Colorado: Planning and Colorado: Planning and Environmental LinkagesEnvironmental Linkages

Integrated Planning Work GroupIntegrated Planning Work Group

Peer ExchangePeer Exchange

Washington, DC – January 27, Washington, DC – January 27, 20092009

SAFETEA-LUSAFETEA-LU

Consideration of potential Consideration of potential environmental mitigation activitiesenvironmental mitigation activities

Consultation with resource, Consultation with resource, regulatory and land management regulatory and land management agencies, and Tribal governmentsagencies, and Tribal governments

Transportation planning studiesTransportation planning studies

PEL ConceptPEL Concept

Considerations in Considerations in planning process planning process and use and use decisions in decisions in NEPA laterNEPA later

Ecosystem vs. Ecosystem vs. project project perspectiveperspective

Early and better Early and better coordinationcoordination

Progression from Progression from just NEPA focusjust NEPA focus

Benefits of PELBenefits of PEL

Common senseCommon sense Early and continuous coordination with Early and continuous coordination with

agenciesagencies Better decisions result in:Better decisions result in:

Environmental stewardshipEnvironmental stewardship Financial stewardshipFinancial stewardship

Ultimately save time, money and effortUltimately save time, money and effort Relationship-buildingRelationship-building

History of PEL in ColoradoHistory of PEL in Colorado

STEP UPSTEP UP Linking Planning and NEPA (LPN) On-line Linking Planning and NEPA (LPN) On-line

TrainingTraining LPN GuidanceLPN Guidance Statewide Transportation Plan ProcessStatewide Transportation Plan Process CDOT PEL Program ManagerCDOT PEL Program Manager PEL Corridor StudiesPEL Corridor Studies FHWA PEL Questionnaire FHWA PEL Questionnaire

STEP UP – Environmental STEP UP – Environmental StreamliningStreamlining

New Planning Process:New Planning Process: Identify environmental Identify environmental

issues earlyissues early Establish early and Establish early and

continued involvement continued involvement by resource agenciesby resource agencies

Create a better link Create a better link between transportation, between transportation, environmental, and land environmental, and land use planninguse planning

Evaluate and rank Evaluate and rank projects using projects using environmental dataenvironmental data

Web-based GIS ToolWeb-based GIS Toolhttp://www.nfrmpo.org/planning/

Linking Planning and NEPA Linking Planning and NEPA TrainingTraining

On-line trainingOn-line training Provides guidance to Provides guidance to

integrate planning integrate planning and NEPAand NEPA

How to incorporate How to incorporate planning process planning process elements into elements into project-level project-level environmental environmental reviewreview

http://www.dot.state.co.us/environmental/Training/NEPA_index.asp

CDOT LPN GuidanceCDOT LPN Guidance

For use by CDOT staff and regional For use by CDOT staff and regional transportation planning partnerstransportation planning partners

Addresses how data, analysis, and Addresses how data, analysis, and products from planning can be products from planning can be incorporated into NEPAincorporated into NEPA

Meets SAFETEA-LU requirementsMeets SAFETEA-LU requirements

http://www.dot.state.co.us/environmental/Training/linking-overview.html

Statewide Transportation Plan Statewide Transportation Plan ProcessProcess

Developed Corridor Developed Corridor Visions, Goals and Visions, Goals and StrategiesStrategies

Environmental Environmental Forum with Forum with Resource AgenciesResource Agencies

Environmental TabsEnvironmental Tabs Resource Resource

Management PlansManagement Plans

http://www.dot.state.co.us/StatewidePlanning/PlansStudies/2035Plan.asp

CDOT PEL Program ManagerCDOT PEL Program Manager Develop effective working relationships Develop effective working relationships

with FHWA, CDOT and MPOs with FHWA, CDOT and MPOs Form the link between transportation Form the link between transportation

planning and project delivery to advance planning and project delivery to advance NEPA analysis into the planning process NEPA analysis into the planning process

Assure environmental data are available to Assure environmental data are available to planning staff and their consultants and planning staff and their consultants and are appropriately utilized and interpreted are appropriately utilized and interpreted

Be available to furnish expertise and Be available to furnish expertise and institutional knowledgeinstitutional knowledge

PEL Corridor StudiesPEL Corridor Studies

Arapahoe Road – Denver, 2007Arapahoe Road – Denver, 2007 5656thth Avenue – Denver, 2008 Avenue – Denver, 2008 Parker Road – Denver, currentParker Road – Denver, current US 50 West – Pueblo, currentUS 50 West – Pueblo, current US 24 East – Colorado Springs, US 24 East – Colorado Springs,

currentcurrent

FHWA PEL QuestionnaireFHWA PEL Questionnaire

Consistent with 23 CFR 450 Appendix AConsistent with 23 CFR 450 Appendix A Submitted with PEL Study DocumentSubmitted with PEL Study Document Consists of 13 Questions:Consists of 13 Questions:

Corridor Vision/Purpose and NeedCorridor Vision/Purpose and Need Range of Alternatives and Screening CriteriaRange of Alternatives and Screening Criteria Agency and Public CoordinationAgency and Public Coordination ResourcesResources Relationship to Future NEPA Document Relationship to Future NEPA Document

BarriersBarriers

MoneyMoney Database developmentDatabase development Different perspectives between land use, Different perspectives between land use,

transportation and environmental planningtransportation and environmental planning Coordination with various disciplines Coordination with various disciplines

(engineers, environmental, regulatory (engineers, environmental, regulatory agencies, etc.)agencies, etc.)

