US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

ENV-12: Reach Consensus on Avoidance and Minimization for the LEDPA

Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting

Description:

Following selection of the LEDPA/Preferred Alternative partners reach consensus on additional avoidance and minimization measures not included in the preliminary design.

Basics:

The first table describes the purpose and anticipated outcome of a Key Decision. If the decision is federally mandated, the purpose and outcome will relate to the legal intent.

The second table describes roles for key partners with legal decision making authority in the transportation process. The roles indicate the influence a partner can have on a decision, and show each partner where their input is most needed. For a full understanding of roles see the Partner Portal.

Purpose

To reach consensus on avoidance and minimization measures for the preferred alternative/LEDPA.

Outcome

Measures for avoidance and minimization to be included in the Final EIS.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	No Role	No action required on the determination of avoidance and minimization measures for the LEDPA.
FHWA/FTA	Observer	Observes the determination of final avoidance, minimization and mitigation.
State DOT	Decision Maker	Approves avoidance and minimization that will be possible to incorporate in the project.
Resource Agency	Decision Maker	USACE is a decision-maker, approving the avoidance and minimization measures. This is also an important Key Decision to collaborate with State permitting agencies.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	No Role	No action required on the determination of avoidance and minimization measures for the LEDPA.

Links to Decisions

This table identifies the connection to other Key Decisions. The linkages highlight the importance of collaboration across transportation phases. Practitioners are encouraged to document the basis of the decision and consider information from previous Key Decisions.

Transportation Phases	Key Decision	What is Linked?	Purpose of Linkage
From Long Range Transportation Planning	LRP-10 - Adopt LRTP by MPO	Advance mitigation strategy and agreements from the adopted LRTP	To inform avoidance and minimization for the LEDPA
From Programming	PRO-9 - Approve STIP with respect to Fiscal Constraint	Funding for mitigation programmed in the STIP.	To inform partners of the sufficiency of funds for avoidance, minimization and mitigation programmed in the STIP.
From Corridor Planning	COR-9 - Adopt Priorities for Implementation	Advance mitigation strategy and agreements from the Corridor Plan	To inform avoidance and minimization for the LEDPA

Questions to Consider

Questions are a way to gather input from partners and stakeholders that can be used to inform the decision. Decision makers can discuss the questions provided to ensure a broad array of interests are considered to support a collaborative process. Questions also allow staff to collect stakeholder interests, ensure these are included in the decision, and provide a response based on the decision outcome. Although Public Transportation is not represented by a PlanWorks Application, the information provided may be useful in a collaborative transportation process.

Category	Questions to Consider
Long Range Planning	Have the advance mitigation strategy and agreements from the adopted long range transportation plan been used to inform avoidance and minimization for the LEDPA? Are these consistent?
Programming	Has funding for mitigation programmed in the STIP been identified as sufficient for avoidance, minimization and mitigation?
Corridor Planning	Have any advance mitigation strategies and/or agreements from corridor planning informed avoidance and minimization for the LEDPA?
Environmental Review	Have all partner interests been clearly identified? Are all partners in agreement that avoidance and minimization measures reduce impacts to jurisdictional and prioritized resources to the greatest extent possible? Do the avoidance and minimization measures address all changes since the Draft EIS?
Bicycles and Pedestrians	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities	How can the information provided by community stakeholders and representatives of disadvantaged groups be used in developing avoidance/minimization strategies for the LEDPA? Was a positive response from key stakeholders and community representatives on the selected strategies received? How is this agreement with stakeholders documented?
Land Use	Have the land use changes needed for avoidance and minimization been communicated to effected stakeholders? Are there any risks to avoidance and minimization identified?
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Is avoidance and minimization consistent with conservation priorities identified in the ecological plan? Does the ecological plan include the final jurisdictional determination?
Performance Measures	How do performance measures impact the selection of avoidance and minimization options?
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	What role(s) will private partners play in ensuring that mitigation actions are implemented?
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.

Data

The following list of data may be needed to support the Key Decision. Practitioners collect this information for decision makers to consider. Although Public Transportation is not represented by a PlanWorks Application, the information provided may be useful in a collaborative transportation process.

Category	Data to Consider
Long Range Planning	Advance mitigation strategies and agreements
Programming	Adopted STIP
Corridor Planning	Advance mitigation strategies and agreements
Environmental Review	Preliminary design and avoidance and minimization incorporated in the Draft EIS Jurisdictional waters Preferred alternative/LEDPA and any changes made to it since the Draft EIS
Bicycles and Pedestrians	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities	Input about the impacts of the LEDPA Avoidance and minimization strategies Documented agreements
Land Use	Land use maps and policies Stakeholders impacted avoidance and minimization actions
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Prioritized areas for conservation, restoration and enhancement Conservation priorities identified in the ecological plan Spatial data from the jurisdictional determination
Performance Measures	Analysis and documentation of avoidance and minimization evaluation for performance measurement
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Information about private sector partners’ roles and responsibilities with respect to mitigation and implementation
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.

Links to Applications

The interaction between transportation decision making and other planning processes will ensure that important values and goals outside the transportation process are recognized and considered. Although Public Transportation is not represented by a PlanWorks Application, the information provided may be useful in a collaborative transportation process.

Application	Description
Bicycles and Pedestrians	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Capital Improvement	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Economic Development	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Freight	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Health in Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Human Environment and Communities	This Key Decision is project-specific but essential for the Human Environment and Communities and Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical. Other relevant Applications will depend on the project context.
Land Use	Confirm with effected stakeholders that land-use changes proposed for avoidance and minimization are reasonably acceptable. Identify any fatal flaws in the avoidance and minimization that is dependent on land-use changes. The land-use changes will likely have an impact on Human Environment and Communities and Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical agreements.
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Determine avoidance and minimization measures that are consistent with the conservation priorities identified in the ecological plan. Update ecological plans with final jurisdictional determination and other changes.
Performance Measures	There is no specific linkage to other Application topics at this Key Decision
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	There are no specific links to other Applications.
Public Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Safety	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Stakeholder Collaboration	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Transportation Conformity	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Visioning and Transportation	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.

Examples

In - depth case studies of successful practices in collaborative decision making were used to develop the Decision Guide.Links in this table point to a specific paragraph or section of a case study that supports a Key Decision. It is not necessary to read through an entire case study to find the example; however, full versions are available in the Library.

PlanWorks Case Study Examples:
None.

Other Examples:
None.