/Rules/Regulations
• Federal Laws
• National Historic Preservation Act
• Endangered Species Act
• Clean Water Act
• US Department of Transportation Act
• Land Water Conservation Fund
• Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Management
  Conservation Act
• Others

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All Federally Funded Projects Require
Environmental Review

• Applicable Laws/Rules/Regulations
• State Laws
• Native Plant Protection Act
• RSA 482-A Fill and Dredge in Wetlands
• NH Endangered Species Conservation Act
• Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act
• LCHIP
• Conservation Land Stewardship Program
• Others

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Documentation Requirements

• Categorical Exclusion Programmatic Determination
  Checklist (The Checklist)
• Each question addresses a different
  law/rule/regulation
• Categorical Exclusion Non-Programmatic Impact
  Summary
• Page 16 lists projects NOT qualifying for
  Programmatic classification
• Stepwise Process

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Step 1 Gather Information Initial Contact
Letters

• Send to
• Local Officials
• State and Federal Officials responsible for the
  resources in The Checklist.
• Others as appropriate

NOTE Start as soon as possible to ensure all
issues are identified early during design.
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Step 1 Gather Information On-Line Regulatory
Reviews

• NH Natural Heritage Bureau
• DataCheck tool
• Native Plant Protection Act
• NH Endangered Species Act
• Required for all DES Wetland Permits
• May require follow up
• May require coordination with other resource
  agencies

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Step 1 Gather Information On-Line Regulatory
Reviews

• US Fish Wildlife Service
• Section 7 Consultation
• Endangered Species Act
• Certain transportation Projects categorically
  excluded
• May require follow up

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X
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Step 1 Gather Information On-Line Regulatory
Reviews

• NHDES OneStop GIS
• Conservation Lands
• Wetlands
• Surface Waters
• Contaminated properties

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Step 2 Compiling the Responses

• Responses from the initial contact letters
• Complete The Checklist
• Follow up, as necessary

NOTE Do not wait to follow up if directed by the
responses. Timely follow up allows for
streamlined environmental review and changes in
design if warranted.
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NH Office of Energy and Planning3
NH Department of Resources and Economic
Development
X
X
NH DES Wetlands Bureau3
X
X
US Army Corps of Engineers3
X
X
Other, as appropriate3
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Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings

• NHDOT Natural Resource Agency Meeting
• 3rd Wednesday of Each Month
• Contact Charlie Hood/ Kevin Nyhan
• NHDOT Cultural Resource Agency Meeting
• 1st 2nd Thursday of Each Month
• Contact Joyce McKay/ Charlie Hood/ Kevin Nyhan

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Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Natural Resource Agency

• Agency Represented/ Resource Represented
• EPA All Natural Resources
• ACOE/DES Wetlands Bureau Wetlands/Water Quality
• USFWS/NHNHB Endangered Species
• NHOEP Floodplains/Floodways
• NHFG Wildlife/Endangered Species
• DRED/LCIP/LCHIP Conservation Lands
• FHWA Section 4(f) Lands

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Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Natural Resource Agency

• Schedule when
• Wetland impacts
• Floodplains
• Other resource impacts

NOTE If wetlands will be impacted, a review at
this meeting usually streamlines the permitting
process.
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Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Natural Resource Agency

• Section 4(f) Resources
• Resources
• Publicly Owned Public Parks
• Fish Wildlife Refuges
• National Register Eligible Historic Properties
• Officials with Jurisdiction
• De minimis impact finding

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X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Cultural Resource Agency

• Agency Represented
• NHDHR
• Section 106 NHPA
• ACOE If non-Federal, requiring a Corps permit
• FHWA If Federally funded
• Section 4(f) USDOT Act for cultural properties
• Section 6009 SAFETEA-LU for cultural properties
• Section 106 Consulting Parties

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Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Cultural Resource Agency

• Process - general
• Are there historic resources in the project area?
• If not, SHPO determines No Historic Properties
  Affected
• If unknown, SHPO will require a survey of the
  project area, then determination made
• If yes, SHPO determines either No Adverse Affect
  or Adverse Affect
• May or may not require mitigation

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Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Cultural Resource Agency

• Municipal Effects Memo
• Discuss project effect
• Detail mitigation
• Represents approval
• Required

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NOTE Review project with SHPO as soon as
possible. Surveys take time and money. Design
changes may be made/ required.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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Step 5 Finalize The Checklist The Last Few
Questions

• Air Quality
• Noise
• Right-of-way (6a 6b)

Fairly straight forward and can be answered by
project sponsor, but as always, contact the
Bureau of Environment if you have questions.
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X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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Step 5 Finalize The Checklist Project Details
CITY
1

X-A000()
DETAILED DESCRIPTION SHOULD INCLUDE
1) PROJECT LIMITS,
2) PROJECT LOCATION,
3) NEED,
4) DESIGN PARAMETERS,
5) ANY OTHER SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS.
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X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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Step 5 Finalize The Checklist Programmatic
Determination
NOTE If you checked NO to all questions, your
project can be classified as a Programmatic
Categorical Exclusion, and you do NOT need to
complete the lengthy Non-Programmatic form. If
you had to check YES to any of the questions, you
must complete the lengthier form. See Page 16 for
those projects qualifying for Programmatic CE
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Step 5 Finalize The Checklist Environmental
Commitments

• Actions to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts
• Requires follow up

NOTE Federal determination on project
classification is dependent upon successful
implementation of environmental commitments.
Environmental commitments must be followed
through.
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Step 5 Finalize The Checklist Classification
Determination
X
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Step 5 Finalize The Checklist Programmatic
Criteria Discussion

• Provide a brief narrative of
• Reason for checking NO to each question
• Location of supporting documentation (i.e.
  Appendix A)

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Step 6 Categorical Exclusion Non-Programmatic
Impact Summary

• Checked YES to any question
• Project did NOT meet a CE Action Number
• Complete entire long form
• Utilize NOT APPLICABLE box when appropriate

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Step 7 Classification and NEPA Conclusion

• Once The Checklist is completed it gets
  classified in house
• Long form gets transmitted to FHWA for
  classification
• Letter generated and sent to Project Manager
  concluding NEPA process.

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Questions?