“Promote transportation solutions that enhance communities and protect the natural and built environment”
Current data reveal that transportation is exerting significant pressure on the environment worldwide. Commercial and personal transportation have grown substantially in recent years and are projected to increase in the future despite higher prices for petroleum and warnings about climate change. Over the past 20 years however, contributions of emissions from on-road mobile sources relative to all emissions have been rapidly declining. The downward trend in on-road mobile source emissions is expected to continue through 2030 as a result of the introduction of cleaner engines and fuels. Though solid progress has been made to reduce airborne threats, more needs to be done to improve air quality. At the current rate of growth, transportation’s share of human-produced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. is projected to increase from 28 percent currently to 36 percent by 2020.
DOT is working to achieve a balance between environmental challenges and the need for a safe and efficient transportation network. DOT’s National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America’s Transportation Network recognized the environmental impact of congestion. The Strategy cited emissions from trucks stalled in traffic and from airplanes circling over crowded airports as adverse environmental effects resulting from congestion.
In 2006, the Department asked the Congress to take prompt action to authorize the reform of fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles for the first time. The Administration has shown strong leadership on fuel economy. The Department raised the light truck and sport utility vehicle standards twice in the last four years, including a rulemaking that will save nearly 11 billion gallons of gasoline, eliminate incentives to make lighter, and therefore more dangerous vehicles, and encourage all manufacturers to deploy fuel saving technologies.
DOT established the Center for Climate Change and Environmental Forecasting (the Center) in 1999 to be the focal point within DOT for information and technical expertise on transportation and climate change, and for coordinating related research, policies, and actions. The Center promotes comprehensive multimodal approaches to reduce GHG emissions and to prepare for the effects of climate change on the transportation system.
DOT also participates in the Administration’s Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) and Climate Change Technology Initiative. One of DOT’s efforts is focused on how to best provide climate science information to transportation decision makers. DOT’s Climate Center is conducting one of the 21 synthesis and assessment projects under the CCSP: Impacts of Climate Variability and Change on Transportation Systems and Infrastructure - Gulf Coast Study. This work, which has three phases, will also fulfill a requirement of Section 106 of the Global Climate Research Act. Phase I will be completed by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2007.
Below we present our strategies for achieving our environmental stewardship goals. The human resources, programs, capital assets, information technology and other resources described in DOT's Annual Performance Budgets are needed to achieve our outcomes for environmental stewardship and to execute the strategies presented below. The schedule for executing these strategies extends from fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2011.
- Expediting environmental reviews of high-priority transportation infrastructure projects;
- Closely linking implementation of the Executive Order with congestion reduction initiatives; and
- Advancing environmental stewardship through cooperative actions with project sponsors to promote protection and enhancement of the natural and human environment in the planning, development, operation, and maintenance of transportation facilities and services. (Supports both outcomes)
14. Conduct and support research to understand the various impacts of transportation infrastructure and services on the natural and built environment. (Supports both outcomes)
15. Support the President’s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative through research on fuel distribution and delivery infrastructure, transportation of associated hazardous materials, and vehicle safety. (Supports outcome 1)
16. Create incentives to avoid, reduce or mitigate the adverse environmental effects that can accompany transportation services and facilities. (Supports outcome 1)
17. Foster dialogue, education and communication about transportation alternatives and choices that improve compatibility between transportation and communities and encourage consideration of the full range of transportation options, including non-motorized transportation such as pedestrian and bicycle travel, to address mobility and environmental challenges. (Supports both outcomes)
18. Publish timely information on best practices in mitigating transportation’s impact on communities and the natural environment using secure Web-based technologies. (Supports both outcomes)
19. Collaborate with State and local emergency responders to simulate or exercise emergency response plans concerning environmental incidents in transportation. (Supports outcome 1)
20. Invest in the capabilities of the DOT workforce by hiring individuals with education and experience related to the nexus of transportation, energy and the environment such as urban and regional planning, economic development, environmental sciences and environmental law. (Supports both outcomes)
21. Improve DOT-owned or controlled facilities for the benefit of host communities by energy conservation, preventing pollution, recycling, using recycled products, and cleaning up contaminated facilities. (Supports outcome 1)
22. Develop better technologies and analytical tools to evaluate and reduce aircraft noise and emissions. (Supports outcome 1)
23. Work at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to foster international aviation environmental standards; and to recommend practices and guidance materials that are technically feasible, economically reasonable, provide measurable benefits and take interdependencies between emissions and noise into account. (Supports outcome 1)
Table 4 presents the relationship between our Environmental Stewardship outcomes and the performance measures that we will use to measure our progress toward that goal.
|
Outcomes |
Performance Measures |
|---|---|
|
1. Reduction in pollution and other adverse environmental effects from transportation and transportation facilities 2. Streamlined environmental review of transportation infrastructure projects |
Reduction in Pollution - Percent of DOT facilities characterized as ‘No Further Remedial Action’ under the Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act. 2011 Target is 94 percent. - Minimize the number of areas in a transportation conformity lapse. 2011 Target is 6 or fewer areas. - Number of exemplary ecosystem initiatives (EEI). 2011 Target is 70 EEI in at least 20 areas. - Number of hazardous liquid pipeline spills in high consequence areas. 2011 Target is 46. - Percent reduction in the number of people in the U.S. who are exposed to significant aircraft noise levels. 2011 Target is -9 percent. Streamlined Review - Median completion time for all Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Environmental Assessments (EA). 2011 Target TBD. |
Both demographic trends and obstacles to intermodalism could affect our ability to achieve our environmental stewardship goal in the years covered by this Strategic Plan.
Demographic trends work against our ability to achieve our environmental goal of reducing pollution and other adverse environmental effects from transportation. Within the next 25 years, the U.S. population is estimated to grow to 364 million, up from 282 million in 2000. Vehicle miles of travel (VMT) is projected to increase by approximately 60 percent from 2000 to 2030 leading to more emissions even with vehicles that are increasingly fuel efficient. Travel by air for leisure and business purposes is also expected to increase with resulting pollution from aircraft emissions and noise. Because of demographic pressures, trucks will be an increasing part of the traffic stream and will make a greater contribution to environmental problems.
Persistent obstacles to efficient intermodal connections in the U.S. such as the high cost of intermodal infrastructure projects, localized opposition to new transportation development, and the stovepipe organizational structure of public transportation agencies impede our ability to improve connection points within the U.S. and to the global transportation network. If this situation persists, intermodal congestion, which increases air pollution from transportation sources, will get worse.