US Department of Transportation

FHWA PlanWorks: Better Planning, Better Projects

US Department of Transportation

FHWA Planworks: Better Planning, Better Projects

ENV-14: Render Permit Decision and Approve Avoidance and Minimization

Environmental Review/NEPA Merged with Permitting

Description:

At this final step in the environmental review phase, the Record of Decision is issued and a final permit decision is rendered.

There is information developed in prior Key Decisions that informs this step.

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 approve, approve with conditions, or deny permit(s) for the project.

Outcome

Permit(s) required for the transportation project.

Partner	Role Type	Description
MPO	Observer	Observes approval of the ROD.
FHWA/FTA	Decision Maker	Approves the federal Record of Decision (ROD). Project level conformity requirements must be met prior to issuance of the ROD.
State DOT	Advisor	Provides support for approval of the ROD as needed.
Resource Agency	Advisor	Advise that the ROD contain all environmental commitments as appropriate.
Public Transportation Operator(s)	Advisor	Provides support for approval of the ROD as needed.

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
None.

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	Were any strategies related to advance mitigation from long range planning implemented? Have the advance mitigation strategies and agreements from the adopted long range plan informed avoidance and minimization as well as compensatory mitigation incorporated with permit conditions?
Programming	No specific questions
Corridor Planning	Were any strategies related to advance mitigation from corridor planning implemented? Have advance mitigation strategies and agreements from corridor planning informed avoidance and minimization as well as compensatory mitigation incorporated with permit conditions?
Environmental Review	How will this decision impact any advance mitigation agreements? What comments were received from reviewing agencies and how have they been addressed? Have all public comments been considered and addressed? Are final sites identified for compensatory mitigation consistent with current land use plans? Has a sufficient Final EIS been completed?
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	Are decision-making partners in agreement? If not, what actions must be taken to meet permitting requirements? Are avoidance and minimization actions documented and available to the public?
Land Use	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Are final sites identified for compensatory mitigation consistent with ecological plans? Is there agreement on performance monitoring strategy for mitigation sites? Are there any special conditions to be included in the individual permit?
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Does the private sector have a role in obtaining environmental permits and providing mitigation impacts for advance mitigation, MOUs, or programmatic agreements?
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	No specific data
Corridor Planning	Advance mitigation strategy and agreements from the Corridor Plan
Environmental Review	Approved final EIS Comments from reviewing agencies Permit application(s) including compensatory mitigation requirements, permit drawings and right of way plans
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	Permitting agreements
Land Use	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Ecological plans that apply to the area
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Planning and Environment Linkages	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Public Private Partnerships	Advance mitigation, MOUs, or programmatic agreements already in place Documentation of roles and responsibilities for permitting and mitigation
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 decision specifically relates to the Human Environment and Communities and Natural Environment and Implementing Eco-Logical.
Land Use	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Linking Planning and Operations	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
Natural Environment and Implementing Eco Logical	Update the ecological plan and ensure any early agreements are reflected in permit conditions.
Performance Measures	This Key Decision is not associated with the Application.
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.