The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the winners of the Modernizing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) challenge, which rewarded the use of accessible and interactive innovations to make the NEPA review process easier to navigate. 

Winning projects are aimed at incentivizing collaborative, real-time reviews to save time and improve the quality of NEPA documents. There were nine recipients of $50,000 each. 

The NEPA Challenge

Submissions were judged by a technical evaluation team, which included representatives from across the Department and federal government, including the Council on Environmental Quality and the Army Corps of Engineers. 

“The NEPA process was designed to ensure that the public has an opportunity to be informed and engaged in decisions affecting transportation projects in their communities,” said Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Christopher Coes. “We are pleased to highlight the recipients selected through this challenge that have used technology innovations to improve engagement and efficiency in the NEPA review process.” 

The recipients submitted features that advance NEPA modernization that include interactive sites and project maps, forms for public content, translation tools, geospatial and 3D viewing features, and more. 

Challenge Winners

The nine recipients, including their project sponsor where applicable, are: 

• The City of Las Vegas – Nevada Stewart Avenue Complete Streets Project. 

• AECOM, with the Michigan Department of Transportation – M-37 Improvement Project. 

• California Department of Transportation, District 4 – 360 Collaboration with the San Gregorio Creek Bridge Project. 

• AECOM, with the California Department of Transportation – Caltrans San Gregorio Creek Bridge Restoration Project. 

• The Nevada Department of Transportation – Downtown Access Project. 

• Pond & Company, with the Georgia Department of Transportation – Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engage Revolutionizing Public Involvement with Intelligent Interaction with the SR 22/Sparta Highway NE at SR 24 Intersection Project. 

• The North Carolina Department of Transportation – NCDOT ProjectsNearMe Tool with the I-440 & Blue Ridge Road Improvements Project. 

• AECOM, with the Bureau of Reclamation – Scoggins Dam Safety Modifications Project. 

• The Metropolitan Council of Minneapolis-St. Paul – Metro Blue Line Extension Project. 

The full list of NEPA challenge applicants and technologies they utilized can be found here. 

Reasons for Streamlining NEPA

The U.S. Department of Transportation has made project delivery and NEPA streamlining a priority. 

The Modernizing NEPA Challenge is part of a broader effort to expedite permitting without sacrificing the disclosure and vetting process, community input, and positive outcomes the permitting process is meant to achieve.

 Some of the other activities the Department has pursued include the expanded use of Categorical Exclusions for certain projects, including EV charging equipment, allowed through the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and implementation of the Environmental Review Implementation Funds to support the expansion of Local and Tribal Technical Assistance programs and expansion of the permitting liaison program.