Environmental Policy and Programs

What’s New

• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and FTA have released updated interim final guidance for project sponsors involved in surface transportation projects. The Section 139 Efficient Environmental Reviews for Project Decision-making and One Federal Decision Interim Final Guidance provides essential information regarding the statutory framework outlined in 23 U.S.C.

Capital Investment Grants Program

New Starts, Small Starts and Core Capacity Improvements

Civil Rights

The Office of Civil Rights is responsible for ensuring public transit providers comply with all nondiscrimination requirements. The office oversees the implementation of laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and age in the provision of services to the public.

Buy America

Waivers

• On December 20, 2024, FTA published a Federal Register notice proposing a three-year phased general waiver of Buy America for battery electric minibuses used in public transportation due to the unavailability of compliant vehicles in the marketplace.
• On November 18, 2024, FTA published a 

Environmental Decision Documents and Data

http://tjpa.org/project/seis-eir

2008 Outstanding Achievement Awards for Excellence in Environmental Document Preparation

Location: Denver, ColoradoProject Sponsor: Regional Transportation District (RTD)

RTD is proposing to provide commuter rail service between the Denver Union Station and Wheat Ridge, Colorado. FTA's environmental document reviewers...

Outstanding Achievement Award for Excellence in Environmental Document Preparation

In October 2023 at APTA TRANSform, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez presented Chicago Transit Authority with FTA’s Excellence in Environmental Document Award for the Red Line Extension project. The proposed project will extend the Red Line an additional 5.6 miles, extending into...

Public Involvement & Outreach in Transportation Planning

In accordance with 23 CFR 450.316, a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) is required to engage in a metropolitan planning process that creates opportunities for public involvement, participation, and consultation throughout the development of the Metropolitan Transportation...

Financial Planning & Fiscal Constraint

Federal regulations require Metropolitan Transportation Plans (MTPs), Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs), and Statewide Transportation Improvement Programs (STIPs) to be “fiscally constrained.”

Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan

Each state must prepare a long-range statewide transportation plan, in accordance with 49 USC 5304(f) , that provides for the development and implementation of the multimodal transportation system (including transit, highway, bicycle, pedestrian, and accessible transportation) for the state.