ASCE Gainesville Branch June 2025 Lunch & Learn

Presentation Description- This presentation offers a practical overview of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as it applies to Department of Transportation (DOT) projects. It explores how funding sources trigger NEPA requirements, the types and levels of NEPA documentation (EISs, EAs, CEs, and Re-evaluations), and how to determine the appropriate environmental pathway based on project scope.

Attendees will gain insight into the most common technical studies that support NEPA compliance—such as traffic analysis, air quality, noise, hazardous materials, cultural and historic resources, biological assessments, and community impact evaluations—and understand their sequencing within the project schedule.

The presentation also highlights best practices for coordinating with natural resource and regulatory agencies, and discusses how to scope project footprints appropriately, including defining Areas of Potential Effects (APE) under Section 106 and Biological Study Areas (BSA) under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of NEPA’s regulatory framework, project triggers, document requirements, and how to manage environmental compliance effectively while minimizing risks and maintaining schedules on DOT-led projects.

Presenter's Bio- Aga Napiatek, LEED AP BD+C, ENV SP, is the owner of Greenhoofs and a seasoned environmental consultant with over 18 years of experience guiding complex infrastructure and development projects through federal and state environmental compliance. Her expertise spans NEPA, CEQA, the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Federal and California Endangered Species Acts (FESA, CESA), NHPA (Sections 106 and 4(f)), Section 7 consultations, and more.

Aga has led the preparation of numerous environmental documents—including Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), Categorical Exclusions (CEs), NEPA Re-evaluations, and Revalidations—along with technical studies such as Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Biological Assessments, Community Impact and Relocation Analyses, Environmental Justice, Land Use, and water resource evaluations. Her work supports permitting and documentation for transportation projects and CWA Section 404/401 permits for agencies such as Caltrans, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Her project portfolio includes a broad range of infrastructure initiatives, from renewable energy and utility developments to water infrastructure and major transportation improvements. Notable projects include freeway expansions (e.g., I-405, I-5, I-605, SR-91), HOV/HOT lanes, bridge replacements, interchange reconfigurations, grade separations, high-speed rail, multipurpose trails, and local assistance efforts such as ATPL and safety projects.

Aga holds a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from California State University, Fullerton, and a Master of Science in Economics and International Relations from the University of Gdańsk, Poland. She has served on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Technical Advisory Group for the state-listed Mohave Ground Squirrel and holds multiple state permits for handling listed species.

From 2010 to 2023, she served on the Market Leadership Board and held various roles within the U.S. Green Building Council. She is a former member of Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), Urban Land Institute (ULI), Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP), and American Planning Association (APA).