Because the MPO is funded by federal transportation dollars, the work items produced by the MPO must follow federal guidance and requirements. The following list provides explanation of federal terms that might be referenced in MPO documents.

APER – Annual Performance and Expenditure

The Annual Performance and Expenditure Report is a budget report prepared once all bills in a fiscal year have been cleared. The report references the budget for the work items listed in the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and details the actual amount spent toward completing the projects listed under each task.

APL – Annual Project Listing

The Annual Project Listing outlines the projects in the MPO boundary that have had federal funds obligated to them. The purpose for the report is to track whether projects listed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) were executed as planned.

C.F.R. – Code of Federal Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the United States Federal Government. Regulations governing Metropolitan Transportation Planning and Programming are outlined in Title 23 Chapter 1 Subchapter E Part 450.

EJ – Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, national origin, or educational level with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

FHWA – Federal Highway Administration

The FHWA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation that administers the federal-aid Highway Program, providing financial assistance to states to construct and improve highways, urban and rural roads, and bridges. The FHWA also administers the Federal Lands Highway Program, including survey, design, and construction of forest highway system roads, parkways and park roads, Indian reservation roads, defense access roads, and other Federal lands roads.

FTA – Federal Transit Administration

The FTA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation that is the principal source of federal financial assistance to America's communities for planning, development, and improvement of public or mass transportation systems. The FTA provides leadership, technical assistance, and financial resources for safe, technologically advanced public transportation to enhance mobility and accessibility, to improve communities and natural environment, and to strengthen the national economy.

MPO – Metropolitan Planning Organization

An MPO is a regional policy body, required in urbanized areas with populations over 50,000, and designated by local officials and the governor of the state. An MPO is responsible, in cooperation with the state and other transportation providers, for carrying out the metropolitan transportation planning requirements of federal highway and transit legislation in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 134, 49 U.S.C. 5303, 23 C.F.R. Part 450 and T.A.C. §16.51.

MTP – Metropolitan Transportation Plan

A Metropolitan Transportation Plan is a long-range planning document that forecasts available transportation funding over the next 25 years and prioritizes which projects will receive the funding.

PPP – Public Participation Plan

The Public Participation Plan outlines the processes that the MPO staff will utilize to engage the public and how much time will be provided to receive public comments on different work planning documents. The plan details items including open records requests, internet usage and visualization techniques.

T.A.C. – Texas Administrative Code

The Texas Administrative Code is a compilation of all state agency rules in Texas. Transportation planning regulations are outlined in T.A.C. Title 43 Part 1 Chapter 16 Subchapter B.

TIP – Transportation Improvement Program

A Transportation Improvement Program is a short-range budgeting document that lists specific project costs and details about how federal highway and transit dollars will be spent over a four-year period.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance. Programs that receive Federal funds cannot distinguish among individuals on the basis of race, color or national origin, either directly or indirectly, in the types, quantity, quality or timeliness of program services, aids or benefits that they provide or the manner in which they provide them.

UPWP – Unified Planning Work Program

A Unified Planning Work Program is a budgeting document that outlines the planning activities the MPO will perform over a two-year period using its annual federal funding allocation.

U.S.C. – United States Code

The United States Code is the codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. Transportation planning for highways is governed by Title 23 Chapter 1 Section 134. Public transportation regulations are outlined in Title 49 Subtitle III Chapter 53.

UZA – Urbanized Area

An urbanized area is an region defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as containing 50,000 or more in population. An MPO may be designated when an area reaches the UZA population density. Multiple cities may be contained within a single UZA, but it also possible for an MPO to have multiple UZAs within its boundary.