1 Environmental Requirements for FHWA Projects in Oregon Teresa Brasfield Susan Haupt Oregon Department of Transportation

2 Overview National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Other Environmental Requirements

3 What is NEPA? NEPA requires federal agencies to factor environmental considerations into their decision making. NEPA includes full range of activities to evaluate the environmental impacts of a proposed action. NEPA requires environmentally informed decisions. NEPA is a procedural statute and does not dictate a decision or require elevation of environmental concerns over other pertinent considerations.

Project Development Planning Right-of-Way NEPA Construction Need, alternatives and impact analysis, public / agency coordination, documentation (CE, EA/FONSI, EIS/ROD) Final Design NEPA Approval: Location, design concept acceptance Post NEPA Project Development Activities System considerations, coordination, conformity, project need,

FHWA NEPA Process “Umbrella” Endangered Species Act – Section 7 Civil Rights Act Executive Order (Environmental Justice) Section 4(f) of USDOT Act (49 USC 303) - Parks, recreation, etc Clean Air Act Safe Water Drinking Act Clean Water Act 404(b)(1) Farmland Protection Policy Act National Historic Preservation Act Floodplains Economic, Social, and Environmental Effects (23 USC 109(h)) analysis Public involvement, interagency coordination Tribal consultation Location, design, and engineering Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 Noise Standards Public Hearing Requirements Americans with Disabilities Act

6 NEPA “Documents” Categorical Exclusion (CE) Environmental Assessment (EA) Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) Notice of Intent (NOI) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Record of Decision (ROD)

7 Categorical Exclusion Actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment Actions that, based on past experience with similar actions, do not involve significant environmental impacts Neither an EA nor EIS is required 40 CFR CFR (a)

8 Environmental Assessment Document … … prepared for an action where the significance of the social, economic, and environmental impacts are not clearly established 23 CFR (c) 40 CFR

9 FONSI Finding Of No Significant Impact A document which briefly presents why an action does not have a significant impact It must include and reference the environmental assessment CEQ Q&A #37A 40 CFR

10 Environmental Impact Statement Environmental impacts of the proposed action and alternatives Unavoidable adverse environmental impacts

11 Record of Decision Decision - identify selected alternative Alternatives considered -Discuss values considered and basis of decision -Identify “environmentally preferred” alternative(s) ) 40 CFR CFR (g)

NO Proposed Action Coordination and Analysis Significant Impact ? Listed CE Public Comment Documented CE Environmental Assessment Significant impact Notice of Intent & Scoping Process Draft EIS Record of Decision (ROD) Final EIS Agency Action Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) Agency Action Coordination and analysis as needed No significant impacts Unknown YES Document appropriately

13 Elements of the NEPA Process Public involvement throughout Interagency coordination throughout Purpose and Need Alternatives analysis Impact analysis Mitigation Documentation

14 Purpose and Need Critical foundation for decisions Basis for reasonable alternatives, evaluations and comparisons Reasons are established for moving forward with Federal action

15 Purpose Purpose is the “Problem Statement” Transportation demand Safety Legislative direction Economic development or planned growth System linkage Condition of existing facility 40 CFR TA Page 13

16 The “need” supports the problem statement - Facts demonstrating a "need" exists - History and background Need

17 Alternatives Analysis Varies with Class of Action Rigorously explore and objectively evaluate in the EIS – Reasonable range alternatives / reasonable number No-action / no-build always included

18 Screening Alternatives - ODOT Does it meet Purpose and Need? Is it an acceptable solution? Have environmental constraints been considered? Does it require a state land use goal exception?

19 Impacts Direct impacts … … caused by the action and occur at the same time and location Project Action Direct Environmenta l Impacts

20 Indirect Environmenta l Impacts Indirect Impacts Project Action Other Actions 40 CFR

21 Cumulative Impacts Result from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions … … regardless of what agency or person undertakes such other actions… … Federal, non-federal, public and private must be considered

Significant Impacts SignificantImpact ContextIntensity +

23 Federal Mitigation Policy Avoid Minimize/Preserve Rectify, Repair, Rehabilitate, Restore Compensate 40 CFR

24 Implementation Responsibility Must implement mitigation commitments made in environmental documents Ensure compliance through project management Formal monitoring plan may be established (recommended where sensitive resources are impacted)

25 Lead and Cooperating Agency Lead agency (Federal) … Sponsoring agency- Cooperating agency may be … Federal agencies with jurisdiction by law (mandatory) or special expertise (optional) … State and local agencies … Federally recognized Tribes 40 CFR &

26 Cooperating Agency Responsibility Respond to lead agency’s request – Cooperate where jurisdiction by law Attend scoping and coordination meetings Provide meaningful and early input on issues of concern Review and provide comments on Pre-draft and Pre-final environmental documents

27 Other Requirements Section 4(f) of the DOT Act (FHWA) (NPS) Section 106 of the NHPA of 1965 (SHPO) Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (USCOE) Oregon Removal/Fill Law (ODSL) ESA Section 7 consultation (NMFS, USFWS)

28 Other Requirements Noise (FHWA) Title VI and EJ (FHWA) Clean Air (DEQ, EPA) Hazardous Materials (DEQ, EPA) Visual Resources (FHWA)

29 Section 303 in Title 49 AKA Section 4(f) of the DOT Act The Secretary may approve projects requiring use of publicly owned land of a public park, recreation area, or wildlife/waterfowl refuge, or land of a historic site of National, State, or local significance (as determined by the officials having jurisdiction over the park, recreation area, refuge or site) only if- 1. There is no feasible and prudent alternative to such use, and 2. The project includes all possible planning to minimize harm 23 CFR (a)(1)

