This quarter's edition of the research newsletter highlights FHWA's Environmental Justice (EJ) Reference Guide. The Office of Human Environment along with an interdisciplinary workgroup developed the Guide to provide FHWA practitioners a single reference document to help ensure compliance with EJ requirements when engaging in transportation planning; developing and evaluating FHWA projects; developing or revising FHWA policies, guidance, and rulemakings; and creating and implementing FHWA programs. The EJ Reference Guide does not create any new requirements or replace any existing guidance. Although FHWA practitioners are the primary audience, the Guide can be used by State and local practitioners, and it is available to the general public. Other EJ resources, such as fact sheets, webinars, and training will be developed. In addition, Public Roads will feature an article on EJ in its January/February 2016 edition. The Office of Human Environment is working diligently to build transportation practitioners' capacity to make sure EJ considerations are addressed throughout the transportation decisionmaking process, and that the transportation needs of communities are being met while enhancing the quality of life.
This edition also includes articles on the 2015 FHWA Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA) and Pollinator Research. The EEA recognizes partners, projects, and processes that use FHWA funding sources to go beyond environmental compliance and achieve environmental excellence. Fifteen awards were presented in July to outstanding transportation initiatives that incorporate environmental stewardship and streamlining into transportation planning and project development. A few of the award winners are featured in this quarter's issue.
Pollinator research centers on developing Best Management Practices (BMPs) that protect and sustain roadside pollinator habitats. The research is a result of a Presidential Memorandum that directed federal agencies to address the decline of pollinators such as bees, bats, and birds on federal lands.
Additional features in this newsletter include:
Shana Baker
Livability Team Lead
Office of Human Environment
Federal Highway Administration
As a curator of the nation's complex highway system, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) represents a crucial instrument for its mission of fair and prudent acquisition and management of real property. This function of the FHWA is best represented by the administration's Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty (HEP), which has recently introduced a Resource Guide on Environmental Justice (EJ). Environmental Justice, at the FHWA, refers to the potentially disproportionate and adverse effects of highway programs on minority and low-income populations. The Guide outlines why, for reasons both ethical and legal, EJ should be a component of all federal highway practices.
The issue of environmental justice gained prominence in the early 1980s, but it most notably grabbed the national spotlight in 1964 with the arrival of the Civil Rights Act. As public concern grew over the disproportionately negative environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations, specifically concerning waste and industrial facilities, President Clinton subsequently issued Executive Order 12898 in 1994 to direct every federal agency to incorporate the tenets of environmental justice into its operations. The order decrees a minimum set of criteria, which can be found in HEP's latest EJ Guide.
While Executive Order 12898 in many ways extends the rights guaranteed in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, there are some minor differences between the two mandates. The Title VI Statute applies to human rights along characteristics of race, color, and national origin. In the Executive Order, EJ, applies to "minority and low-income" populations. Additional subtle variances exist, which are also outlined in the Guide.
In 2011, federal agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to the aforementioned Executive Order, which reinforced and reinvigorated the federal government's commitment to EJ. Subsequently, in 2013, the President Obama's Climate Action Plan stated that the Administration will identify ways to help the nation's most vulnerable communities to prepare for the impacts of climate change, and progress will be measured through annual federal agency EJ Reports.
Environmental Justice in the U.S. has arguably achieved peak relevancy for federal agencies. As a means of acclimating and guiding practitioners on the best ways to comply with EJ regulations and best practices, HEP has introduced a comprehensive overview of the history of EJ and instructions on integrating EJ principles into FHWA policy and practice.
The Guide encompasses many practical implications of Executive Order 12898, including a list of federal definitions for terms like "adverse effect," "low-income," and "minority," so practitioners can employ these concepts in measurable terms. Furthermore, the Guide provides step-by-step instruction on data collection, analysis, and integrating EJ principles into the various stages of transportation planning, including project development, public involvement, design, right-of-way (ROW), construction, and maintenance. In actuality, FHWA staff is responsible for ensuring compliance with EJ principles.
