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Categorical Exclusion (CE) Preparation Manual

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) mandates that environmental documentation for federal actions be determined by the potential impacts projects may have on the surrounding natural, cultural, and social environment. The simplest/smallest form of documentation is called a Categorical Exclusion. Categorical Exclusions are projects that:

...based on past experience with similar actions, do not involve significant environmental impacts. They are actions which: do not induce significant impacts to planned growth or land use for the area; do not require the relocation of significant numbers of people; do not have a significant impact on any natural, cultural, recreational, historic, or other resource; do not involve significant air, noise, or water quality impacts; do not have significant impacts on travel patterns; or do not otherwise, either individually or cumulatively, have any significant environmental impacts. (23 CFR 771.117(a))

INDOT's Office of Environmental Services has prepared a new Categorical Exclusion manual, linked below. All Categorical Exclusions initiated after March 2, 2006 must follow the process outlined in this manual. For projects initiated before this date, the preparer may choose to use either this process or the August 2002 CE/EA form. After June 30, 2006, only Categorical Exclusions prepared under the process outlined in this manual will be accepted.

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