TITLE:
Qualification of Soft Costs of the US Federal Guidance When Considering Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in NEPA Reviews
AUTHORS:
Maria Angelica Deeb
KEYWORDS:
NEPA Documents, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Climate Change, Transportation, Roadway, Local Public Agencies
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.3 No.6,
August
25,
2015
ABSTRACT:
A notice by the Council of Environmental
Quality (CEQ) was published on December 14, 2014 regarding the revised “Draft
Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Consideration of Greenhouse
Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in NEPA Reviews”. The review of
this 2014 draft guidance suggested increased analysis, work, review and
approvals required by the State Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) working with and on behalf of local public
agencies (LPAs) in order to authorize and obligate roadway projects funded with
federal-aid money. All federal-aid-funded roadway projects require a NEPA
analysis to be done on the action (project) and an environmental clearance
document to be obtained prior to finalizing the design. The 2014 draft guidance
may complicate an already lengthy and often critical path activity for roadway
projects requiring NEPA documentation.