editor – Page 44 – Environmental Technical Assistance Program Newsletter

PennDOT to Help Spearhead State’s First-Ever Litter Action Plan

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will play a key role in executing the state’s first-ever ‘Litter Action Plan’ unveiled by Governor Tom Wolf (D) on November 22.

[Above photo by PennDOT]

“Pennsylvania is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. It’s a beautiful state with stunning landscapes and bountiful natural resources. But, we’ve got a litter problem,” said Gov. Wolf in a statement.

“Litter is bad for the environment and our communities, it’s a drain on taxpayer dollars,” he added. “I’m excited to unveil a solution that all 13 million Pennsylvanians can be a part of. It’s a blueprint for a cleaner commonwealth.”

Demonstrating the cost of litter to communities and the commonwealth, PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian noted that the agency’s annual $14 million cost to clean up litter makes litter prevention especially important.

“We recognize we need to change behavior, not just clean up the mess,” she said. “With this commonwealth Litter Action Plan, we’ve provided examples, resources, and calls to action so we can make some transformative change here in Pennsylvania.”

The plan outlines 16 recommendations for Pennsylvania, while also detailing efforts by several state agencies in supporting the “higher-level” recommendations in the plan. Those include:

PennDOT, the Department of Community and Economic Development, and Department of Environmental Protection collaboration on an anti-litter campaign anticipated for spring 2022.
PennDOT analysis of where and how to ensure it has the right litter-reducing tools in place in its public-facing facilities.
DEP’s work on a new rulemaking to provide convenient and affordable access to waste disposal and recycling services in rural areas of Pennsylvania where trash collection and recycling services are currently not economically feasible.
Updates to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources “Leave No Trace” program with working to update their concessionaire agreements to include language aimed at combatting litter, such as requiring food providers to minimize paper straw and disposable utensil use.
When onsite composting is available at a state park, concessionaires will be required to work with DCNR to convert as many of their food service products to compostable, paper-based forest product alternatives and then compost them with the food waste.
The Pennsylvania State Police “Operation Clean Sweep,” which launched this summer, reinforces a zero-tolerance mindset with litter enforcement. This complements their assistance with enforcing “Litter Enforcement Corridors” that state agencies and local governments can designate via a 2018 law to combat litter.

The plan’s workgroups included 17 participants from local governments and among the group’s recommendations for local governments is the suggestion to “get creative with public waste infrastructure maintenance.” It also recommends several proposals to the state’s General Assembly to change existing laws – as well as proposing three laws – to reduce littering.

Colorado DOT Helping Reduce Impact of Firefighting Foam

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s Division of Aeronautics recently wrapped up a two-year effort to help certified commercial service airports statewide acquire equipment to minimize the environmental impact of aircraft firefighting foam containing toxic chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS.

[Above photo by the Colorado DOT]

The Colorado Aeronautical Board, which oversees the Colorado DOT’s Division of Aeronautics, approved $400,000 in state aviation funding to assist with this equipment swap effort – only the second such program in the nation – in collaboration with state airports and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

This effort comes amid an increasing environmental focus on PFAS chemicals, which pose challenges to drinking water reserves.

For example, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing in October to assess ongoing and proposed responses to the presence of PFAS chemicals in the environment, particularly in U.S. waters, by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Radhika Fox, the EPA’s assistant administrator for water, noted in her testimony at that hearing that a “growing body of scientific evidence” shows that exposure at certain levels to specific PFAS can adversely affect human and ecological health. Studies indicate that two common

PFAS – perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate – can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals also caused tumors in animal studies, she said. Fox added that the most consistent findings from human epidemiology studies are increased cholesterol levels among exposed populations as well as some cases where that chemical family affected birth weights, the immune system, caused cancers, and thyroid hormone disruption.

Currently, commercial service airports certified under Federal Aviation Administration regulations are required to use PFAS-based foam and to annually test and certify aircraft rescue firefighting equipment and the foam utilized.

Under the provisions of this new statewide aviation initiative, however, the Colorado Division of Aeronautics said in a statement that it provided 100 percent funding for the acquisition of specialized testing and containment equipment designed to allow FAA-compliant firefighting foam testing to take place without the need for regular foam discharges.

In total, 12 eligible airports participated in the division’s program, with the exception of Denver International Airport, as it already had the equipment, and Colorado Springs Airport, where the U.S. Air Force provides aircraft rescue and firefighting services.

Environmental News Highlights – December 1, 2021

AASHTO Comments on Proposed NEPA Changes

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials sent a 35-page letter to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on November 18 in support of changes to the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA proposed in early October.

