Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Post Selection Federal Requirements

Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Post Selection Federal Requirements

Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Post Selection Federal Requirements

This section is applicable to RTP applicants selected by the Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) to move forward and be submitted for approval by the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA). These post-selection requirements are the more complex federal requirements for the RTP including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) pathway, National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) process, and State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) or local Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).

The following federal requirements must be completed before the selected grant application can be sent to FHWA. These items are only completed after OGALS has selected the application to move forward.

  1. Compliance with the NEPA and National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Section 106) process documentation.

    1. Preliminary Environmental Study (PES) Form Instructions

    2. Preliminary Environmental Study Form

  2. Listing of the project on either the STIP or a local TIP, as applicable.

  3. For acquisition projects:

    1. Applicants must obtain an appraisal that conforms to the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (UASFLA).

    2. All acquisitions with RTP funds must comply with the provisions in the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, P.L. 91-646, as amended. The Uniform Act provides for the fair and consistent treatment of persons displaced from their homes, businesses, or farms by federal and federally assisted programs and establishes uniform and equitable land acquisition policies for federal and federally assisted programs, such as RTP.

More information about federal application requirements can be found in the RTP Procedural Guide on page 51.

Once the selected agency completes the federal post-selection requirements, OGALS will send a Pre-Award Project Planning Costs Form and instructions. This form enables agencies to request pre-award project planning costs incurred up to 18-months prior to the date of FHWA project approval. These costs are eligible for match credit only and cannot be reimbursed with RTP grant funds.

If FHWA approves the application OGALS Grant Administration Team will issue a grant agreement and schedule a mandatory grant administration workshop.