Community Impacts Assessment Toolkit
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Executive Order (EO) on Environmental Justice (EJ), the Uniform Relocation Assistance and the Real Property Acquisitions Policies Act (Uniform Act) and the EO on Limited English Proficiency (LEP) govern TxDOT policy for conducting, at the federal and state-level, a thorough and defensible community impact assessment (CIA). Environmental practitioners can use these tools to conduct a CIA compliant with TxDOT policy.
Questions? Contact the Environmental Affairs Division community impacts specialist at 512-416-2535.
| Title | Date | Description |
| Environmental Handbook for Community Impacts, Environmental Justice, Limited English Proficiency and Title VI | 09/24 | Describes the regulatory background and outlines the steps necessary to identify and address the community impacts of TxDOT transportation projects |
| Community Impact Assessment Technical Report Form | 09/24 | Used to complete the "Perform Community Impacts Assessment (CIA)" Activity in ECOS |
| Template - Appendix A - Demographic Table | 08/19 | Used to prepare a detailed demographic table that includes appropriate census data sources for EJ, LEP, and other specific populations |
| Form - Appendix B - Detailed Economic Analysis | 08/19 | Used to prepare a Detailed Economic Analysis to be included as Appendix B in the Community Impact Assessment Technical Report Form |
| Guidance - Using the ENV Community Impacts Data Tool | 09/23 | A tutorial on how to obtain demographic data from the Community Impacts Data Tool, including how to access the tool, and screen shots highlighting features and menus |
| Title | Date | Description |
| FHWA Title VI Toolkit | FHWA Civil Rights Program page for Title VI includes basic factsheets, data collection methods, and best practices | |
| FHWA Community Impact Assessment: A Quick Reference for Transportation | 06/18 | Outlines the community impact assessment process, highlights critical areas that must be examined, identifies basic tools and information sources, and stimulates the thought-process related to individual projects |
| Guidebook for Identifying, Measuring and Mitigating Environmental Justice Impacts of Toll Roads | 09/06 | Guidance prepared by the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas at Austin, in cooperation with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and TxDOT, on the evaluation of environmental justice aspects of tolling existing non-toll and toll roads |
| AASHTO Practitioner's Handbook: Utilizing Community Advisory Committees for NEPA Studies | Explains how and when practitioners should use a Community Advisory Committee to assist with the NEPA decision making process | |
| NEPA.gov National Environmental Policy Act Website | Provides a high-level overview of NEPA and, on the Environmental Justice and NEPA webpage, focused on EJ | |
| Title VI and Environmental Justice at EPA | Provides high-level information about Title VI and EJ and links to additional sources of information | |
| FHWA Technical Advisory T 6640.8A, Guidance for Preparing and Processing Environmental and Section 4(f) Documents | Provides expanded guidance for other environmental documentation, including environmental assessments, categorical exclusions, finding of no significant impact, reevaluations and Section 4(f) documentation | |
| Code of Federal Regulations, Title 23, Part 771 Environmental Impact and Related Procedures | Prescribes the policies and procedures of FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for implementing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 as amended | |
| Code of Federal Regulations Title 49, Part 24: Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally Assisted Programs | Promulgates rules to implement the Uniform Act of 1970 and ensures owners of real property proposed for acquisition for federal and federally assisted projects are treated fairly, consistently and equitably so displaced persons will not suffer disproportionate injuries caused by projects designed for the benefit of the public |
| Title | Description |
| An Overview of Transportation and Environmental Justice | A brochure in English that provides a general overview of transportation decision making, focusing on Executive Order 12898 and Title IV |
| Una Vision de la Justicia Ambiental en el Transporte | A brochure in Spanish that provides a general overview of transportation decision making, focusing on Executive Order 12898 and Title IV |
| FHWA Order 6640.23A FHWA Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations | Establishes policies and procedures for FHWA to use in complying with EO 12898 (updated in 2012) |
| Federal Highway Administration Environmental Justice Website | Provides a high-level explanation of EJ and links to pages with additional information |
| Environmental Justice Emerging Trends and Best Practices Guidebook FHWA Webpage | Focuses on timely and relevant transportation issues and helps promote a deeper understanding of the responsibilities, opportunities and benefits derived from addressing EJ in transportation planning and implementation |
| FHWA Guidance on Environmental Justice and NEPA Memorandum | Advises FHWA offices on the process to address EJ during the NEPA review, including documentation requirements and supplements FHWA Technical Advisory 6640.8A. This provides guidance for documenting the potential social, economic and environmental impacts considered in the selection and implementation of highway projects. |
| Environmental Justice: Guidance under the National Environmental Policy Act (1997) | Provides the Center on Environmental Quality (CEQ) guidance to help federal agencies incorporate EJ into their NEPA procedures |
| USDOT EJ Strategy | Updated in 2016 and reaffirms guiding EJ principles, including the importance of public engagement and participation in the NEPA process |
| Title | Description |
| Executive Order 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency | Directs each federal agency to "examine the services it provides and develop and implement a system by which limited English proficiency (LEP) persons can meaningfully access those services" to ensure agencies do not violate the Title VI prohibition against national origin discrimination through communication exclusively English |
| Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited Proficient Persons | Department of Justice guidance to assist recipients of federal funding comply with the executive order on protecting persons with limited English proficiency |
| USDOT's LEP Guidance Website | Describes USDOT responsibilities regarding EO 13166 and is modeled after the DOJ guidance |
| Policy Guidance Concerning Recipients’ Responsibilities to Limited English Proficient Persons | Provides guidance for compliance with the LEP executive order, which largely mirrors the DOJ guidance, and explains how to specifically address LEP transportation projects |
| Limited English Proficiency Program and the Federal-Aid Highway Program | Focuses principally on the obligation of federal departments and agencies extending federal financial assistance to clarify the long-standing legal obligation on the part of recipients of such assistance to address the language needs of their otherwise-eligible LEP beneficiaries and is used as part of the FHWA Title VI training program |
| TxDOT Title VI/Nondiscrimination Program | Web page for TxDOT’s Title VI Program of the Civil Rights Division, which includes a Language Assistance Plan that is updated annually to assist the Districts, Divisions, and Offices in their efforts to insure information and services are accessible to LEP individuals by providing guidance on translation, interpretation, and outreach services seeking access to TxDOT programs. |