1. Planning and Environment
Linkages
www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov
September 12, 2023

2. 9/22/2023
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• Disclaimer: Except for the statutes and regulations
cited, the contents of this document do not have the
force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the
public in any way. The document is intended only to
provide clarity to the public regarding existing
requirements under the law or agency
policies. General considerations are not necessarily
required by the statute or regulations; however,
FHWA encourages these for all PEL approaches.

3. Agenda
• What is PEL?
• PEL Benefits
• Flexibility in PEL Approaches
• Agency Coordination
• PEL Best Practices
• FHWA PEL Resources
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4. Planning
Process
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Transportation Planning
Process Briefing Book
www.planning.dot.gov

5. What is PEL?
• PEL is a collaborative transportation decision-
making approach
o considers environmental, community, and economic
goals early in the transportation planning process
o uses the information, analysis, and products
developed during planning to inform the
environmental review process
• Ultimately, the goal of PEL is early collaboration
to facilitate better planning to inform National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews to
accelerate project delivery
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6. PEL Benefits
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Accelerate project
delivery
Align with future
requirements
Stimulates development
of new tools
Helps build relationships
for agencies & the public
Early engagement in
decision-making
Helps identify
stakeholders early on
Creates better outcomes
for the community
Improves planning
products

7. PELToday

8. Planning Products
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9. PEL General Considerations
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Follow the transportation planning process
Solicit participation by Federal and State resource
agencies and Indian tribes
Provide an opportunity for public review and comments
Use reliable and reasonably current data and reasonable,
scientifically acceptable methodologies
Involve the FHWA Division and FTA RegionalOffice, as
appropriate
Prepare appropriate documentation

10. Flexibility in PEL Approaches
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Integration of planning and environmental
review statute
23 U.S.C. 168
Efficient environmental reviews statute
23 U.S.C. 139(f)(4)(E)(ii)
Planning Regulations
23 CFR 450.212(a)-(c) & 23 CFR 450.318 (a)-(d)
CEQ NEPA Regulations
40 CFR 1500.4(l) and 40 CFR 1501.12
Programmatic Mitigation Planning statute
23 U.S.C. 169
Planning Regulations
23 CFR 450.214 and 23 CFR 450.320

11. Analysis and DecisionTools
• Software or web-based systems
designed to improve
effectiveness of decision-
making.
• Leverage existing software
tools, i.e. GIS
• NatureServeVista
• USGSWater Data
• EPA EJ Screening and MappingTool
• Others (HEPGIS/STEAP)
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12. Consultation and Coordination
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13. Resource Agency Coordination
Interagency Coordination
Early and continuous involvement of
environmental, regulatory, and resource agencies
in the planning process.
Sample Actions:
• Establish interagency
work groups or committees
• Develop MOUs/MOAs
• Fund agency liaison position
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14. Collaboration – Planning
Terminology
• Cooperation – Parties work together to achieve a
common goal or objective.
• Consultation – One or more parties confer with other
identified parties in accordance with an established
process and considers the views of the other parties
prior to taking action.
• Coordination – Cooperative development of plans,
programs, and schedules among agencies and
entities with legal standing and adjustment to
achieve general consistency, as appropriate.
23 CFR 450.104
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15. Collaboration – NEPA
Terminology
• Consultation – A type of interaction among a set of
parties whose outcome is not yet determined
• Examples:
• Section 106 of the National Historic PreservationAct
• Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
• Concurrence – A type of decision for which an
outcome by the Federal agencies responsible for any
permit or approval under any other Federal law
• Example:
• 404 Permit NEPA Merger Process
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16. Coordination in NEPA
23 CFR 771.111
• Early coordination, public
involvement, and project
development.
Coordination Plan
• Defines the involvement
of cooperating and
participating agencies
and the public
23 U.S.C. 139 (g)
requires that the
lead agencies
establish a plan
for coordinating
for EISs (and
other projects
following 139).
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17. PEL Best Practices
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Plan before initiating
project
Plan schedule &
budget
Planning informs future
environmental study.
Leverage tools such as
GIS and other mapping
tools to help inform
planning.
Agencies sharing
resources to provide
data.
Comprehensive record of
data, analysis and decision-
making is important

18. FHWA
PEL Resources
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19. FHWA PELWebsite
• PEL Website:
https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/env_initiatives/PEL.aspx
• Federal-Aid Essentials PELVideo:
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials/catmod.cfm?id=122
Credit: © WSP
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20. PEL Hypothetical Case Studies
• https://www.en
vironment.fhw
a.dot.gov/env_i
nitiatives/pel/p
ublications.asp
x
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21. Virtual Public Involvement and
PELWebinar Recording
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VPI and PEL Webinar
Recording

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FHWA PlanWorksWebsite

23. NHI Planning and Environment
Linkages (PEL) Course
COURSE NUMBER: FHWA-NHI-142078, 142078 A
and 142078V
9/22/2023
https://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/course-
search?tab=0&key=PEL&sf=0&course_no=142078V
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24. Conclusion
• PEL is flexible.
• Consider the future use of the planning analysis and planning
products in the environmental review process.
• Consider environmental, social and economic early into the
planning process to:
• reduce duplication;
• encourage relationship building and public engagement;
• create better products, decisions, and outcomes; and
• accelerate project delivery.
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25. Contact Information
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ChengYan
FHWA Office of Planning
cheng.yan@dot.gov