[Above image via the White House]

AASHTO also included several recommendations in its letter regarding those proposed changes, especially in terms of “respecting the need for agency flexibility” and the special statutory frameworks that apply to many transportation projects.

“AASHTO is generally supportive of the changes in the notice of proposed rulemaking [as] CEQ proposes to restore the provision on purpose and need in the 1978 NEPA regulations,” the organization said in its letter. “AASHTO supports this change because it clarifies that lead agencies have considerable discretion to determine the purpose and need of a proposed action and it provides greater flexibility to lead agencies in carrying out NEPA.”

AASHTO noted that CEQ proposes to delete provisions in the 2020 NEPA regulations that collectively provide a “ceiling,” rather than a “floor,” for NEPA implementing procedures by other federal agencies.

“Restoring the substance of the 1978 NEPA regulations would allow other federal agencies to develop procedures beyond the requirements of CEQ’s NEPA regulations while still in conformity with NEPA,” the organization said. “AASHTO supports this change. In addition to providing regulatory certainty, CEQ’s NEPA regulations should give agencies flexibility to carry out the NEPA process in light of variations in the legal requirements applicable to different agencies and project types.”

Minnesota DOT Assisting with Bat Deterrence Research

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is helping test ultrasonic bat “deterrence devices” at two bridges to help keep the mammals away from such structures when they undergo maintenance and/or repair activity.

[Above photo by the Minnesota DOT]

The agency noted in a blog post that bats like to roost in bridge expansion joints and temporarily preventing such roosting during bridge maintenance repair activity typically requires installing physical barriers that are often difficult to establish effectively, due to the design characteristics of many structures.

More importantly, the Minnesota DOT does not necessarily want to keep bats away permanently from its bridges because bat populations throughout North America are in serious decline. For example, the agency said white-nose syndrome – a fungal disease – has killed more than 5.7 million bats in eastern North America since 2005. On top of that, wind turbines kill hundreds of thousands of bats in North America annually, according to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Minnesota DOT has worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the last two years testing battery-operated ultrasonic deterrence devices that reduce bat activity at bridge site when activated, but ensure a quick return of bat roosting activity when deactivated.

“This project was innovative. We worked with a technology that wasn’t really on the market yet for real-world applications in anticipation of its availability,” noted Christopher Smith, wildlife ecologist with the Minnesota DOT’s Office of Environmental Stewardship.

He added that current regulations require shorter maintenance period options during the construction season in order to protect bats – mandating that crews must avoid having bats present during their work, which impacts cleaning, painting, and other maintenance timelines.

“The presence of bats disrupts bridge work timelines and budgets, and work upsets habitation for species struggling to survive,” Smith said.

The Minnesota DOT noted that it hopes to develop a procedure for deploying this ultrasonic bat deterrence technology when needed and determine associated expenses from this two-year research effort.

Further study could consider the technology in different configurations and environments, test the devices at many bridges around the country, and conduct a cost-benefit analysis, the agency added – while also comparing the “relative impact” of acoustic deterrents on specific bat species.

ETAP Podcast: A Conversation with AASHTO President Shawn Wilson

This episode of the Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP Podcast revolves around a conversation with Shawn Wilson, Ph. D., (seen in above photo standing at podium) secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials 2021-2022 president. He is the first African-American elected to serve as AASHTO’s president in the organization’s 107-year history.

Dr. Wilson plans to use his one-year tenure as AASHTO’s president to “address the issues that matter” in the transportation industry, especially when it comes to promoting equity and encouraging participation in what he calls “non-traditional partnerships.”

One of Dr. Wilson’s his primary emphasis areas – entitled “Pathways to Equity” – is designed to intentionally expand opportunities within the state DOT community by creating a culture that identifies, trains, and empowers individuals in under-represented populations covering age, gender, ethnicity, and race.

“I’m interested in how we sustain that opportunity to achieve equity,” Dr. Wilson said. “How are we, as state DOTs, building a bench of leaders that reflects the population in the communities we serve? How do we diversify, not just with race, but also with gender, with disciplines? How do we change what we do as a department of transportation in a way that opens up the opportunity to recruit and retain a more capable, qualified, and inclusive professional workforce?”

His second emphasis area – “Partnering to Deliver” – is an AASHTO and state DOT initiative designed to create partnerships with non-traditional organizations, both transportation-related and non-transportation specific. The idea is to embrace the richness of differing perspectives represented in the broader transportation community, enhance awareness and strengthen understanding.

Dr. Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Louisiana, a master’s degree in public administration from Southern University, and a doctorate in public policy from Southern University. A native of New Orleans, Dr. Wilson and his wife, Rocki, live in Lafayette, Louisiana. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.

