The Environmental Review Process for Municipally Managed Federally Funded Projects

1
The Environmental Review Process for Municipally
Managed Federally Funded Projects

• Kevin T. Nyhan, Senior Environmental Manager
• Jonathan A. Evans, Environmental Manager

[phone]
2
Environmental Handouts

• Programmatic CE Determination Checklist
• Holderness Village Project Programmatic CE
• Portsmouth Bike/Ped. Bridge Programmatic CE
• Swanzey Shoulder Widening Programmatic CE
• Environmental Websites
• Environmental Contact List
• Cultural Resource Memo of Effect
• Initial Contact Letter (sample)
• Air Quality Handout
• Noise Handout
• US Fish and Wildlife Service Transportation Memo
• Commitments Memo (sample)

3
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.

4
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

5
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

6
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

7
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.
8
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

9
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

10
X
11
Step 1 Gather Information On-Line Regulatory
Reviews

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

12
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.
13
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
14
Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings

• NHDOT Natural Resource Agency Meeting
• 3rd Wednesday of Each Month
• Contact Kevin Nyhan or Jon Evans
• NHDOT Cultural Resource Agency Meeting
• 1st 2nd Thursday of Each Month
• Contact Joyce McKay, Kevin Nyhan, or Jon Evans

15
Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Natural Resource Agency

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

16
Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Natural Resource Agency

• Schedule when
• Environmental impacts
• Floodplains
• Other resource impacts

NOTE If wetlands will be impacted, a review at
this meeting usually streamlines the permitting
process.
17
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

18
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
19
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

20
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 can 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

21
Step 3 NHDOT Monthly Resource Agency Meetings
Cultural Resource Agency

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

22
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
23
Step 4 Finalize The Checklist The Last Few
Questions

• Air Quality
• Non-CMAQ project (refer to handout)
• 8-hour CO Analysis (refer to handout)
• Noise (Type I projects)
• 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.
24
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
25
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.
26
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
27
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
28
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.
29
Step 5 Finalize The Checklist Classification
Determination
X
30
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)

31
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

32
(No Transcript)
33
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.

34
Questions?