Environmental Division - Environmental Documentation Office
James K. Polk Building, Suite 900
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0334
Phone: 615.532.7120
Fax: 615.741.1098
Ann Andrews, Manager
The Environmental Documentation Office is responsible for the preparation of environmental documents required for The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for federal and state funded transportation projects in Tennessee.
This office compiles and collates information on 22 social, economic and environmental issues for each transportation project. This information includes a discussion of the purpose and need, social and economic structure of the affected community, land use, farmland, energy, conservation, floodplains, hazardous waste, visual concerns as well as the construction impacts.
This information, combined with the technical studies reports containing information about impacts to streams, wetlands and other ecological and water resources, historical and archaeological resources, air quality and noise, is presented in the environmental documents. These documents can range from the most basic classification known as Categorical Exclusion for the projects causing the least environmental impacts through the more comprehensive Environmental Assessment, to the most complex Environmental Impact Statement. The Environmental Documentation Office coordinates project development with federal, state and local officials while actively involved in the Context Sensitive Solution (CSS) and the public involvement processes. It also assumes leadership in implementing the Concurrence Points Process with Resource Agencies as outlined in the Tennessee Environmental Streamlining Agreement (TESA).
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) incorporates Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) principles to plan, design, construct, maintain and operate its transportation system in order to establish and achieve transportation, community, and environmental goals. Context Sensitive Solutions balances safety and mobility and the preservation of scenic, aesthetic, historic, environmental and other community values.
Governor Bill Haslam
