Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts

요약

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is updating DOT Order 5610.1C "Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts," which establishes procedures for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Order was last updated in 1985. This update is necessary in light of the recent recission of the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ's) NEPA procedures, which DOT's procedures were designed to supplement. In addition, the update incorporates provisions from the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU); Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21); the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA); and the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA 2023) related to the environmental review process. The updated Order promotes collaboration and efficiencies in the implementation of NEPA and modernizes the processes and procedures for environmental review. This update enables DOT to conduct coordinated, consistent, predictable, and timely environmental reviews, thus reducing unnecessary burdens and delays.