This page provides information on FTA-sponsored training delivered by the National Transit Institute and other FTA training resources available to assist stakeholders with conducting the environmental review process. 

National Transit Institute (NTI) Courses

The following courses are available through the National Transit Institute (NTI):

Web-Based Courses

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 101 Online Course: This self-paced, online training course provides an overview of the basic requirements of NEPA and FTA’s environmental review procedures.
   
• Environmental and Sustainability Management Systems (ESMS) Introductory Online Course: This self-paced, online training course is designed for transit agencies interested in understanding the fundamentals of an ESMS.

In-Person Courses

Note: All NTI in-person events are on hold during the public health emergency.

• Managing the Environmental Review Process Seminar: This interactive in-person seminar offers a forum to discuss proven approaches and techniques to proactively manage the environmental review process.
   
• FTA Real Estate Requirements: This in-person course is an introduction to Uniform Act requirements associated with the acquisition of real estate and the displacement of persons for an FTA assisted projects. It provides attendees with a hands-on experience for many aspects of the real estate requirements and discusses non-Uniform Act issues such as in-kind contributions and donations.
   
• Introduction to Environmental Justice: This in-person training will instruct FTA’s grantees on how to satisfy the requirements of Executive Order 12898, U.S. DOT Order 5610.2(a), and FTA Circular 4703.1 on Environmental Justice. It is intended to serve as guidance for practitioners, reviewers, and grantees on effective ways for integrating the consideration of Environmental Justice impacts throughout the transportation planning and project development/NEPA processes.
   
• Introduction to Transportation Conformity: This in-person course presents basic information about conformity requirements and the relationship of the transportation and air quality planning processes to prepare agency staff (federal, state and local) to participate in interagency consultation and work effectively in resolving conformity issues.
   
• Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment: The three-day in-person course presents FTA’s procedures and methods for predicting and assessing noise and vibration impacts from proposed transit projects.

Recorded Webinars and Training Videos

• Webinars on Environmental Impact and Related Procedures and Section 4(f) (23 CFR 771/774) Final Rule - FTA and the FHWA jointly conducted three webinars to inform project sponsors and federal/state resource agency partners of the changes to 23 CFR part 771 (Environmental Impacts and Related Procedures) and 23 CFR part 774 (Parks, Recreation Areas, Wildlife and Waterfowl Refuges, and Historic Sites (Section 4(f)). The webinars provide an in-depth look at the regulatory changes and describe how the changes increase efficiency in the preparation of environmental documents and accelerate project delivery.
   
  • Webinar 1: December 20, 2018
  • Webinar 2: January 8, 2019
  • Webinar 3: January 10, 2019
     
• Rail ROW Program Comment to Exempt Consideration of Effects to Rail Properties with Rail Rights-of-Way – In August 2018, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), in coordination with the U.S. DOT, issued a Program Comment to exempt the consideration of rail properties within rail rights-of-way (ROW) (83 FR 42920). The Program Comment established two approaches to exempt rail ROW from Section 106 review: 1) an activities-based approach; and 2) an optional property-based approach. The USDOT hosted two training webinars to describe the two approaches:
   
  • Activities-based approach training webinar (October 25, 2018)
  • Optional property-based approach webinar (December 12, 2019)
     
• Implementing New CEs, including CE for Emergency Actions - In February 2013, FTA conducted a webinar to describe newly established CEs, as well the final rule that modifies the existing lists of FHWA and FTA CEs and expands the existing CE for emergencies to include emergency actions. The CEs are intended streamline the environmental review process by making available the least intensive form of review for actions that typically do not have the potential for significant environmental effects, and, therefore, do not merit additional analysis and documentation associated with an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement.