Interior Department Adopts FHWA Categorical Exclusions

What happened: On June 11, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) adopted five environmental review shortcuts—known as categorical exclusions (CEs)—originally developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). These apply across DOI agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

CEs allow federal agencies to skip lengthy environmental studies for certain types of routine work that will not cause significant environmental harm. In this case, the exclusions apply to activities like soil testing, basic mitigation work, minor property transactions, and small-scale infrastructure such as landscaping, noise barriers, and pedestrian or bicycle facilities.

Why it matters: Agencies aren’t required to adopt each other’s exclusions, so DOI’s move is a voluntary step to create consistency and efficiency in the federal permitting process. For transportation construction projects that involve DOI lands this could mean fewer delays, less paperwork, and smoother coordination—without weakening environmental protections.

What’s next: The adopted exclusions are now available for use across DOI. To stay informed about future regulatory changes affecting transportation construction, subscribe to ARTBA’s regulatory updates by contacting Prianka Sharma at psharma@artba.org.