For Categorically Excluded projects
Use our list of Projects Exempt from Detailed Analysis (PDF 115KB) to determine if your project is unlikely to have an adverse effect that disproportionately impacts a minority or low-income population. Contact the NEPA/SEPA Program, NEPA-SEPA@wsdot.wa.gov, if your project requires a detour. A memo may not be required.
For Environmental Assessment & Environmental Impact Statement (EA/EIS) level projects
Follow the Study area process (PDF 105KB) to define the project’s study area for Environmental Justice.
Determine language service needs
Follow the Determining LEP presence in project area (PDF 121KB) procedure to determine if your project should provide language services as part of your outreach strategy. Request the ‘Census Add-in’ Excel macro from the NEPA/SEPA Program, NEPA-SEPA@wsdot.wa.gov, and follow these Installation instructions (PDF 256KB) upon first use.
Visit Title VI/Limited English Proficiency for information on accommodating non-English speakers.
Determine community demographics
Use EJScreen and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to collect demographic data for your project site. See our EJScreen step by step instructions (PDF 754KB) and guide to Collect Demographic Data (PDF 680KB) for detailed instructions.
Follow the Determining health disparities (PDF 163KB) procedure to get a Health Disparity Rank for the project area.
Develop a public involvement strategy
Read the Community Engagement Plan (PDF 2.1MB) to learn how to engage with partners, stakeholders, tribes and communities throughout project delivery.
Coordinate with Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) and region/modal communications staff to develop an inclusive public involvement strategy tailored to the communities who may be touched by the project.
Document impacts
For Categorically Excluded projects
Fill out the Impacts Decision Matrix (PDF 53KB) form and attach to the ECS.
Define project effects on EJ populations in the EJ Memo (DOCX 33KB) using Determining Project Effects on EJ Populations (PDF 811KB).
For Environmental Assessment & Environmental Impact Statement (EA/EIS) level projects
Evaluate the project’s impacts on disadvantaged populations. Examine other discipline reports or sections of EAs/EISs to understand project direct and indirect effects. Identify and document the potential benefits, effects and mitigation of each alternative. Consider:
- How construction and operation potentially adversely affect these populations.
- How construction and operation specifically benefit these populations.
- Any reasonable and feasible measures to avoid or minimize high and adverse disproportionate effects.
- Any project benefits that would affect low-income or minority populations as a part of the general public.
- How will WSDOT modify the project to avoid or minimize disproportionately high and adverse effects?
- Whether an effect falls disproportionately on low-income or minority populations.
Determine whether the severity of the adverse impact is appreciably greater for minority and/or low-income populations than for the non-EJ populations. Consider cumulative impacts of the project in combination with other current and future projects.
Determine the level of documentation needed for the project. In some cases, when the issue is complex and has significant impacts, you may need to prepare a detailed study, see EJ Discipline Report template (PDF 50KB). Otherwise, you can report your findings in the environmental document itself. In the documentation, summarize how WSDOT engaged low-income and minority populations and how the project changed based on community input.
If a detour route or other elements of the project with likely impacts on minority or low-income population changed, revisit the environmental justice analysis to determine if any new impacts will occur to protected populations.
Ensure that commitments made are delivered appropriately, without delay of benefits.
Manuals
Environmental Manual Chapter 460: Environmental justice (PDF 330KB) – To learn more about considerations we take to assess equity impacts during the project development process.
Community Engagement Plan (PDF 2.1MB) – To learn how to engage with partners, stakeholders, tribes and communities.
Tools & templates
Determining LEP presence in project area (PDF 121KB) – To determine language service needs.
Excel ‘Census Add-in’ macro and Installation instructions (PDF 69KB) – To determine language service needs.
Environmental health disparities map fact sheet (PDF 206KB) – To learn why, how and when to use the EHD interactive mapping tool that compares census tracts across WA state for environmental health disparities.
To identify community demographics, use:
For Categorically Excluded projects
Projects Exempt from Detailed Analysis (PDF 115KB) – To determine if your Categorically Excluded project is exempt from detailed analysis.
Impacts Decision Matrix (PDF 53KB) – To document impacts in CTS.
EJ Memo (DOCX 33KB) and Determining Project Effects on EJ Populations (PDF 811KB) – To document impacts.
For Environmental Assessment & Environmental Impact Statement (EA/EIS) level projects
Study area process (PDF 105KB) – To define the project’s EJ study area for Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Statement (EA/EIS) Level Projects.
EJ Discipline Report template (PDF 50KB) – To document impacts for projects with complex EJ issues.
Training
WSDOT staff, take the on-line EJ overview training through on our Environmental training webpage.
Watch the Environmental Justice, Title VI and English Proficiency webinar for NEPA Categorical Exclusion evaluations. This training describes the basics, evaluation process and making determinations.
Track & manage commitments
Environmental Manual Chapter 490: Tracking environmental commitments during design (PDF 208KB) – To track commitments.
Environmental Manual Chapter 590: Incorporating environmental commitments into contracts (PDF 343KB) – To manage commitments.
Commitment tracking system (CTS) web application – Track and manage environmental commitments. Find instructions on how to use CTS on the CTS help menu.
Other resources
FHWA Environmental Justice website – Includes most current WSDOT guidance for compliance with EO 12898 and related orders.
FTA Title VI website – Title VI and EJ compliance information.
AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence EJ website – Practical tips and links to tools and resources.
WSDOT Limited English Proficiency Access Plan (PDF 1.5MB)
Our commitment to diversity and environmental justice YouTube video – By WSDOT Secretary, Roger Millar.
Promising Practices for EJ Methodologies – Interagency compilation of practices for EJ through the NEPA process.
NCHRP Report 710: Practical Approaches for Involving Traditionally Underserved Populations in Transportation (PFD 5.18MB)
Interagency Community Engagement Strategy (PDF 450KB) – To comply with EO 12898 during the permit application process.
FHWA's Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision-making (2015) – Provides a variety of tools to secure meaningful input from the public on transportation plans, programs and projects.
FHWA's How to engage low-literacy and limited English proficiency population EO 13166 – For “best practices” in identifying and engaging these populations.
FHWA’s Guidebook for State, Regional, and Local Governments on Addressing Potential Equity Impacts of Road Pricing
Requirements, documentation, & reviews
NEPA/SEPA Program
NEPA-SEPA@wsdot.wa.gov
Projects involving tolling
Patricia Michaud
Customer Service Center Operations Manager
Patricia.Michaud@wsdot.wa.gov
Projects encountering encampments
Work with your Region Environmental Office and the Office of Equal Opportunity to develop a strategy for engagement.
