Announcements

Dear Colleague Letter—NEPA and Real Estate

Published on: July 13, 2022

On July 11th, FTA published a Dear Colleague letter regarding the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and early acquisition of real property. The intent of the letter is to remind project sponsors of FTA’s policies on early acquisition when Federal funds will be, or are anticipated to be, used for the purchase or development of the acquired property. The letter describes exceptions that allow for early acquisition and includes a link to FTA Real Property Acquisition and NEPA Frequently Asked Questions, which further clarifies how real property acquisition relates to the environmental review process.

FTA encourages all project sponsors to review the letter closely and engage their FTA Regional office early, before acquiring real property, even if using only local funds.

FTA is committed to working with project sponsors to provide technical assistance regarding the applicability of Federal requirements, exploring options available to meet those requirements, and helping project sponsors preserve eligibility for future Federal assistance.

Links:

Administrator Dear Colleague Letters

FTA Real Property Acquisition and NEPA Frequently Asked Questions