September 16, 2010

Where have we been???? Economic downturn… Stimulus Program…

Today’s Program Packed agenda

Lunch program… Ask questions…

Thank you! Program Over $2.0 B Next Stimulus Program?

Environmental Issues Water Quality (National/State focus) Climate Change Secondary/Cumulative Processing Times… P&N, PI, EJ, etc… Programmatic Approaches

Agency Focus OEPA USACE processing times

Next Reauthorization Bill Climate Change (Global Warming protests) Performance Measures Money Some Process/program language

Every Day Counts…. The “Greening” of DOT’s is a growing

issue…. Concise and high quality documents CEQ

Next Reauthorization Bill Climate Change (Global Warming protests) Performance Measures Money Some Process/program language

Every Day Counts…. The “Greening” of DOT’s is a growing

issue…. Concise and high quality documents CEQ

1. Establishing and applying CE’s under NEPA

2. NEPA Guidance on Consideration of the Effects of Climate Change and GHG

3. Guidance for NEPA Mitigation and Monitoring

All 3- are draft and subject to change…

Established process to establish CE’s Draft CE based on experience and supporting

information (including pilots if no experience) CEQ review, consult Federal agencies Publish a notice in the Federal Register for

public comment period. CEQ review (again). Publish in Federal Register (again) Make available to the public Monitor.

CEQ- guidance – 1) The GHG emissions effects of a proposed

action and alternative actions; and 2) The relationship of CC effects to a proposed

action or alternatives, including the relationship to the proposed design, environmental impacts, mitigation and adaptation measures.

Consider direct and indirect impacts if alternatives are expected to cause direct emissions of 25,000 metric tons or more of CO2. The threshold is roughly equivalent to the annual

greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from approximately 4,600 passenger vehicles.

For all projects and for each alternative!

Consider mitigation throughout the NEPA process. Mitigated FONSI

Monitoring of Mitigation. Failure could stop other project actions Reopen NEPA

Public participation and accountability. Monitoring should be available to all

AASHTO and many others have provided comments. CE and CC- huge.

CEQ issue Final versions (no time table yet) FHWA issue guidance/direction

Pro-active… but cautious… Climate Change Strengthen

relationships (agencies, consultants, PI)

Focus on our PA’s

Focus on effective decision-making