Natural Resources Toolkit
Transportation projects must comply with federal regulations governing the method and requirements for protecting and managing many natural resources. TxDOT designed tools for environmental practitioners to use to meet these compliance obligations for the following laws and resources.
Questions? Contact the Natural Resources staff at (512) 416-2661.
You may download the software (Tools and Plug-ins) needed to access forms or view frequently asked questions (Online Forms FAQs).
Coastal Barrier Resources Act
Farmland Protection Policy Act
State and Federal Protected Species
Water Resources
| Title | Date | Description | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Handbook for Coastal Barrier Resources Act | 07/18 | Provides a regulatory background and outlines the steps to document compliance with the CBRA |  |
| John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System: Texas | Provides the official CBRS map of Texas, depicting specific units of land and associated aquatic habitats that serve as barriers protecting the Gulf Coast | |
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| Coastal Barrier Resources System Mapper - Beta | An interactive, unofficial mapping tool to help determine if proposed project sites are within the CBRS and displays boundaries representative of the official maps but not considered authoritative |  |
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| 16 USC 3505: Exceptions to Limitations on Expenditures | Lists the requirements for the two types of CBRA exceptions applicable to transportation projects | |
Farmland Protection Policy Act
| Title | Date | Description | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Handbook for Farmland Protection Policy Act |
06/21 | Outlines the regulatory background and documentation requirements necessary to prepare project-specific, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation compliant with the FPPA | |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmland Conversion Impact Rating (AD-1006) | Used to record and communicate project specific data for non‑corridor projects that impact potentially protected farmland | |
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| Farmland Conversion Impact Rating for Corridor Type Projects (NRCS-CPA-106) | Used to record and communicate project specific data for corridor type projects that impact potentially protected farmland | |
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| 7 CFR 657: Prime and Unique Farmlands | Codifies, in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), the NRCS regulations for determining the best land for producing food, feed, fiber forage and oilseed crop, and identifying prime and unique farmlands | |
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| 7 CFR 658: Farmland Protection Policy Act | Requires federal agencies to use the criteria to identify and take into account the adverse effects of their programs on the preservation of farmland; consider alternative actions, as appropriate, to lessen adverse effects; and ensure that programs, to the extent practicable, are compatible with state and units of local government and private programs and policies to protect farmland | |
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| Natural Resources Conservation Service Web Soil Survey | Provides an interactive mapping tool with soil data and information and provides access to the largest natural resource information system in the world | |
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| Soil Survey Manual | Provides the major principles and practices for making and using soil surveys and for assembling and using related data; primarily for use by soil scientists who classify and map soils and interpret soil surveys | |
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| Part 523 – Farmland Protection Policy Act Manual, Subpart A – General Information | Guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) FPPA Manual | |
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| National Soil Survey Handbook | Provides operational and procedural guidance for conducting the NRCS portion of the National Cooperative Soil Survey program | |
State and Federal Protected Species
Protected Species Agreements with Resource Agencies
| Title | Date | Description | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endangered Species Act Programmatic Consultation Agreement for Houston Toad | 02/21 | This programmatic consultation addresses project effects to the Houston toad under the Endangered Species Act, for projects that “may affect, but are not likely to adversely affect” the species. | |
| Endangered Species Act Programmatic Consultation Agreement for Red-cockaded Woodpecker | 12/16 | Provides a programmatic approach to address project effects to the Red-cockaded Woodpecker under the Endangered Species Act, for projects that “may affect, but are not likely to adversely affect” the species | |
| Endangered Species Act Programmatic Consultation Agreement for the Black-Capped Vireo and Golden-Cheeked Warbler |
07/17 | Letter agreement provides a programmatic approach to address project effects to Black-Capped Vireo and Golden-Cheeked Warbler under the Endangered Species Act, for projects that “may affect, but are not likely to adversely affect” the species |
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| Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) | 09/21 | The purpose of this MOU is to define the process for coordinating transportation projects with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to facilitate the protection of the natural environment. It is found in Title 43, Part 1, Chapter 2, Subchapter G of the Texas Administrative Code |
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| TPWD MOU Best Management Practices Programmatic Agreement (PA) |
05/17 | Defines the best management practices that TxDOT and TPWD have agreed will result in avoidance and minimization of potential impacts to natural resources and can eliminate the need for coordination of projects with TPWD for the species with best management practices | |
| Title | Date | Description | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form: Surface Water Analysis | 09/21 |
Used to complete the "Perform Surface Water Analysis" Activity in ECOS |  |
| Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) Vacatur Quick Guide | 09/21 | Provides a quick guide to implementing the pre-2015 practice following NWPR vacatur | |
| Documentation Standard for Waters of the U.S. Delineation Report | 08/19 | Used to complete the "Obtain Section 404/10 Permit" Activity in ECOS | |
| Template: Waters of the U.S. Delineation Report | 12/19 | Used to complete the "Obtain Section 404/10 Permit" Activity in ECOS | |
| Instructions - Preparing a Section 404/10 Impacts Table | 04/20 | Used to complete the "Obtain Section 404/10 Permit" Activity in ECOS | |
| Template: Section 404/10 Impacts Table | 07/21 | Used to complete the "Obtain Section 404/10 Permit" Activity in ECOS |  |
| Documentation Standard for USACE Pre-Construction Notification (PCN) | 04/20 | Used to prepare a PCN for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). | |
| Environmental Handbook for Water Resources | 01/19 | Provides a regulatory background for and outlines the TxDOT process and steps necessary to document compliance with the regulations concerning the management of water resources | |
| Water Resources Handbook Companion Viewer | 09/21 | Shows available water resources data that may be useful for compliance with regulations that are addressed, as applicable, during TxDOT’s environmental clearance process. | |
| Standard Operating Procedure: Purchasing Mitigation Credits for Section 404 Permits | 08/19 | Outlines the process for the TxDOT delegate to acquire wetland mitigation credits from TxDOT mitigation banks, or purchase wetland/stream mitigation credits from a third party mitigation bank. | |
| Standard Operating Procedure: Section 404 Compensatory Mitigation via Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) | 09/20 | This standard operating procedure (SOP) outlines the process for a TxDOT district to fulfill the requirement of wetland/stream compensatory mitigation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act via Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM). | |
| Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Sole Source Aquifers – Safe Drinking Water Act | 06/18 | MOU between TxDOT and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes the consultation and review process for Federal-aid highway projects which may affect water quality in designated sole source aquifers. This MOU is pursuant to Section 1424(e) of the Safe Drinking Water act (PL 93-523) | |
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