The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) included provisions intended to enhance the consideration of environmental issues and impacts within the transportation planning process. Through the provisions, which encourage the continued evolution of the metropolitan and statewide transportation planning processes that metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), and public transit operators conduct, many of the types of activities previously considered effective practice became required for the first time.