Colorado: Planning and Environmental Linkages Integrated Planning Work Group Peer Exchange Washington, DC – January 27, 2009

SAFETEA-LU Consideration of potential environmental mitigation activities Consideration of potential environmental mitigation activities Consultation with resource, regulatory and land management agencies, and Tribal governments Consultation with resource, regulatory and land management agencies, and Tribal governments Transportation planning studies Transportation planning studies

PEL Concept Considerations in planning process and use decisions in NEPA later Considerations in planning process and use decisions in NEPA later Ecosystem vs. project perspective Ecosystem vs. project perspective Early and better coordination Early and better coordination Progression from just NEPA focus Progression from just NEPA focus

Benefits of PEL Common sense Common sense Early and continuous coordination with agencies Early and continuous coordination with agencies Better decisions result in: Better decisions result in: Environmental stewardship Environmental stewardship Financial stewardship Financial stewardship Ultimately save time, money and effort Ultimately save time, money and effort Relationship-building Relationship-building

History of PEL in Colorado STEP UP STEP UP Linking Planning and NEPA (LPN) On-line Training Linking Planning and NEPA (LPN) On-line Training LPN Guidance LPN Guidance Statewide Transportation Plan Process Statewide Transportation Plan Process CDOT PEL Program Manager CDOT PEL Program Manager PEL Corridor Studies PEL Corridor Studies FHWA PEL Questionnaire FHWA PEL Questionnaire

STEP UP – Environmental Streamlining New Planning Process: New Planning Process: Identify environmental issues early Establish early and continued involvement by resource agencies Create a better link between transportation, environmental, and land use planning Evaluate and rank projects using environmental data Web-based GIS Tool Web-based GIS Tool

Linking Planning and NEPA Training On-line training On-line training Provides guidance to integrate planning and NEPA Provides guidance to integrate planning and NEPA How to incorporate planning process elements into project- level environmental review How to incorporate planning process elements into project- level environmental review

CDOT LPN Guidance For use by CDOT staff and regional transportation planning partners For use by CDOT staff and regional transportation planning partners Addresses how data, analysis, and products from planning can be incorporated into NEPA Addresses how data, analysis, and products from planning can be incorporated into NEPA Meets SAFETEA-LU requirements Meets SAFETEA-LU requirements

Statewide Transportation Plan Process Developed Corridor Visions, Goals and Strategies Developed Corridor Visions, Goals and Strategies Environmental Forum with Resource Agencies Environmental Forum with Resource Agencies Environmental Tabs Environmental Tabs Resource Management Plans Resource Management Plans

CDOT PEL Program Manager Develop effective working relationships with FHWA, CDOT and MPOs Develop effective working relationships with FHWA, CDOT and MPOs Form the link between transportation planning and project delivery to advance NEPA analysis into the planning process Form the link between transportation planning and project delivery to advance NEPA analysis into the planning process Assure environmental data are available to planning staff and their consultants and are appropriately utilized and interpreted Assure environmental data are available to planning staff and their consultants and are appropriately utilized and interpreted Be available to furnish expertise and institutional knowledge Be available to furnish expertise and institutional knowledge

PEL Corridor Studies Arapahoe Road – Denver, 2007 Arapahoe Road – Denver, th Avenue – Denver, th Avenue – Denver, 2008 Parker Road – Denver, current Parker Road – Denver, current US 50 West – Pueblo, current US 50 West – Pueblo, current US 24 East – Colorado Springs, current US 24 East – Colorado Springs, current

FHWA PEL Questionnaire Consistent with 23 CFR 450 Appendix A Consistent with 23 CFR 450 Appendix A Submitted with PEL Study Document Submitted with PEL Study Document Consists of 13 Questions: Consists of 13 Questions: Corridor Vision/Purpose and Need Corridor Vision/Purpose and Need Range of Alternatives and Screening Criteria Range of Alternatives and Screening Criteria Agency and Public Coordination Agency and Public Coordination Resources Resources Relationship to Future NEPA Document Relationship to Future NEPA Document

Barriers Money Money Database development Database development Different perspectives between land use, transportation and environmental planning Different perspectives between land use, transportation and environmental planning Coordination with various disciplines (engineers, environmental, regulatory agencies, etc.) Coordination with various disciplines (engineers, environmental, regulatory agencies, etc.) Time and staffing Time and staffing Carry forward into NEPA Carry forward into NEPA

Statewide Environmental Forum Bring together Local Transportation Officials 10 rural areas 5 “urban” areas Resource and Regulatory Agencies Goal: Better understanding of the resources and issues Best meeting ever!

CDOT’s Statewide Environmental Forum

Results Question 1: Was this an effective tool for sharing information between agencies about programs and activities? 87% said yes. Question 2: Was there sufficient time for conversations? 30% said yes. A majority of evaluations requested between 5 and 15 minutes more for each conversation Question 3: Did you feel you were able to effectively communicate with other parties? 91% said yes. Question 4: Should CDOT host similar events in the future as transportation plans are developed? 89% said yes.

What’s Next? Developing a more refined process of moving from planning through NEPA Developing a more refined process of moving from planning through NEPA Ensuring that planning decisions are recognized in a NEPA study Ensuring that planning decisions are recognized in a NEPA study Education and outreach on planning process Education and outreach on planning process Current CO PEL efforts include: Current CO PEL efforts include: Partnering agreement with Transportation Environmental Resource Council (TERC) Partnering agreement with Transportation Environmental Resource Council (TERC) PEL web-based decision tool PEL web-based decision tool PEL training PEL training Charting CDOT transportation and environmental planning processes Charting CDOT transportation and environmental planning processes

Questions for You Success with alternatives elimination in planning? Success with alternatives elimination in planning? Moving into NEPA and how much is revisited? Moving into NEPA and how much is revisited? How much time between a planning study and NEPA? How much time between a planning study and NEPA?

FHWA letter responding to a PEL Study SUBJECT: 56 th Avenue: Havana Street to Pena Boulevard Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study Process Dear Mr. Mutz: This letter is in response to your request for FHWA concurrence regarding the Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study initiative undertaken by the City and County of Denver, CDOT, and URS Corporation on the 56 th Avenue Corridor Study project. We appreciate and commend the efforts the team has undertaken to conduct this corridor planning study in a manner consistent with the FHWA PEL guidance which outlines a process similar to that required by NEPA. The benefits of this streamlining effort will undoubtedly be realized in terms of time and cost savings on future NEPA studies conducted within the corridor planning study limits. The completed PEL Questionnaire submitted to FHWA on December 16, 2008 provides a good summary of the work completed in PEL study and the information that will be needed once projects enter into the NEPA process…….

Colorado PEL Contacts Name/TitleArea Michelle Scheuerman – CDOT Planning Section Manager Statewide Planning us Tracey MacDonald - CDOT Statewide Planning Unit Manager Statewide Planning and STEP UP Sheble McConnellogue - PEL Program Manager CDOT PEL Program us Bill Haas - FHWA Metropolitan Transportation Planner CO PEL Program Stephanie Gibson - FHWA Environmental Program Manager Environmental Policy and PEL Questionnaire Suzette Mallette - NFRMPO Regional Transportation Planning Director STEP UP Alison Deans Michael USFWS/CDOT Liaison U.S. Fish and Wildlife/CDOT Liaison