AASHTO PH-02 pdf free download

AASHTO PH-02 pdf free download.RESPONDING TO COMMENTS ON AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
This Handbook provides recommendations for reviewing and responding to comments on an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a transportation project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It also provides advice on responding to comments on an environmental assessment (EA).
Comments on an EIS typically are received from Federal and state regulatory agencies, local governments, stakeholder groups, and individuals. Comments may identify potential gaps or inconsistencies in the EIS; raise concerns about the fairness of the study process; point to specific regulatory requirements that must be considered; or raise other concerns about compliance with NEPA or other laws. And, of course, many comments also present strong opinions for or against the project. For controversial projects, the most numerous comments are often those submitted by individuals or groups who oppose the project.
Giving all of the comments proper consideration requires a careful, well-organized effort by the project team. This effort typically involves drafting responses to hundreds or even thousands of individual comments. In addition, it is often necessary to make changes to the EIS itself and, in some cases, it is even necessary to prepare a supplemental EIS in order to respond adequately to the issues raised in the comments. This Handbook is intended to provide an overall framework for undertaking these important tasks.
Requirement for Draft EIS Comment Period. The CEQ regulations require a Federal agency preparing an EIS to provide an opportunity for comment on the Draft EIS and respond to those comments in the Final EIS. The CEQ regulations state that the comment period for the Draft EIS normally should be at least 45 days.3 Section 139 also sets an upper limit: the comment period must be no more than 60 days, unless (1) the lead agency, project sponsor, and all participating agencies agree on a longer period, or (2) the comment period is extended by the lead agency for good cause.
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The official time period for comments on a Draft EIS runs from the date of publication of a Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS in the Federal Register. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not submit the notice to the Federal Register until the NEPA document has been filed with the EPA and has been made available to other interested agencies and the public. Once the EPA submits the notice, there is a time lag of several days before the notice is actually published. Therefore, the NEPA document often is available to other agencies and the public for several days, and sometimes a full week, before the official beginning of the comment period.
Agencies’ Duty to Comment. The CEQ regulations require all agencies with jurisdiction by law or special expertise to provide comments on a Draft EIS on issues within their jurisdiction, expertise, or authority.4 The regulations also require cooperating agencies, when commenting on a Draft EIS, to specify any additional information they need to fulfill other requirements, including Federal permits or other approvals; if the cooperating agency expresses objections to the project, it must specify mitigation measures that would allow the project to be approved.5 Echoing the CEQ regulations, Section 139 requires all participating agencies to provide comments on areas within their special expertise or jurisdiction.AASHTO PH-02 pdf download.