Webinar Recap: After the Award

In our latest webinar, After the Award: Navigating Environmental Compliance on MARAD-Funded Port Projects, WGI’s Marc Hamel, Transportation Planning Manager, explored how port owners and public agencies can move a Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant from award letter to construction.

A PIDP grant is a reimbursement award. MARAD won’t obligate grant funds until environmental review is complete, and no ground can be disturbed or construction materials purchased before then. For most port projects, that review is an Environmental Assessment (EA) leading to a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and it runs against the grant’s obligation deadline.

Marc anchors WGI’s NEPA practice. He has more than forty years of experience in transportation planning and environmental practice, including three decades with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. He has completed 15+ MARAD-compliant EAs and FONSIs for port, terminal, harbor, marina, and intermodal projects.

Key Takeaways Include

• Why a PIDP award triggers NEPA, and why starting construction early puts reimbursement at risk
• How the EA/FONSI path works for most MARAD port projects, and when a Categorical Exclusion or Environmental Impact Statement comes into play
• How Endangered Species Act Section 7, Section 106, Essential Fish Habitat, and coastal consistency consultations set the schedule
• Why NEPA and permitting work best as one information stream
• What the 2025 USDOT procedures and DOT Order 5610.1D changed for MARAD reviews
• How one port completed its EA/FONSI in five months, and what made that schedule possible
• And more...

Ports and agencies that scope the environmental work early and stay in close contact with MARAD’s environmental staff can keep the review from setting their construction schedule.

Watch the Full Recap

If you missed our live session or want to revisit the discussion, click below to watch the full webinar recording and explore our companion whitepaper for a deeper look at MARAD’s review process.

Explore the Full Report

Download our whitepaper, “After the Award: Navigating Environmental Compliance on MARAD-Funded Port Projects,” for the complete review process, the consultations and permits that run alongside it, and five steps owners can take before and after award.

Connect With Our Experts

If your port or agency is preparing a MARAD application or has an award in hand, connect with our team today. Marc is ready to talk through how WGI can help you scope the environmental review before it sets your schedule.