To listen to this podcast, click here.

AASHTO Seeking to Fill Two Environmental Program Positions

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, an equal-opportunity employer, is seeking to fill two environmental program positions within its policy division.

The first is for a program manager for environment; a position that manages technical and policy activities related to environmental issues under the supervision of the AASHTO’s program director for environment. The program manager also provides staff support to the Committee on Environment & Sustainability or CES, the CES Steering Committee, and assigned subcommittees and working groups, as well as the Center for Environmental Excellence’s Technical Working Group.

A Bachelor of Arts or Science degree is required for this position, with evidence of a higher degree of professional development – such as postgraduate education – highly desirable. To learn more about this position, visit the AASHTO Jobs Board by clicking here.

The second is for a program specialist for environment; a position that provides support for a broad range of AASHTO programs and projects including the Center for Environmental Excellence, the CES, assigned CES subcommittees, the CES Research Task Force, and the Committee on Transportation System Security & Resilience.

A Bachelor of Arts or Science degree is required for this position, preferably in the transportation and environment fields. Evidence of a higher degree of professional development, such as a postgraduate education, is desirable. To learn more about this position, visit the AASHTO Jobs Board by clicking here.

Environmental News Highlights – November 17, 2021

FEDERAL ACTION

With President Biden’s Signature, State DOTs Ready to Implement Infrastructure Bill – AASHTO

Biden chooses Mitch Landrieu to coordinate infrastructure plan implementation – NBC News

The High Stakes of Infrastructure – The New Yorker

How Biden’s infrastructure win falls short in one big area – Politico (Commentary)

Fact Sheet: What the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Will Mean for American Mobility – USDOT (Media release)

USDOT Announces Key Priorities, Funding for Public Transportation Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal – FTA (Media release)

COVID-19

Government Groups Voice Support COVID-19 Funding Flexibility – AASHTO Journal

Executive Q&A: Biggest Lesson Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic – Metro Magazine

NY, NJ, Conn. agree on dividing up federal transit aid – AP

On the Horizon: Planning for Post-Pandemic Travel – APTA (Media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Amtrak chief outlines expansion plans with infrastructure spending – The Hill

Biden rolls out multibillion-dollar plan to upgrade aging U.S. ports after passage of infrastructure bill – CNBC

The Detroit Smart Parking Lab: Mobility Meets Infrastructure – Detroitisit

Homeowners on Hook for Repairs After San Diego Airport ‘Free’ Soundproofing – KNSD-TV

AIR QUALITY

U.S. unveils roadmap for net-zero aviation emissions by 2050 – Axios

America Isn’t Ready for the Electric-Vehicle Revolution – New York Times (Editorial)

Hawaii Administrative Rules Changed To Allow Electric Vehicles To Use HOV Lanes – Hawaii DOT (Media release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Ohio DOT Project Helping Revitalize Cleveland Neighborhood – AASHTO Journal

A state pollution trading program aims to improve air quality, but critics worry about environmental justice – Delaware Public Media

Despite calls to improve, air travel is still a nightmare for many with disabilities – NPR’s Morning Edition

Like Basic Income, But for Transportation – CityLab

Officials target undoing racial divides created by Florida highways, interstates – WTVT-TV

How we reported the story on highway displacements – Los Angeles Times

NATURAL RESOURCES

Montana Department of Transportation tests a new way to decrease wildlife collisions – NBC Montana

LA Metro Installs Early-Warning Earthquake Alerts – Next City

Think green – clean your vehicle at a car wash – LI Herald (Editorial)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Commuting on a bike – Washington State DOT

Wyoming Pathways Seeks Project Ideas That Need Federal Funds – Big Horn Radio Network

Vehicle noise radar may be coming to Philadelphia – Axios

There’s a New 750-Mile Bicycle Route in New York. Take a Look. – New York Times

Localities Pose Stricter Rules on E-Scooter Use, But Challenges Remain – Route Fifty

U of Minnesota study shows how small changes can make big improvements to pedestrian safety – KMSP-TV

Officials across Central Florida push for pedestrian safety – WKMG-TV

Lane County sets ambitious goals of safety, reliability with proposed Bicycle Master Plan – Register-Guard

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Research Can Help Micromobility Have a Supersized Effect on Future Transportation – TRB

TRB Webinar: Paving the Way Toward Carbon-Neutral Concrete – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Approval and Promulgation of State Plans for Designated Facilities and Pollutants; Colorado; Control of Emissions From Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills – EPA (Final rule)

FY 2021 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Enhancing Mobility Innovation – FTA (Notice)

Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People; Technical Amendments – FAA (Technical amendments)

Notice of Intent To Conduct Scoping and To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary – NOAA (Notice)

Pipeline Safety: Safety of Gas Gathering Pipelines: Extension of Reporting Requirements, Regulation of Large, High-Pressure Lines, and Other Related Amendments – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Final rule)

PennDOT Turning Plastic Waste into Roadway Surface Material

For several weeks now, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has been dumping plastic waste onto the roadway near a state park – and that is actually a good thing.

