The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is seeking public input on improving environmental review processes under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The act provides guidance and resources to several federal agencies to provide reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and other federal processes. It includes Environmental Review Implementation Program funds to support environmental reviews of surface transportation projects.
“The Inflation Reduction Act is providing the nation with historic investments and new opportunities to build an economy that works for working families,” Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said. “Our goal with this request for information is to identify new strategies and evidence-based solutions that can both increase the efficiency of environmental reviews and reduce delays when it comes to delivering projects.”
FHWA seeks ideas and recommendations on how to reduce project delays through the development of more efficient and effective environmental reviews.
Specifically, the agency wants information on how it can make resources available to eligible groups while promoting equity and maximizing the opportunity to improve efficiency and effectiveness, which program areas would most benefit from new or continued research;
and the types of assistance that would be most beneficial to recipients of direct funding.
The comment period opened Monday.