30 Section 106 of the NHPA National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) ACHP, SHPO, THPO, NPS Avoid unnecessary harm to historic properties – Federal agencies consider effects of their actions on historic properties – Provide an opportunity for the ACHP and interested parties to comment Relationship to 4(f) 16 U.S.C CFR Part 800

31 Section 404 of the CWA Clean Water Act (CWA) – 33 U.S.C 1344 et seq. – Army Corp of Engineers 33 CFR Part 323 Implementing Regulations – EPA 404(b)(1) guidelines 40 CFR Part 230 Army Corps of Engineers (administers the program), Environmental Protection Agency (veto authority), State / Regional Water Resources Control Boards or agencies Elevation process (404(q)) FHWA Wetland Regulations 23 CFR 777 Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 10 Permit

32 Section Permit Permit application must show that you have: – taken steps to avoid impacts to waters of the US, including wetlands, where practicable – minimized potential impacts to waters of the US – provided compensation for any remaining, unavoidable impacts

33 Oregon Removal/Fill Law Oregon Department of State Lands administers Division ORS to ORS ORS to Purpose: To define and establish rules and guidelines to regulate removal/fill activities in “waters of the state” of Oregon

34 Oregon Land Use Goals (X-1) Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals, OAR (1985) Sets the framework and standards/criteria for the statewide land use planning Transportation Planning Rule, OAR (Administered by DLCD) (I-4) DOT Order C, Attachment 2, pg 13, Land Use and Urban Growth---(Sept 1979)

35 Oregon Land Use Goals (II-1) FHWA Technical Advisory T6640.8A, pg 19, Land Use Impacts---(Oct 1987) (II-1) FHWA Technical Advisory T6640.8A, pg 22, Joint Development---(Oct 1987) (X-3) Farmland Protection Policy Act---(Dec 1981) OAR “Transportation Planning Rule”--- (??? ????)

36 Section 7 of the ESA Endangered Species Act of 1973 – 16 U.S.C et seq. – 50 CFR 402 Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI) and NOAA Fisheries Handbook on-line

37 Section 7 - Consultation FHWA / SDOT initiates consultation F&WS provides information (list) on occurrence of threatened and endangered species in area DOT survey for T&E species or critical habitat 50 CFR 402

38 Section 7 - Consultation Biological assessment (or evaluation) to allow FHWA’s determination of effect “Not likely to adversely effect” – consultation complete Adversely effect – formal consultation required “No jeopardy” opinion required to advance project 50 CFR 402

39 Air Quality National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are established for specific air pollutants Oregon DEQ also specifies air quality standards that are equal to or more strict than the national standards Seven air pollutants have standards established Based on the specific pollutant, DEQ has designated specific non-attainment areas within the state of Oregon.

40 Noise Consideration and abatement of highway traffic noise and construction noise 23 CFR 772 FHWA Noise Guidance June State Noise Policies

41 Environmental Justice Fundamental concepts of EJ (Executive Order 12898) and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act 1. Ensure full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the decision-making process 2. Prevent denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and low-income populations 3. Avoid, minimize, and mitigate disproportionately high and adverse effects (human health, social, economic and environmental) on minority and low income populations.

42 Hazardous Materials CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980)---Superfund RCRA (Resource Conservation Recovery Act) 40 CFR 312, ORS & FHWA Guidance (Site identification and cleanup liability) OAR & to 163 (UST removal) OAR (Site cleanup requirements) 40 CFR (Waste disposal) Federal Pesticide Control Act, 40 CFR OAR (Asbestos survey & abatement)

43 HazMat Assessment Resources OTIA III Materials and Contamination Performance Standards Manual ntal/MaterialsandContaminationManual.pdf ODOT Hazardous Materials Program Guide ftp://ftp.odot.state.or.us/techserv/Geo-Environmental/ ftp://ftp.odot.state.or.us/techserv/Geo-Environmental/ Environmental/Procedural%20Manuals/HazMat/HazMatProgram Proceduresl.doc ODOT HazMat Report Templates ftp://ftp.odot.state.or.us/techserv/Geo-Environmental/ ftp://ftp.odot.state.or.us/techserv/Geo-Environmental/ Environmental/Regulatory%20Documentation%20Forms%20and% 20Examples/HazMat/

44 Waste Management Resources DEQ approved waste re-use, recycling & disposal options for: Asphalt (old and fresh) Clean fill Concrete (including concrete with lead-paint) Paint (including lead-paint and striping) Metal Wood (including treated and painted wood) Summarized in OTIA III Materials & Contamination Performance Standards Manual

45 Visual Resources Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 43 CFR 8350 (II-1) FHWA Technical Advisory T6640.8A, pg 34, Visual Impacts---(Oct 1987) (XV-3) Landscape and Roadside Development, 23 CFR (Sept 1987)

RHAA AA MBTA FWCA HSBAA FIFRA CAA AHPA LWCF CAA WA CRA SWDA HBA NHPA 4(f) FAHA CAA WSRA EAA NEPA RRA URA WBA CWA CZMA ESA SDWA FNWA MSFCMA RCRA CWA EO11990 EO11998 ARPA CERCLA ANILCA LAA FPPA CBRA HSWA SDWA EWRA CWA URA STURAA NAGPRA CZARA ADA CAA ISTEA SNRTA EO12898 EO13007 SDWA EO13061 EO13089 TEA-21 EO13112 EO13148 EO13186 CAA Federal Environmental Requirements Affecting Transportation CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF LAWS AND AMENDMENTS YEAR