Time and staffingTime and staffing Carry forward into NEPACarry forward into NEPA

Statewide Environmental Forum

Bring together Local Transportation Officials

10 rural areas 5 “urban” areas

Resource and Regulatory Agencies Goal: Better understanding of the

resources and issues Best meeting ever!

CDOT’s Statewide Environmental Forum

Results

Question 1: Was this an effective tool for sharing information between agencies about programs and activities? 87% said yes.

Question 2: Was there sufficient time for conversations? 30% said yes. A majority of evaluations requested between 5 and 15 minutes more for each conversation

Question 3: Did you feel you were able to effectively communicate with other parties? 91% said yes.

Question 4: Should CDOT host similar events in the future as transportation plans are developed? 89% said yes.

What’s Next?What’s Next?

Developing a more refined process of moving Developing a more refined process of moving from planning through NEPAfrom planning through NEPA

Ensuring that planning decisions are recognized Ensuring that planning decisions are recognized in a NEPA studyin a NEPA study

Education and outreach on planning processEducation and outreach on planning process Current CO PEL efforts include:Current CO PEL efforts include:

Partnering agreement with Transportation Partnering agreement with Transportation Environmental Resource Council (TERC)Environmental Resource Council (TERC)

PEL web-based decision toolPEL web-based decision tool PEL trainingPEL training Charting CDOT transportation and environmental Charting CDOT transportation and environmental

planning processesplanning processes

Questions for YouQuestions for You

Success with alternatives elimination Success with alternatives elimination in planning?in planning?

Moving into NEPA and how much is Moving into NEPA and how much is revisited?revisited?

How much time between a planning How much time between a planning study and NEPA?study and NEPA?

FHWA letter responding to a PEL Study

SUBJECT: 56th Avenue: Havana Street to Pena BoulevardPlanning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study

Process Dear Mr. Mutz: This letter is in response to your request for FHWA concurrence regarding the Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study initiative undertaken by the City and County of Denver, CDOT, and URS Corporation on the 56th Avenue Corridor Study project. We appreciate and commend the efforts the team has undertaken to conduct this corridor planning study in a manner consistent with the FHWA PEL guidance which outlines a process similar to that required by NEPA. The benefits of this streamlining effort will undoubtedly be realized in terms of time and cost savings on future NEPA studies conducted within the corridor planning study limits. The completed PEL Questionnaire submitted to FHWA on December 16, 2008 provides a good summary of the work completed in PEL study and the information that will be needed once projects enter into the NEPA process…….

Colorado PEL ContactsColorado PEL ContactsName/TitleName/Title Area Area EmailEmail

Michelle Scheuerman – CDOTMichelle Scheuerman – CDOT

Planning Section ManagerPlanning Section ManagerStatewide PlanningStatewide Planning michelle.scheuerman@dot.statmichelle.scheuerman@dot.stat

e.co.use.co.us

Tracey MacDonald - CDOT Tracey MacDonald - CDOT Statewide Planning Unit Statewide Planning Unit ManagerManager

Statewide Planning Statewide Planning and STEP UPand STEP UP

tracey.macdonald@dot.state.ctracey.macdonald@dot.state.co.uso.us

Sheble McConnellogue - PEL Sheble McConnellogue - PEL Program ManagerProgram Manager

CDOT PEL ProgramCDOT PEL Program sheble.mcconnellogu@dot.statsheble.mcconnellogu@dot.state.co.use.co.us

Bill Haas - FHWA Metropolitan Bill Haas - FHWA Metropolitan Transportation PlannerTransportation Planner

CO PEL ProgramCO PEL Program william.haas@fhwa.dot.govwilliam.haas@fhwa.dot.gov

Stephanie Gibson - FHWA Stephanie Gibson - FHWA Environmental Program Environmental Program ManagerManager

Environmental Environmental Policy and PEL Policy and PEL QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

stephanie.gibson@fhwa.dot.gostephanie.gibson@fhwa.dot.govv

Suzette Mallette - NFRMPO Suzette Mallette - NFRMPO Regional Transportation Regional Transportation Planning DirectorPlanning Director

STEP UPSTEP UP smallette@nfrmpo.orgsmallette@nfrmpo.org

Alison Deans MichaelAlison Deans Michael

USFWS/CDOT LiaisonUSFWS/CDOT LiaisonU.S. Fish and U.S. Fish and WildlifeWildlife/CDOT /CDOT LiaisonLiaison

Alison_Michael@fws.govAlison_Michael@fws.gov