FHWA offers a number of case studies to highlight the practical implications of EJ principles. One such case study involves the East-West Expressway in Durham, NC. The 10-mile access highway was built in 1959 to connect I-85 and I-40 in an area known locally as the "Research Triangle." By the early 1970s, when half of the project had been completed, the NCDOT ordered an environmental impact statement. At this time, a small African-American neighborhood on Crest Street learned that the forthcoming expressway was going to displace their community, as previous highways had done to other local communities, and the residents began to voice their opposition to the project.
The ensuing debate between residents and DOT officials resulted in what one NCDOT official called the "highlight of his career." In the face of displacement, the community along Crest Street effectively collaborated with State officials in an exemplary case of environmental justice. While the expressway was finally constructed, the Crest Street neighborhood was redesigned, instead of dispersed throughout the city of Durham, as an enhanced community for its residents.
HEP's EJ Guide serves as a comprehensive primer on environmental justice as it relates to FHWA programs, and more on this important topic is forthcoming. HEP is currently developing additional resources, including EJ training and easily accessible fact sheets.
In 2014, the White House issued a Presidential Memorandum (PM), "Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators", in response to evidence of the steep declines in certain pollinator populations. Pollinators are critical contributors to our nation's economy, food system, and environmental health. The PM directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to identify opportunities to increase pollinator habitat along roadways by evaluating and updating guidance and resources and by working with State Departments of Transportation and transportation associations to promote pollinator-friendly practices and corridors.
HEP's Office of Project Development and Environmental Review leads an effort to develop best management practices (BMPs) for improving pollinator habitat in roadside rights-of-way (ROWs). The BMPs will outline how modifications to existing vegetation management practices can provide conservation opportunities to increase pollinator habitat and improve pollinator health. Highway ROWs can provide pollinators with food sources, breeding or nesting opportunities, aid dispersal by linking fragmented habitats, act as refuge in otherwise inhospitable landscapes, and contribute to the maintenance of healthy ecosystems and provision of ecological services such as crop pollination services. FHWA provides resources for pollinator-friendly roadside vegetation management practices on the pollinator content page of the Environmental Toolkit https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/ecosystems/vegmgmt_pollinators.asp.
These days GPS makes a transportation planner's research effort much easier. Until now access to the data wasn't so easy. Watch the video Transportation Secure Data Center to see how the Office of Planning, Environment and Realty's Research Program teamed with U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory to access secure travel data on the web. This is the second video in the series, "Seek, Simplify, and Solve through Research."
Beginning in 1995, these biennial awards for Environmental Excellence have recognized partners, projects and processes that use FHWA funding sources to go beyond environmental compliance and achieve environmental excellence. This year the award categories were expanded to 14 categories within three topic areas: natural environment, human environment, and organization and process innovation. Two examples of award recipients are the Syracuse Connective Corridor and the New Mexico Division Right-of-Way (ROW) Carbon Sequestration Research Project. The Syracuse project was presented an award under the Collaboration category. Project partners took a creative and inclusive approach to engaging local residents and businesses through a series of interactive meetings to share ideas and feedback. Through the Connective Corridor project, the partners addressed critical environmental issues. For example, the City of Syracuse teamed with the Onondaga County Save the Rain Program to install green infrastructure along the Connective Corridor that will reduce the impacts of combined sewer overflows to Onondaga Lake. The green infrastructure included in the new Connective Corridor streetscape captures over 26 million gallons of stormwater runoff per year. The New Mexico Division's ROW Carbon Sequestration Research Project received recognition under the Environmental Research category. The project is examining the use of ROW vegetation to remove carbon naturally from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and ultimately increase organic carbon in soils. The research results will help develop a national model for using ROW vegetation to increase soil carbon sequestration and help slow climate change impacts. It could also lead to the establishment of a protocol for generating carbon offset credits through ROW vegetation management that would be tradable on a national or international carbon exchange.
