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Environmental and Energy Systems
Center of Innovation

View PDF (PDF, 439 KB) (Posted 1/27/09) Director: Gregg G. Fleming (Posted 3/4/09)

Trends and Issues

New policy and technological innovations will be needed to improve the way people and goods move around the country and the world without dependence on petroleum, thereby reducing America's carbon footprint. With energy independence on the front burner, the future transportation system will need to efficiently and cost-effectively accommodate new energy saving technologies. Our transportation system will need to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and be prepared for the potential impacts of climate variability and climate change.

COI Profile

The Environmental and Energy Systems COI provides technical and analytical support for decision making at all levels of government and industry on: a) transportation-related environmental and energy policies, including those pertaining to climate variability, air, noise, environmental compliance, engineering and remediation, and hazardous materials, b) transportation's role in achieving energy independence both as a consumer of energy and as the critical element in the energy supply chain, and c) research and development capabilities supporting all modes of transportation and other COIs within the Volpe Center.

Project Snapshots

• Designed and developed for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Aviation Environmental Design Tool, which assesses aviation-related noise, emissions, and fuel burn on a local, national, and global level. The tool supports national decisions related to the Next Generation Air Transportation Systems (NextGen), as well as international policymaking within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• Supported the development of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to regulate and increase the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. The Volpe Center, in support of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), developed the CAFE Compliance and Effects Modeling System, which calculates fuel savings and compliance costs.

• Supported the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Traffic Noise Model (TNM) development, a software program used to predict highway noise and aid in highway noise barrier design.
• Developed an alternative fuels roadmap on the transportation implications of natural gas, hydrogen, biomass, and electricity. The roadmap will provide strategic guidance to DOT and the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA).
• Supports the Environmental Protection Agency Libby Asbestos Project, a top-priority Superfund site, through management of large-scale environmental cleanup operations. Supports other environmental projects that capitalize on these developed talents, and develops comprehensive approaches to remediation challenges.
• Works with the FAA in cooperation with the National Park Service to develop Air Tour Management Plans (ATMPs) for all National Parks with commercial air tours. In support of the ATMPs, prepares environmental assessments and impact statements to mitigate or prevent significant adverse impacts from such tours on natural and cultural resources, visitor experiences, and tribal lands within the Parks.

• Developed analytical methodologies and estimates of the environmental impacts associated with Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) collisions for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This will allow policy analysts to develop better estimations of congestion-induced air-quality impacts under different safety and operational scenarios.
• Supported environmental analysis efforts for the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, a potentially large environmental liability for the FAA. This included studying mercury contamination in water body sediments and biota.
• Produced a strategic and implementation plan for Aids to Navigation (AToN) battery removal for the United States Coast Guard (USCG). For approximately 20 years, USCG had disposed of AToN batteries, which contained small amounts of mercury, at 11,000 sites in the water and on land. The Volpe Center prioritized risks associated with these sites and developed a removal plan.
• Provided environmental engineering expertise, marine engineering, naval architecture, logistics, acquisition support, and program management to the Maritime Administration in its decommissioning of the nuclear ship Savannah, including decontamination and remediation programs. Actively participates in the Savannah Review and Audit Committee meetings, and prepared Port Operating Plans for the vessel to enter civilian ports on the U.S. east coast.

For more information

Name: Gregg G. Fleming
Director, Center of Innovation for Environmental and Energy Systems
Email: gregg.fleming@dot.gov
Phone number: 617-494-2018