Highlights

FEDERAL ACTION

Republicans Reveal Five-Year $568B Infrastructure Proposal – AASHTO Journal

Factbox: Republicans vs. Biden: What’s in their infrastructure plans? – Reuters

Senators Offer Legislation to Help States Rebuild Infrastructure Following Extreme Weather – Southeast AgNet Radio Network

How an infrastructure bill can help rural communities in the West – Deseret News

COVID-19

MDHHS launches pilot Travel Points Testing at Michigan Welcome Centers and airports – Michigan Department of Health and Human and MDOT (Press release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Strict rules key to sustainable transportation, climate policy expert – FreightWaves

Q&A: Transportation secretary talks infrastructure, local projects – Eastern New Mexico News

Gov. Edwards, LA DOTD announces new infrastructure projects for the state – KARD-TV

Infrastructure bills advance in the Montana Senate – Independent Record

City begins pilot program to charge vehicles with solar power – City News Service

AIR QUALITY

United Airlines plans to use jet fuel made from trash – World Economic Forum

LIRR to test battery-operated trains to travel on diesel branches – WABC-TV

Cherokee Nation unveils first electric buses – Siloam Springs Herald-Leader

FACT SHEET: Biden Administration Advances Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure – White House (Press release)

Amtrak Adds Carbon Emission Savings Information on All Northeast Corridor Tickets – Amtrak (Press release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

10 Questions With The Father Of Environmental Justice – Science Friday

Earth Day: a time for environmental justice – Post Independent (Opinion)

Trucking’s relationship with environmental justice – FleetOwner (Commentary)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Forest growth can be stunted by noise pollution, study shows – The Weather Network

Tennessee Aquarium, TDOT’s Nobody Trashes Tennessee launch exhibits highlighting impact of road litter, microplastics on waterways – Tennessee Aquarium/TDOT (Press Release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Staff Seeks Input From Historic Preservation Commission on Colorado Street Bridge Suicide Barriers – Pasadena Now

Sacramento to transform historic train station into people-first mobility hub – SmartCitiesDive

Art in L.A.’s Union Station has been hidden for decades. Now it prepares for an Oscar debut – Los Angeles Times

The Delaware Bayshore Byway National Scenic Byway Designation Sign Unveiling – DelDOT (Press release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Bikes are back for Birmingham – AL.com

80% of fatal e-scooter crashes involve cars – new study reveals where and why most collisions occur – The Conversation

Legislation to protect bicyclists passes in Oklahoma Senate – KFOR-TV

Quizzes help motorists, bicyclists learn how to share the road – Daily Herald

Bike shortage keeps Alaskan cyclists from hitting the road – Alaska Public Media

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar – How Ridehailing Companies Affect Airport Revenues and Operations – TRB (Webinar)

TRB Webinar: Increasing Return on Investment through Geotechnology – TRB

TRB Webinar: Senior Leadership’s Role in Embedding Transportation Resilience – TRB

Funding Transportation Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic – TRB

Every Day is Earth Day at MnDOT – MnDot (Video)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Comprehensive Plan and Special Regulations With Respect to High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing; Rules of Practice and Procedure Regarding Project Review Classifications and Fees – Delaware River Basin Commission (Final rule)

White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Virtual Public Meeting Series – EPA (Notice)

Air Plan Approval; Nebraska; Revisions to Title 129 of the Nebraska Administrative Code; Chapter 39 Visible Emissions From Diesel-Powered Motor Vehicles – EPA (Proposed rule)

Notice of Intent To Rule on Request for Change in Land Use From Aeronautical to Non Aeronautical for 16.2 Acres of Land at Pittsfield Municipal Airport, Pittsfield, MA – FAA (Request for public comments)

Rescinding a Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Long Island Rail- Truck Intermodal Facility – FHWA (Notice to rescind a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement)

Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program; California High- Speed Rail Authority Audit Report – FRA (Notice; request for comment)

FEDERAL ACTION

Joint Letter to Congress Calls for ‘Generational’ Infrastructure Investment – AASHTO Journal

