The Central Texas Association of Environmental Professionals Hosts NEPA Assignment Training for Texas Department of Transportation

Michael Baker International Team Members Matt Barkley and Timothy Smith Help Organize and Host Training

Austin, Texas (August 19, 2014) - The Central Texas Association of Environmental Professionals (CTAEP), with the help of Michael Baker International team members and CTAEP Board members Matt Barkley and Tim Smith, organized and hosted the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) NEPA Assignment Training to educate industry professionals about the Department’s new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assignment.  Together, Barkley and Smith have over 40 years of technical expertise in NEPA compliance and both individuals’ contribution to CTAEP promotes Michael Baker International’s mission to make a difference through increased participation in industry programs and events.

The first partnership of its kind for CTAEP and TxDOT proved a great success with a sold out crowd of more than 235 representatives from TxDOT, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Texas Division, local governments, and the consulting industry.  Participants learned about TxDOT’s upcoming NEPA assignment, rule changes, scoping, Categorical Exclusion delegation, Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Statement documentation, Quality Assurance and Quality Control, new auditing process, community impacts, public involvement and other topics.  Texas is only the second state in the U.S. to apply for full delegation of NEPA decisions and responsibilities.

“The goal of the CTAEP-TxDOT partnership was to foster a collaborative and educational setting to inform industry professionals about how to integrate environmental values into their decision making to achieve NEPA compliance,” said Matt Barkley, Michael Baker International Project Manager.  “The turn out and overwhelmingly positive reception to the training has hopefully set the precedent for partnerships between the two groups in the future.”

About Michael Baker International, LLC

Michael Baker International, LLC (Baker International), is a leading global provider of engineering and consulting services which includes planning, architectural, environmental, construction, program management, and full life cycle support services as well as information technology and communications services and solutions. Baker provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions in support of U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients.  With more than $1.3 billion in annual revenue, Michael Baker International has more than 6,000 employees in over 90 offices located across the U.S. and internationally, and is ranked as the 26th largest design firm in the U.S. by McGraw Hill’s Engineering News-Record. To learn more about Michael Baker International visit: www.mbakerintl.com.

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