Initiatives

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Initiatives Approaches

• Two separate yet related initiatives in
  California have addressed cumulative and/or
  indirect impacts analysis
• Merced PIP Cumulative Impacts Advisory Panel
  (FHWA CA-Division, EPA, Caltrans, other federal,
  state and local agencies)
• Interagency Work Group (FHWA CA-Division, EPA,
  Caltrans) aka Mare Island Accord Work Group
  (MIAWG)

Both were the result of the Mare Island Accord
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Background
In 2000, the Mare Island Accord agreement between
FHWA, EPA Region IX, and Caltrans addressed lack
of early involvement in transportation projects
The Mare Island Accord called for the future
joint development of cumulative and indirect
impacts assessment guidance
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Background
Mare Island Accord also called for a MPO pilot
project to test document new methods of linking
planning projects
Selected MPO pilot project, the Merced County
Partnership for Integrated Planning (PIP) had a
strong cumulative effects analysis component,
including a interagency Cumulative Impacts
Advisory Panel
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California Challenge

• Regional Transportation Plans (RTPs) prepared by
  the MPOs as part of the Federal planning process
  must also meet certain California Environmental
  Quality Act (CEQA) requirements.
• Preparation and approval of a CEQA document,
  Environmental Impact Report (EIR) precedes the
  issuance of the RTP.
• Despite state-level environmental considerations
  traditionally there has been little or no
  opportunity for federal resource/regulatory
  agencies to make a meaningful contribution at
  this stage.

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Merced PIP Cumulative Impacts Advisory Panel

• Facilitated meetings (2/03 to 11/03)
• Other federal, state, and local agencies
  participated in the effort in addition to FHWA,
  EPA, and Caltrans
• Panel members were drawn from the agencies that
  most commonly prepare or comment on cumulative
  impacts analyses
• Produced Cumulative Impacts Analysis Outline of
  considerations for analyzing the cumulative
  impacts of an RTP
• Writer of the RTP EIR also participated in
  meetings and helped determine the practicality
  and utility of the Cumulative Impacts Analysis
  Outline

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Merced PIP Cumulative Impacts Advisory Panel

• Participation of EIR writer provided a direct way
  for Panel to align the contents of the cumulative
  impacts analysis chapter of the EIR with the
  recommendations in Cumulative Impacts Analysis
  Outline
• Panel members, particularly those from federal
  agencies, recognized that the ultimate utility of
  the Panels recommendations is likely to be seen
  in the future during the reviews of cumulative
  impacts analyses for the individual
  transportation projects in the RTP.
• No one left screaming

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Cumulative and Indirect ImpactsInteragency Work
Group

• FHWA, EPA, and Caltrans (several participants
  were also members of the Merced PIP Cumulative
  Impacts Advisory Panel)
• Work plan laid down the ground rules and guided
  the initiative throughout
• Decision made upfront to separately prepare
  guidance documents to address cumulative and
  indirect impact analysis for surface
  transportation projects in California.
• Facilitated meetings and many, many
  teleconferences (2003 through 2006)
• Consultant team prepared guidance and issue
  papers with the direct participation of the group

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Cumulative and Indirect ImpactsInteragency Work
Group

• Cumulative impacts guidance focuses on skill
  building for preparers providing direction on
  improving the quality of cumulative impacts
  assessments and identifying methodologies which
  the Work Group agreed were reasonable
• Indirect impacts guidance focuses on land use and
  growth inducement
• To the extent practicable, guidance is provided
  in the context of both NEPA and CEQA
• All guidance was distributed for peer review

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Keys to Success

• Put work plan in place early
• Establish common goal(s)
• Maintain open dialogue
• Have a shared vocabulary
• Seek experts as necessary
• Build on existing guidance
• Retain a skilled facilitator
• Be flexible !

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"The art of fortifying does not consist of
applying rules or following a procedure, but in
good sense and experience."  Maréchal Sébastien
le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707, Military
Engineer to King Louis XIV)
Additional information

• Merced PIP Cumulative Impacts Advisory Panel
• http//www.dot.ca.gov/hq/tpp/offices/orip/Collabor
  ative_Planning.htm
• Cumulative and Indirect Effects Guidance
• http//www.dot.ca.gov/ser/