Section 6001 of SAFETEA-LU requires increased consideration of environmental issues in the planning process. Recent federal legislation (23 U.S.C. 134 and 135) and recent changes to the statewide and metropolitan planning regulations (23 C.F.R. 450) are discussed. Thoughtful considerations of these changes during the planning process can shorten the environmental review process. This handbook is intended to help transportation planners and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) practitioners improve linkages between the planning and NEPA processes, while also complying with recent legislative changes that require increased consideration of environmental issues in the planning process. Issues discussed in the handbook include: organizational linkages, establishing a vision for the state or regional transportation system, defining corridor-level goals and/or the purpose and need, eliminating alternatives, identifying the affected environmental and potential environmental impacts, and considering environmental mitigation activities.