28
PEL Implementation
Resource Guide
Linking Planning
and NEPA
Government regulations strongly support
the integration of the transportation
planning process with the NEPA
environmental review process.
In fact, planning should rightly
feed into NEPA. The regulations
for implementing NEPA require
integration with other planning at
the earliest possible time in order
to "insure planning and decisions
reflect environmental values; avoid
delays later in the process; and head
off potential conflicts."
15
Too often though, the environmental analysis
produced during NEPA is disconnected from
the analysis used to prepare transportation
plans, transportation improvement programs,
and supporting corridor or subarea studies.
Thus, creating effective linkages between these
two planning processes is crucial.
Exhibit G shows five potential linkages
between these two processes. The middle, multicolor
puzzle pieces show various stages in the transpor-
tation planning process where decisions are made--
beginning with identifying transportation needs and
moving clockwise around the PEL puzzle to end with
developing mitigation strategies. The corresponding
most-inner pieces of the puzzle show where planning
information can be linked to the NEPA environmental
review process--beginning with developing the Purpose
& Need statement and moving clockwise around the
puzzle to end with developing mitigation plans.
16
Linking Planning and
Environment Needs
One of the first stages where a linkage can be made
is to link the identification of needs in the transpor-
tation planning process with the Purpose & Need
statement done under NEPA (see Exhibit H).
NEP
A
NE
PA
N
E
P
A
NEPA
N
E
P
A
PUR
PO
SE
M
IT
IG
AT
ION
A
L
T
E
R
N
AT
IV
E
& NE
ED
PL
AN
S
S
E
L
E
C
T
IO
N
ID
E
N
T
IF
IC
A
T
I
O
N
AL
TE
R
N
A
T
I
V
E
S
ASSESSMENT
ALTERNATIVES
IDENTIF
ICAT
ION
OF
N
EE
DS
M
IT
IG
AT
IO
N
ST
RA
TEG
IES
A
D
O
P
T
E
D
P
LA
N
SOLUTIO
NS ASSESSME
NT
ID
EN
TI
FI
C
AT
IO
N
O
F
S
O
L
U
T
I
O
N
S
P L A
N N
I N
G
P
L
A
N
N I
N G
P
L
A
N
N
I N
G
P L A N N I N G
P
L
A
N
N
IN
G
RE
SO
UR
C
E C
O
N
S
E
R
V
A
T
IO
N
&
M
A
N
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
R
E
S
O
U
R
C
E
C
O
N
S
E
R
V
A
T
IO
N
&
M
A
N
AG
EM
EN
T
RES
OUR
CE CONS
ERVATION & M
ANA
GEM
EN
T
ID
EN
TIF
Y A
N
D
IN
T
E
G
R
A
T
E
M
A
N
A
G
E
M
E
N
T
P
L
A
N
S
E
S
T
A
B
L
I
S
H
A
N
D
P
R
IO
R
IT
IZ
E
O
P
P
O
R
T
U
N
IT
IE
S
ASSESS EFFECTS
S
TA
K
EH
O
LD
ER
IN
VO
LVE
MEN
T
STAKE
HO
LD
ER
IN
VO
LV
E
M
E
N
T
C
O
LL
A
B
O
R
AT
IV
E
P
A
R
T
N
E
R
S
H
I
P
S
C
O
L
LA
B
O
R
AT
IV
E
PA
RT
NE
RS
HI
PS
C
O
LL
AB
O
RA
TIV
E P
AR
TNE
RSHIP
S
COMMUNIT
Y VISIO
N AN
D S
TR
ATE
GIE
S
C
O
M
M
U
N
IT
Y
V
IS
I
O
N
A
N
D
S
T
R
A
T
E
G
I
E
S
CO
MM
UN
ITY
VI
SI
ON
A
ND
S
TR
AT
EG
IE
S
15. Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, Section 1501.2.
16. This graphic does not show all the steps in these two processes. Rather, it shows specific steps where there is a PEL linkage.
Exhibit G
Summary :
NE ED PL AN S S E L E C T IO N ID E N T IF IC A T I O N AL TE R N A T I V E S ASSESSMENT ALTERNATIVES IDENTIF ICAT ION OF N EE DS M IT IG AT IO N ST RA TEG IES A D O P T E D P LA N SOLUTIO NS ASSESSME NT ID EN TI FI C AT IO N O F S O L U T I O N S P L A N N I N G P L A N N I N G P L A N N I N G P L A N N I N G P L A N N IN G RE SO UR C E C O N S E R V A T IO N &
Tags :
nepa,amp,enironmental,process,transportation,puzzle,two,deeloping,needs,processes,regulations,show,exhibit