De Minimis Findings

De minimis is a legal term, from the Latin, for actions with limited impact.

Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Act provides protection to certain resources during the planning of transportation projects. Known as Section 4(f) resources, these include publicly owned public parks, recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges, as well as significant historic ​and archaeological resources. When MDOT SHA and the responsible official(s) with jurisdiction over the resource agree the project will not adversely affect the resource, a de minimis (or minor) impact finding can be proposed. De minimis impacts are defined as those that do not "adversely affect the activities, features and attributes" of the Section 4(f) resource.

For parks, recreation areas, and wildlife and waterfowl refuges, you must provide public notice and an opportunity for public review and comment concerning the effects on the protected activities, features, or attributes of the property prior to seeking the Federal Highway Administration's approval on a de minimis finding.

​For additional information on the de minimis provision of Section 4(f) of the US DOT Act, click ​here