Determine NEPA/SEPA Strategy
Read Environmental Manual Chapter 300: Project scoping & programming (PDF 329KB) to learn more about determining project classification.
Determine if your project requires one or more federal agencies to take an action. Most NEPA guidance on this page is applicable to projects where Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is the federal lead agency. If other federal agencies will take an action on your project, then you must contact those federal agencies to determine their process and requirements. Some agencies may accept the environmental documentation we prepare under FHWA’s NEPA process.
Use the Model Comprehensive Tribal Consultation Process for the National Environmental Policy Act to learn more about when and how to consult with Tribes during the environmental review process. The tribal consultation process varies based on the project classification. Projects that acquire or impact Tribal Trust Land managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) must consult with BIA on additional NEPA documentation requirements to facilitate their required action(s). Early coordination with Real Estate Services can help identify any potential BIA nexus early in the project process.
Check for past environmental documents related to your project. Reference, incorporate, or append any relevant information to the environmental document.
Use our NEPA/SEPA strategy checklist (PDF 615KB) to help develop a strategy for environmental documentation. Use this when Determining what discipline reports are needed (PDF 488KB).
Use the Federal Nexus Requirements (PDF 736KB) to understand which regulations your project must comply with based on WSDOT’s most common federal nexus types.
Access ERS
Use Environmental Review Summary (ERS) to document your environmental scoping as part of the Project Summary package. Copy this information into the ECS, which serves as your NEPA document for Categorically Excluded projects.
Staff with a WSDOT login, follow these directions to gain access to ERS-ECS:
1. Contact region IT to have ‘TEIS Capital Projects’ system installed.
2. Contact hqithelpdesk@wsdot.wa.gov for access.
3. Launch the application to activate your account.
4. Contact NEPA-SEPA@wsdot.wa.gov to be added to the environmental group.
Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL)
Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) studies consider environmental, community, and economic goals early in the transportation planning process. This can create more efficient outcomes for project delivery by eliminating duplication of effort between planning studies and the environmental review process. More information on PEL.
Read Environmental Manual Chapter 400: Environmental Review and Transportation Decision Making (PDF 592KB) to learn more about our NEPA and SEPA processes.
Choose a CE
For NEPA
Use the Minor project criteria & examples (PDF 118KB) to assess if your project can use the short ‘c’ list form that requires less information for approval.
Use the Selecting a FHWA CE (PDF 210KB) to determine which categorical exclusion is right for your project. Use the Verification checklist (PDF 156KB) to ensure your project meets the constraints from c(26), (27) & (28) and attach to ECS form.
For SEPA
WAC 197-11-800 contains the main SEPA exemptions. WSDOT projects that repair, reconstruct, restore, retrofit, or replace a transportation facility are exempt under WAC 197-11-800(26). WSDOT has adopted its own rules and procedures for implementing SEPA, found in WAC 468-12, with an agency-specific list of maintenance-related exemptions found in WAC 468-12-800. WAC 197-11-860 contains additional SEPA exemptions for WSDOT’s non-project actions, like speed limit changes.
Document a CE
NEPA CE projects can use the ECS form to document both NEPA and SEPA by answering the questions in the ERS-ECS database. Use the guidance found in the ‘HELP’ index of the database to answer the questions.
If the project qualifies as a NEPA CE, but not a SEPA CE, you must also complete the combined Determination of Non-significance (DNS) / Adoption of Existing Document Form and comply with required SEPA documentation requirements and comments periods.
Refer to Environmental Manual Chapter 400: Environmental Review and Transportation Decision Making (PDF 592KB), section 400.06(3) and 400.08(2), for additional information related to NEPA CEs and SEPA Checklists.
Prepare an EA and EIS
Use the following procedures to create an administrative record, develop coordination plans, write discipline reports, and conduct signature briefings.
The Preparing an EA (PDF 305KB) procedure provides a step-by-step procedure for preparing a NEPA EA from project assignment to issuance of a FONSI.
The Preparing an EIS (PDF 298KB) procedure provides a step-by-step procedure for preparing a NEPA EIS from project assignment to issuance of the Record of Decision (ROD).
Discipline Reports
Whenever possible, document environmental impacts by writing directly to the environmental document (e.g., the EA or EIS). Include supporting analysis in the appendix. In rare cases, the subject may be so complex and the supporting analysis so lengthy that a separate discipline report is warranted.
Use the Writing Discipline Reports (PDF 130KB) guidance to help right size the document.
External Review
Use the Review Comment Form (DOCX 95KB) to allow sufficient comment tracking on environmental documents.
Title VI & ADA publication language
Use the agency’s standard Title VI and ADA language for public notices on Title VI/Limited English Proficiency.
Confirm final design and documentation strategy
Project teams should confirm the final design details, environmental commitments (Chapter 590: Incorporating environmental commitments into contracts (PDF 343KB)), and whether anything has changed that would alter the documentation strategy. For example, if a need for additional right of way owned by a federal agency (FAA, BIA, etc.) has been identified, the new federal agency may require additional NEPA documentation to comply with their agency’s NEPA rules.
Re-evaluate NEPA
Re-evaluation generally occurs when a project has elements not previously evaluated (e.g., design changes) or when a “shelved” project comes back to life. You may need to re-evaluate NEPA if:
- The project scope has changed – including WSDOT selected staging areas.
- The project area has changed.
- More than three years has elapsed since the last federal NEPA lead agency action.
- New environmental laws or regulations have been enacted.
- New Endangered Species Act species have been listed.
For CE re-evaluations, use the Methods for documenting re-evaluations (PDF 76KB) procedure to determine which re-evaluation method is most appropriate.
For EA and EIS re-evaluations, use the Re-evaluating an EA/EIS (PDF 321KB) procedure.