The Strategic Agenda for Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation webinar presented an overview of national pedestrian and bicycle research processes and an assessment of ongoing research projects. During the July session participants heard from eight experts from AASHTO, Portland State University, TRB, NHTSA and FHWA. Feedback was provided through several polling questions. The Strategic Agenda will establish a collaborative framework to advance pedestrian and bicycle transportation over the next five years (2016-2021) and will address a range of topics, including pedestrian and bicycle data, connected networks, research, training, national design guidance, and Ladders of Opportunity. To learn more listen to the recording here.
The Strategic Agenda for Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation - This project will provide a strategic action-oriented framework for issues such as data collection and management, network implementation and documentation, research, training, and national design guidance. The strategic framework will inform future investments, coordinate policies, and promote partnerships. Staff Contact: Dan Goodman, 202-366-9064.
Methods for Evaluating Potential Sources of Chloride in Surface Waters and Groundwaters of the Conterminous United States - This study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and is a comprehensive synthesis of relevant information on sources of chloride, to help decision-makers identify the best mitigation measures. The research focused on areas where chloride may have adverse ecological effects or may degrade water supplies used for drinking water, agriculture, or industry. Staff Contact: Susan Jones, 202-493-2139.
It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air Website - The FHWA currently is in the process of updating the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air website and refreshing it with new materials. The agency would like to hear about successful programs and exemplary materials to include on the website. It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air is a public education and partnership-building initiative developed by several federal agencies for the purpose of informing the public about the impact of their transportation choices on traffic congestion and air quality. Organizations that use It All Adds Up enjoy access to free customizable materials, including advertisements, billboards, and television public service announcements. Tutorials in the Education Center assist with planning, implementing, and evaluating an air quality campaign. Staff Contact: Victoria Martinez 787- 771-2524.
Assessment of Connectors to NHS Passenger Intermodal Terminals - This research examines and documents the mobility and connectivity aspects of National Highway System (NHS) passenger connectors, to show how they facilitate connecting every American to the global economy, and to suggest possible recommendations on how they can be improved. The study will produce a comprehensive look at NHS passenger intermodal connectors, including examining how NHS passenger intermodal connectors serve to connect the transportation disadvantaged, economically disadvantaged or underserved populations to employment opportunities. Staff Contact: Mike Neathery, 202-366-1257.
America Walks 2015 National Walking Summit, Washington, DC
This event is the premier opportunity for national organizations, companies, agencies, and local partners to convene to share best practices and stories, increase the visibility for safe walkable environments, build support among federal agencies, and create momentum for the work ahead. For registration and agenda information, please visit National Walking Summit.
9th University Transportation Center (UTC) Spotlight Conference: Connected and Automated Vehicles
The conference focuses on the emergence of connected and automated vehicle technology across all modes of transportation. The event will help identify roles that university transportation research programs may have in developing new tools and concepts to enhance the deployment of these advanced technologies. For more information or to register, please visit Spotlight Conference: Connected and Automated Vehicles.
TRB's 95th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC
The meeting covers all transportation issues, with more than 5,000 presentations in nearly 750 sessions. A number of sessions and workshops will focus on the meeting's spotlight theme: Research Convergence for a Multi-Modal Future. The meeting is expected to attract more than 12,000 transportation professionals from around the United States and 70 other countries. Registration is required for all Annual Meeting attendees, including those who plan to attend any workshop, visit the exhibits, or take advantage of onsite programming and services.
The Office of Human Environment's Research and Financial Services Team administers research programs and financial support to HEP for research initiatives under MAP-21. The Team provides leadership, coordination, support and implementation of research activities. It also works toward improving outreach, communication and partnerships between Federal, State, and local stakeholders in managing the research programs. For more information, please contact HEP's Primary Research Coordinator: Patricia Cazenas, 202-366-4085.
