U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Nebraska has signed an agreement with the Federal Highway Administration to build infrastructure projects faster and more efficiently.
Under the agreement, Nebraska will assume responsibility under the National Environmental Policy Act, which will streamline the environmental review process for the Nebraska Department of Transportation, officials said.
“Today’s agreement removes unnecessary federal red tape — ensuring more major infrastructure projects are built on time and on budget,” Duffy said. “I hope to see other states follow Nebraska’s lead so we can get shovels in the ground sooner and continue delivering results for the American people.”
Nebraska is the third state to join the federal government in this new partnership model, joining Texas and Maine.
“Burdensome reviews and approvals by Washington have slowed progress on road and highway improvements in Nebraska and across the country,” FHWA Administrator Sean McMaster said. “Now NDOT, the agency that knows Nebraska’s transportation needs best, will be able to take on additional NEPA responsibilities and ensure projects like the Lincoln East Beltway are completed in less time and at less cost to taxpayers.”
Officials said the agreement will impact a number of projects, including the Lincoln East Beltway, a final segment of a beltway around the city of Lincoln; US-75 Corridor Study, N-370 to Interstate 80, addressing six miles of US-75 from Interstate 80 in Omaha south to N-370 in Bellevue; and the City of Beatrice’s Court Street Access and Safety Transformation Project that would reroute US-136 one block south to increase downtown safety.
Under the NEPA Assignment Program, states are responsible and liable for making decisions in environmental reviews. Nebraska first obtained a limited NEPA assignment for categorical exclusions in September 2018. Today’s agreement gives Nebraska full programmatic NEPA assignment for environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for future transportation projects in the state.