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Modernizing NEPA Challenge

The Modernizing NEPA Challenge is now open.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) provides the framework for environmental planning and decision-making by federal agencies. As projects have become more complex and multi-faceted, NEPA documents have become dense and difficult to navigate, often requiring multiple review cycles before they are ready for publication.

In alignment with ongoing efforts at DOT to improve the NEPA process, this Challenge sought to incentivize the use of accessible and interactive innovations to make the NEPA review process easier to navigate. The nine winners of the Challenge were awarded individual prizes of $50,000 each. Details of their submissions can be found in the section below.

Prize Recipients

Project and Applicant Submission Description Key Modernizing Features

City of Las Vegas, Nevada Stewart Avenue Complete Streets Project 

City of Las Vegas, Nevada

This Category 1 submission by the City of Las Vegas, Nevada detailed their proposed development of a WordPress website, an open web platform, to publish and receive feedback on a NEPA Categorical Exclusion (CE) for its Stewart Avenue Complete Streets Project.
  •  Interactive Table of Contents 
  • Video-Based Tutorial  Interactive GIS Project Map 
  • 3D Visualizations of Corridor Recommendations 
  •  Embedded Web-Based Survey (e.g., ArcGIS Survey 123)

PlanEngage: Modernizing the NEPA Process M-37 Improvement Project

AECOM, with Michigan DOT Permission 

This Category 1 submission focused on the interactive Environmental Assessment (EA) for the M-37 Improvement Project, prepared by AECOM on behalf of Michigan Department of Transportation using AECOM’s PlanEngage platform.
  • Clickable Table of Contents 
  • Search Functionality 
  • Interactive Project Maps with Layers 
  • Intra-document Hyperlinks 
  • Document Location-Specific Public Commenting 

360 Collaboratio

California Transportation Department (District 4)

This Category 2 submission by California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) demonstrated its early review tool, “360 Collaboration” for internal agency review on the San Gregorio Creek Bridge restoration project located on California State Route (SR) 1 in unincorporated San Mateo County.
  • Three-Dimensional Project Map Navigation 
  • Geospatial Commenting 
  • Descriptive Pop-Up Images 
  • Dynamic Map Layering 
  • Comment Aggregation/Analytics

Caltrans San Gregorio Creek Bridge Restoration Project

AECOM, with Caltrans Permission

 This Category 1 submission by AECOM demonstrated an interactive web-based edition of Caltrans’ Initial Study with Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration/Environmental Assessment (IS MND/EA) document for the San Gregorio Creek Bridge Restoration Project.
  • Interactive Map Features 
  • Geospatial Commenting  Address Search Function
  • Interactive Pop-up Images of Project Location. 
  • Interactive “Jargon Definer” for Text 
  • Mobile-Friendly Document Navigation 

Downtown Access Project

Nevada DOT

This Category 1 submission by Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) developed interactive web pages and story maps for the environmental impact statement (EIS) being prepared for the Downtown Access Project in Clark County, Nevada.
  • Public Comment Submission
  • Interactive Document Navigation 
  • Dynamic Project Area Maps 
  • English and Spanish Webpages 
  • Plain-Language Text Descriptions 
  • Web-Based Application 
  • Mobile-Friendly Document Navigation

(AI) Engage Revolutionizing Public Involvement w/Intelligent Interaction

Pond & Company. with Georgia DOT Permission

This Category 1 submission by Pond & Company and the Georgia DOT detailed a custom ChatGPT to support public accessibility of a Categorical Exclusion for a proposed Georgia DOT Roundabout near Milledgeville, Georgia.
  • Verbal and Text Q&A
  • Plain-English or Spanish Document Summarization
  • Customizable for User Preference 
  • Streamlines Document Navigation

“ProjectsNearMe”

North Carolina DOT

This Category 1 submission by North Carolina Department of Transportation detailed the use of its communications website and project-specific PublicInput.com sites, to allow for public feedback and outreach on environmental review for high-profile projects.
  • Interactive Geospatial Commenting 
  • Search and Filtering Navigation 
    Accessible via Smartphone or Desktop  
  • Geospatial Location Information 
  • Interactive Project Map with Layers

Scoggins Dam Safety Modifications Project EIS

AECOM, with Bureau of Reclamation Permission

This Category 1 submission by AECOM on behalf of the Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region of the Bureau of Reclamation and Washington County, Oregon, leveraged existing tools to gather public comment and feedback for a scoping document informing a future Environmental Impact Statement of the Scoggins Dam Safety Modification project.
  • Existing Web-Based Application 
  • Interactive StoryMap Based on Survey Results 
  • Engaging and Interactive Survey Interface
  • Geospatial Commenting 
  • Accessible on Smartphone or Desktop

Modernizing NEPA Challenge Application | Metro Blue Line

Metropolitan Council (MN)

This Category 2 submission by the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities detailed and demonstrated the successful use of employed the use of Microsoft SharePoint and Teams to improve interagency collaboration for the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Blue Line Extension light rail project.
  • Concurrent Document Editing 
  • Cloud-Based Document Storage 
  • Readily Available Web-Based Tools
  • Cross-Agency Commenting 
  • Document Version Control
  • Improved Record Keeping 
  • Mobile-Friendly Document Access

Modernizing NEPA Showcase Webinar  

Winners of the Modernizing NEPA Challenge will be invited to present their solutions to the public at the upcoming Modernizing NEPA Showcase webinar.

The Showcase will be announced in January 2025 and is expected to take place in Q1 of CY25.

Date: TBD  

 

Archived Challenge Resources

Visit Challenge.gov to view the full Challenge Statement.

Virtual Workshop Recording: View the recording using passcode C54?2mX3

 

 

Last updated: Thursday, December 26, 2024