National Environmental Policy Act and Project Development Toolkit
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National Environmental Policy Act and Project Development Toolkit

This page contains guidance and templates related to processing categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, and environmental impact statements under NEPA and/or TxDOT's environmental review rules at 43 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 2.

Questions? Contact the Environmental Affairs Project Delivery Section at 512-416-2763.

View frequently asked questions at Online forms FAQs.

General references

Date Title Description
11/24 FAQ – State Infrastructure Bank and Environmental Review Provides guidance regarding the environmental review requirements for State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) financing of projects
09/20 FAQ - Environmental Review and Utility Relocation Addresses some questions that have arisen regarding environmental review and utility relocation.

Preparing environmental documents

Date Title Description
09/24 Template: Contractor Disclosure Statement Email for an FHWA Project Requiring an EA or EIS Used by a contractor preparing an EA or EIS for an FHWA project to make the required disclosure.
12/22 Guidance: Preparing a Purpose and Need Statement Provides standards governing the content of the purpose and need a statement in an EA or EIS.

Document review

Date Title Description
12/17 Technical Review: Comment Response Matrix (Microsoft Word Version) Used to record and communicate review comments and responses generated as a result of an environmental review
12/17 Technical Review: Comment Response Matrix (Microsoft Version) Used to record and communicate review comments and responses generated as a result of an environmental review

Reevaluations

Date Title Description
09/24 Reevaluation Form Used to complete the "Perform Reevaluation" Activity in ECOS

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Date Title Description
09/24 Guidance: EIS Process Roadmap for an FHWA Project Provides an overview of the process for starting and completing an EIS for an FHWA project

Environmental Assessments (EAs)

Date Title Description
02/25 Environmental Handbook - Preparing an Environmental Assessment Conveys TxDOT’s primary expectations on how an EA must be prepared and the appropriate level of content and analysis
02/25 Environmental Assessment Outline Use to prepare an EA for approval under TxDOT’s rules or under the NEPA Assignment Memorandum of Understanding with FHWA
11/24 Environmental Assessment Cover Page Use to prepare an EA cover page for projects assigned to TxDOT by FHWA
09/24 Finding of No Significant Impact for State or FHWA Project Use to prepare and record a determination that a state or FHWA project will cause no significant impact to the environment
07/24 Template for EIS to EA Classification Approval Used to request approval to prepare an EA for an FHWA project for which an EIS is normally required under 23 CFR 771.115(a).

Categorical Exclusions (CEs)

Date Title Description
09/22 Open-Ended (d) Categorical Exclusion Classification Request Form Used to request ENV approval to proceed with processing a project as an open-ended (d) CE
09/22 Amendment to Open-Ended (d) Categorical Exclusion Classification Request Form Used to confirm ENV's approval of a project as an open-ended (d) CE when there are changes to the project description or schematic

FHWA Direct Recipient Discretionary Grant projects

Date Title Description
09/24 Guidance: FHWA Direct Recipient Discretionary Grant Projects This guidance contains a procedure regarding direct recipient discretionary grant projects for which environmental review is requested by FHWA.

List of EAs and EISs in development and complete

Date Title Description
01/25 Lists of EAs and EISs in Development and Complete This report contains a list of EAs and EISs in development and complete as required by 40 CFR 1507.4(a). Regarding the “complete” EAs and EISs, the report includes only those EAs and EISs that were completed in or after September 2024

Induced growth

Date Title Description
04/14 Induced Growth Indirect Impacts Decision Tree

Helps determine if no induced growth impacts are anticipated, or if a more detailed six-step induced growth analysis is required for a transportation project

12/23 Guidance: Induced Growth Analysis

Provides instructions for conducting a six-step induced growth analysis for a transportation project

Cumulative impacts

Date Title Description
04/14 Cumulative Impacts Decision Tree

Helps determine if no cumulative impacts are anticipated, or if a more detailed five-step cumulative impacts analysis is required for a transportation project

01/19 Guidance: Cumulative Impacts Analysis Guidelines

Provides instructions for conducting a five-step cumulative impacts analysis for a transportation project

Statewide climate change and greenhouse gas technical report

Date Title Description Documents
01/25

2025 Statewide Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Technical Report

Based on the Council on Environmental Quality NEPA policy, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) conducted on-road greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions analyses for Texas, assessed future climate scenarios and how that might impact the on-road transportation system, and summarized 21 TxDOT strategies, programs and funds that result in GHG reduction and/or transportation system resiliency and preservation.

Technical Report

TR Appendix B: NOAA Texas State Climate Summary

TR Appendix C: USGS National Climate Change Viewer Summary for Texas