Incorporation of the new SAFETEA-LU 6002 procedures into the development of the NEPA EIS requires a few basic steps. Along with notifying the Environmental Services Office that you will be moving forward with an EIS, other procedural steps need to take place to ensure a SAFETEA-LU compliant process (clicking on the text will take you to a template in pdf format*):
*if you need the template in a format that can be edited, such as a Word document, please contact Cheryl McNamara at the Environmental Services Office.
Interagency Coordination
SAFETEA-LU’s mandate for early coordination and more efficient environmental reviews sheperded the way for revamping WSDOT's interagency coordination. In late 2007, WSDOT kicked off its new interagency coordination group known as the Statewide Advisory group for Environmental Stewardship or SAGES. As part of WSDOT’s new EIS process, project teams will meet with and present their projects to the SAGES as early as practicable before the issuance of the Notice of Intent (NOI).The SAGES website gives more information about this group and what's required to prepare project teams for project presentation.
What if I want more information about SAFETEA-LU's 6002 Environmental Review Process?
Although WSDOT has worked to incorporate SAFETEA-LU 6002 into its specific environmental review process there is certainly more information out there to help guide and inform environmental teams.
The Center for Environmental Excellence by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has a series of Practitioner's Handbooks that provide advice on a range of environmental issues that arise during the planning, development, and operation of transportation projects. Specific to SAFETEA-LU is handbook number 09 Using the SAFETEA-LU Environmental Review Process. Also helpful is FHWA's Environmental Review Process Toolkit website. This site provides samples of letters and plans developed by other state DOT agencies across the country. These examples help users to see how the required elements of SAFETEA-LU are implemented.