Caltrans to Set Highway Project Approvals
California has become the first of five eligible states under a new federal transportation law to participate in a pilot program allowing the state’s Transportation Department to take the lead from the Federal Highway Administration for environmental approvals on transportation projects.
The move by Caltrans, as the department is known, “is another important piece of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plan to streamline government and expedite completion of transportation projects,” said Caltrans Director Will Kempton.
On June 29, FHWA Administrator Richard Capka executed a Memorandum of Understanding with California allowing the state to assume environmental responsibilities for many of its Federal-aid highway projects, the U.S. Departmnt of Transportation said.
“This program eliminates needless redundancies when it comes to environmental decision making, which saves precious time and limited funds,” he said.
The move will allow the department to assume FHWA responsibilities for federal approvals under the National Environmental Policy Act and other national environmental laws for most highway projects in the state that are processed with an Environmental Impact Statement or environmental assessment.
It also includes the ability to negotiate and respond to federal permitting and regulatory agencies directly. This should speed these exchanges and allow California to be more creative, effective and efficient in developing its approaches to transportation environmental issues.
The pilot program became effective on July 1 when the FHWA and Caltrans signed a memorandum of understanding detailing Caltrans’ responsibilities under the program.
Caltrans is required to comply with all federal environmental regulations and policies, maintaining FHWA’s rigorous environmental protection standards.
