Federal Highway Administration September 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This SNPRM provides interested parties the opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions to the FHWA and FTA joint regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 4(f) requirements. The FHWA, FRA, and FTA (hereafter referred to as ``the Agencies'') propose these revisions after the enactment of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which requires a rulemaking to address programmatic approaches in environmental reviews and makes other changes to existing law that should be addressed in a rulemaking. In this SNPRM the Agencies also propose to add FRA to regulations governing environmental impact and related procedures and the parks, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic site, making those regulations FRA's NEPA implementing procedures and FRA's Section 4(f) implementing regulations, respectively. This SNPRM proposes to modify the FHWA/FTA Environmental Impact and Related Procedures due to changes to the environmental review process made by the FAST Act and to modify the Parks, Recreation Areas, Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges, and Historic Sites regulations due to new exceptions created by the FAST Act. Lastly, the Agencies request comments regarding the current FHWA and FTA definition of ``existing operational right-of-way'' in their respective categorical exclusion sections. The Agencies seek comments on the proposals in this document.

This NPRM provides interested parties with the opportunity to comment on proposed regulations governing the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Program for Eliminating Duplication of Environmental Reviews (Program) established by Section 1309 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act). Section 1309 directed the U.S. Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to establish a pilot program authorizing up to five States to conduct environmental reviews and make approvals for projects under State environmental laws and regulations instead of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The FAST Act requires the Secretary, in consultation with the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), to promulgate regulations to implement the requirements of the Program, including application requirements and criteria necessary to determine whether State laws and regulations are at least as stringent as the applicable Federal law. The FHWA, FRA, and FTA, hereinafter referred to as ``the Agencies,'' are proposing these regulations on behalf of the Secretary and seek comments on the proposals contained in this NPRM. This rule would also implement a provision in Section 1308 of the FAST Act that amends the corrective action period that the Agencies must provide to a State participating in the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program (Section 327 Program).

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, that are final. The actions relate to the proposed Improvement Project on State Route 55 (SR-55) between Interstate 405 (I-405) and Interstate 5 (I-5) in the County of Orange, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This document requests comments on including non-cargo- carrying tractor-high mount automobile semi-trailer combination in the definition of automobile transporter in the FHWA's guidance.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of U.S.C. 139(I)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, State Route (SR) 162 (Pellissippi Parkway Extension) Improvements, from SR 33 (Old Knoxville Highway) to US 321/SR 73 (Lamar Alexander Parkway) in Blount County, Tennessee. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other federal agencies that are final. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, Seward Highway Milepost 75 to 90 Road and Bridge Rehabilitation, in the Kenai Peninsula Borough and the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.