Costs Related to Compliance with Federal Environmental Laws: Case Studies in the Federal-Aid Highway Program

Projects to build or preserve transportation infrastructure sometimes affect human and natural environmental quality. Federal environmental laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) require the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to consider and address mitigation of the environmental impacts of Federal-aid transportation projects. This study responds to a request by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, Housing, and Urban Development, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies that requires the FHWA "to determine the costs associated with the environmental process on a representative sample of projects." The purpose of the study is to establish a comprehensive definition of state DOTs' environmental costs, including mitigation and documentation costs as described in the Congressional request, and use it to gather best available data on complete environmental costs for a set of case studies that represent the kinds of projects routinely undertaken by state DOTs. The study is based on detailed interviews and information provided by practitioners at selected state DOTs, including Arizona DOT, Florida DOT, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Maryland State Highway Administration, Montana DOT, New Jersey DOT, Oregon DOT, Utah DOT, Washington DOT, and Wisconsin DOT.

• Record URL:
  • http://nepa.fhwa.dot.gov/ReNEPA/ReNepa.nsf/All+Documents/AD3B902A775A2FCB85257219000DF2F1/$FILE/FINALAppA.TransTechReport10.23.06.doc
• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/62399
• Corporate Authors:

  TransTech Management, Incorporated

  514 10th Street, NW, 7th Floor
  Washington, D.C.  United States  20004

  Federal Highway Administration

  Office of Planning, Environment and Realty, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Federal Highway Administration

  Office of Policy Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Crossett, Joe
  • Secrest, Craig
• Publication Date: 2006-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 101p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Compliance; Costs; Environmental policy; Federal aid highways; Federal laws; Interviewing; State departments of transportation
• Identifier Terms: Arizona Department of Transportation; Florida Department of Transportation; Kentucky Transportation Cabinet; Maryland State Highway Administration; Montana Department of Transportation; National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; New Jersey Department of Transportation; Oregon Department of Transportation; Utah Department of Transportation; Washington State Department of Transportation; Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Environmental mitigation
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Environment; Finance; Highways; Policy; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01036799
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Work Order Number BAT 04-020
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 15 2006 4:03PM