Texas and Cumulative Impacts Analysis

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Texas and Cumulative Impacts Analysis

• June 2006
• FHWA Environmental Conference
• Jack F. Gilbert

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Why now?

• ICI - Always in the NEPA process
• Important now because of past litigation
• Tex. Comm. Nat. Res. v. Van Winkle
• Current litigation issue in Texas
• Save Our Springs Alliance v. FHWA
• Future litigation issue?
• Trans-Texas Corridor, I-69, etc.
• Administrative Record

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Resources for TxDOT Cumulative Impacts Guidance

• CEQ
• Considering Cumulative Effects, 1997
• Consideration of Past Actions, 2005
• Caltrans
• Guidance for Preparers of CIs, 2005
• FHWA
• Interim Guidance QA on ICI, 2003
• EO ICI workgroup (Baseline Report 2005), NC DOT,
  Wisc DOT, MD DOT

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Interim Guidance on Preparing Cumulative Impact
AnalysesTxDOTMarch 2006

• User friendly for field staff and consultants
• Prepared by TxDOT, with input from FHWA, Tx Atty
  Gen., outside counsel

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Texas DOT - 8 Step Process

1. Identify the resources to consider
2. Define the study area for each affected resource
3. Describe the current health/historical context
   for each resource
4. Identify direct and indirect impacts that may
   contribute to a cumulative impact

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8 Step Process, cont.

• Identify other reasonably foreseeable actions
  that may affect resources
• Assess the potential cumulative impacts to each
  resource
• Report the results of the analysis
• Assess and discuss mitigation issues for all
  adverse impacts

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Document the Work

• Hard Look
• Collaborate, deliberate, formulate
• Explain the methods and results
• Administrative Record