r evised c ategorical e xclusion p rogrammatic a greement environmental update meeting 16 september...

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENTEnvironmental Update Meeting

16 September 2010

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

ODOT’s most recent CE Programmatic Agreement went into effect in 2003

One of the most aggressive Programmatic Agreements in the country

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

The agreement allows ODOT to:

Clear Exempt, CE 1, and CE 2 documents at District

Clear CE 3 documents at Central Office (OES)

Complete CE 4 documents for more complex projects without significant impacts

Process the vast majority of projects as CEs rather than requiring EAs and EISs which take much longer to approve and are much more expensive

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

Since 2003, ODOT has completed 7,405 CE level projects under the PA

Under the PA, our ability to process 98% of these projects in-house (CE 3 and lower) has saved thousands of hours in project time and labor

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

However….a lot has changed in 7 yearsNew technologiesNew processes and proceduresNew project types7 years of experience

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

The Revision Process:

OES began meeting with FHWA at the end of June

Revised PA submitted for signatures in mid-August

Signed on Monday and is now active!

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

General Changes

Addition of Ohio Rail Development Commission as a signatory and participant

Addition of new project types

Moved several project types down a level

Focus more on Context and Intensity

Addition of Exempt Project form

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

Exempt Actions

Doubled the number of Exempt project types Expanded existing project types Added “new” project types Moved some down from Level 1 CE list

Added new Exempt Project Documentation Form

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

Level 1 Categorical Exclusions

Added to list of project types Expanded existing project types Added new project types Moved some down from Level 2-3 CE list Added “Other Project Types”

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

Level 2-3 Categorical Exclusions

Added “Other Project Types”

Changes in Impacts: CE 2

Removed maximum acreage allowed for relocations

Allow up to 0.5 acres of impacts to Category 3 wetlands

Added de minimis to Section 4(f) impacts

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

Level 2-3 Categorical Exclusions

Changes in Impacts: CE 3

Removed maximum acreage allowed for relocations

Added de minimis to Section 4(f) impactsAdded Individual Section 4(f)

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

Level 4 Categorical Exclusions

No changes

Allows us to retain flexibility to accommodate other project types and higher levels of impacts as long as they are not significant impacts

REVISED CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT

Categorical Exclusion Forms Exempt Project Documentation Form “Old” CE 1 Form “Old” CE 2-4 Form “New” CE 1-4 Form

Online CE Form Web-based form Approved by IT Governance Board Attempting to secure funding

Questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Tim Hill, Environmental Administrator

Tim.Hill@dot.state.oh.us

614.644.0377

Erica L. Schneider, Asst. Environmental Administrator

Erica.Schneider@dot.state.oh.us

614.381.0134

Kevin Davis, Environmental Supervisor

Kevin.Davis@dot.state.oh.us

614.752.2788