[Above photo by PennDOT]

PennDOT is wrapping up a pilot project that uses pellets (seen in above photo) made from grocery bags, milk jugs, and other recyclable plastics in an asphalt reconstruction project. The pellets are being added to the asphalt in two quarter-mile test sections of the project at the entrance to Ridley Creek State Park, about 15 miles west of Philadelphia.

The expected benefits from this project – due to wrap up by the end of November – include diverting waste plastics from landfills, helping to establish a market for recycled plastics, and extending the useful life of asphalt pavements.

“We are very pleased when we can pursue innovations bringing benefits to the public, our transportation assets, and our environment,” Mike Keiser, PennDOT’s acting deputy secretary for highway administration, explained in a recent news release.

The pellets are comprised of high-density and low-density polyethylene – known colloquially as Number 2 and 4 plastics, respectively – plus an additive. Common Number 2 plastic products include milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and some plastic toys. Number 4 plastics, by contrast, are lighter and best known for making grocery bags, shrink-wrap, and bread bags to package.

[Click here to learn more about how to recycle different types of plastic.]

First, those pellets are mixed together with recycled asphalt pavement or RAP, which is then heated and applied to the road surface. The entire process is “relatively consistent with conventional pavement preparation processes,” noted PennDOT Press Secretary Alexis Campbell.

The amount of pellet material can vary from job to job, usually comprising two to four percent of the asphalt binder, Campbell said. If a project uses the maximum amount of pellet material in an application, that can translate to up to three million plastic grocery bags per mile paved.

As PennDOT evaluates the project for performance and environmental properties, it is also looking for other suitable roadway locations for testing “plastic asphalt,” Campbell said.

The agency added that this pilot project is coordinated through PennDOT’s Strategic Recycling Program, funded through the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

Report Urges More Funding for Colorado DOT Wildlife Protection Projects

A state government report is calling for increased funding for transportation projects that protect big game habitats and corridors and prevent thousands of vehicle-wildlife crashes each year on Colorado’s roads.

[Above photo by the Colorado DOT]

The Colorado Department of Transportation and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources authored the Big Game Policy Report, subsequently released by Governor Jared Polis (D) on September 29.

A statement from the governor’s office said the report seeks to “prioritize state policy, coordination and investment to support our wildlife and ecosystems.”

The report notes that the effects of climate change, increased industrial, residential construction, plus ongoing infrastructure development increase the number of situations putting wildlife in conflict with people. The most glaring examples of such conflicts are the estimated 4,000 vehicle crashes with wildlife that cost an estimated $80 million each year in Colorado.

The Big Game Policy Report served as a follow-up to an executive order Gov. Polis issued in 2019 directing Colorado DOT to incorporate wildlife protection measures into “all levels of its planning process, to the greatest extent possible.”

The Colorado DOT already planned to make road improvements to U.S. 160 between Pagosa Springs and Durango when it decided to incorporate wildlife protection elements. The busy stretch of highway has been the scene of more than 350 big game-vehicle collisions in the last 10 years as drivers make their way to the Chimney Rock National Monuments.

The project, expected to wrap up this winter, now includes a wildlife overpass and underpass, high-deer fencing, and “jump out” ramps within the two-mile project area. The fencing helps “funnel” the moving herds toward the overpass or underpass, where they can safely cross the busy highway. The earthen ramps are inside the fencing and allow the animals to safely escape traffic.

By including wildlife elements into planned projects, “it gives us a bigger bang for our buck,” said Lisa Ann Schwantes, a Colorado DOT regional communications manager.

“We look at the projects already identified that need to be done, and we overlap them with wildlife projects and marry them together,” she said.

Though incorporating wildlife protection elements into existing planned projects can be cost-effective, the costs still add up. The U.S. 160 project has a total price tag of $12 million, $5.4 million of which include just the construction costs for the wildlife protection features.

The report points out that, while Colorado DOT continues to look for ways to protect big game and drivers from each other, the agency has no dedicated funding source for such wildlife projects – one reason why the new report calls on the state legislature to find new money to support such projects.

“While progress has been made, the General Assembly should prioritize new funding for transportation projects identified by CPW (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) and Colorado DOT that provide a clear benefit to wildlife populations and human health,” the report states.