5808 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 11 / Friday, January 17, 2025 / Proposed Rules 

asset(s) as reported by the seller at the 

time of the transaction. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00012 Filed 1–16–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3110–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Secretary 

49 CFR Part 13 

[Docket DOT–OST–2020–0229] 

RIN 2105–AE97 

Procedures for Considering 

Environmental Impacts 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

(DOT). 

ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Transportation (the Department) is 

withdrawing a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) issued on 

November 23, 2020, that proposed to 

amend its National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) implementing 

procedures. 

DATES: As of January 17, 2025, the 

NPRM, ‘‘Procedures for Considering 

Environmental Impacts,’’ published on 

November 23, 2020 (85 FR 74640), is 

withdrawn. 

ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. 

SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202–366– 

9152. 

Electronic Access: You can view and 

download related documents and public 

comments by going to the website 

https://www.regulations.gov. Enter the 

docket number DOT–DOT–OST–2020– 

0229 in the search field. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

April Marchese, Director, Infrastructure 

Permitting Improvement Center, 202– 

366–4416, april.marchese@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background: NEPA establishes a 

national environmental policy of the 

Federal Government to use all 

practicable means and measures to 

foster and promote the general welfare, 

create and maintain conditions under 

which man and nature can exist in 

productive harmony, and fulfill the 

social, economic, and other 

requirements of present and future 

generations of Americans. 42 U.S.C. 

4331(a). Section 102(2) of NEPA 

establishes the procedural requirements 

to carry out the policy stated in section 

101 of NEPA. It requires Federal 

agencies to consider the environmental 

effects of proposed actions in their 

decision-making and prepare detailed 

environmental statements on 

recommendations or reports and other 

major Federal actions significantly 

affecting the quality of the human 

environment. 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C). 

On November 23, 2020, the 

Department issued an NPRM that 

proposed to amend its NEPA 

implementing procedures (85 FR 

74640). Specifically, the Department 

proposed to revise its current 

procedures, DOT Order 5610.1C, 

‘‘Procedures for Considering 

Environmental Impacts,’’ originally 

published in 1979, 44 FR 56420 (Oct. 1, 

1979), and codify them in the Code of 

Federal Regulations. These revisions 

were never finalized due to a variety of 

factors. Therefore, the DOT Order 

5610.1C is still in effect and will 

continue to be in effect until updates are 

made through a public review process. 

DOT received 49 comments in response 

to the proposed rule. Comments were 

submitted by ten State or local 

departments of transportation (State 

DOTs); two other State agencies, nine 

transportation interest groups (trade 

associations); and 24 private entities 

and citizens. DOT received one 

comment from a member of Congress. 

DOT received three other comment 

letters that were outside of the scope of 

the rulemaking. The comments received 

have been reviewed and will aid in any 

further revisions that are made to DOT 

Order 5610.1C to update and modernize 

DOT’s NEPA procedures. 

On June 3, 2024, President Biden 

signed into law the Fiscal Responsibility 

Act of 2023 (FRA, Pub. L. 118–5). The 

FRA made revisions to the NEPA statute 

with the aim of streamlining the 

environmental review process. In 

addition, there have been further 

refinements in agency best management 

practices in the environmental review 

and permitting process that should be 

incorporated into the DOT NEPA 

procedures prior to finalizing. 

Reason for Withdrawal 

Given the revisions to the NEPA 

statute and updates to best management 

practices across the Government for the 

environmental permitting and review 

process, DOT is withdrawing the 

proposed rule for DOT’s NEPA 

implementing procedures. Any 

revisions that are made will be issued 

for notice and public comment prior to 

being finalized. 

Issued in Washington, DC, under 

authority delegated in 49 CFR 

1.25a(a)(2): 

Christopher Coes, 

Assistant Secretary of Transportation Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2025–01199 Filed 1–16–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P 


KHAMMOND on DSK9W7S144PROD with PROPOSALS