FAST Act reauthorization prospects dim – Transportation Today

Deep Divisions Over Transit Threaten Highway Bill Bipartisanship – Bloomberg Government

American Jobs Plan Targets Resilience, Green Tech, and Remediation to Strengthen Crumbling Infrastructure – National Review

As Biden shifts infrastructure focus to climate and racial justice, cities and states alter pitches for federal money – Washington Post

COVID-19

To Save the New York Subway, Send in the Crowds – Bloomberg Green

What We Learned After Analyzing 5 Months of Active Mobility Responses to COVID-19 – TheCityFix

NEPA

House Republicans introduce bill to reform NEPA – Transportation Today

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Hawaii Department of Transportation begins electrification with Tesla delivery – Honolulu Star-Advertiser

White House issues infrastructure report cards for all 50 states – The Hill

Pritzker Administration Announces $110 Million in Rebuild Illinois Funding for Public Ports Across Illinois – Illinois Department of Transportation (Press release)

Now is Our Opportunity to do Public Transit Differently – Newsweek (Opinion

AIR QUALITY

Bethlehem unveils climate action plan that calls for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 – Morning Call

Ethanol Groups Defend EPA’s E15 Rule – DTN/Progressive Farmer (Blog)

On Climate Change, DeSantis Focuses On Infrastructure While Ignoring Heat-Causing Emissions – Inside Climate News/WMFE

Chicago Air Quality Ordinance – City of Chicago

Environmental benefits of going solar in Vermont – Vermont Business Magazine (Commentary)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Connections: Discussing racism in American infrastructure – WXXI Radio

Environmental justice is coming to New Jersey’s suburbs – Newark Star-Ledger (Opinion)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Wetlands legislation passes, leaves little protection – KPC News

Federal Water Rule Does Not Account for Pollution Across State Boundaries – University of Texas at Austin (Press release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

‘Vision Zero failed my friend’ | Renewed push for safer DC streets after cyclist killed – WUSA-TV

NYC Teams With Bird, Lime, VeoRide For eScooter Pilot Launch – PYMNTS

Why Don’t Transit Agencies Do Bikeshare? – CityLab

Two rural Delaware towns got a new transit and ride-hailing app – StateScoop

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Navigating Environmental Compliance for Public-Private Partnerships – TRB

TRB Webinar: The Day of the Drones – Airports and Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Part 2 – TRB

Driving Down Emissions: Why Reducing How Much We Drive is Critical for Our Climate – Transportation for America (Webinar announcement)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Notice of Public Meeting, Utah Resource Advisory Council, Utah – Bureau of Land Management (Notice of public meeting)

2021 Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustments for Oil, Gas, and Sulfur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Final rule)

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; River Rouge, Detroit – Coast Guard (Final rule)

Security Zone: Electric Boat Shipyard, Groton – Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)

Regulated Navigation Area; Biscayne Bay Causeway Island Slip, Miami Beach – Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers and Burnham Canals, Milwaukee, WI – Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)

Guidance Document Procedures Rescission – Council on Environmental Quality (Final rule)

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Municipal Solid Waste Landfills Residual Risk and Technology Review; Correction – EPA (Proposed rule)

Notice of Intent To Rule on a Request To Release Surplus Property at the Myrtle Beach International Airport, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – FAA (Notice and request for comment)

Notice of Intent To Release Certain Properties From All Terms, Conditions, Reservations and Restrictions of a Quitclaim Deed Agreement Between the City of Melbourne and the Federal Aviation Administration for the Melbourne International Airport, Melbourne, FL – FAA (Request for public comment)

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status, Section 4(d) Rule, and Designation of Critical Habitat for Panama City Crayfish – Fish and Wildlife Service (Proposed rule; reopening of comment period and announcement of public hearing)

Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee – Forest Service (Notice of meeting)

Fiscal Year 2021 Competitive Research Funding Opportunity: Transit Workforce Center (TWC) – FTA (Notice of Funding Opportunity)

Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 – Maritime Administration (Notice)

Proposed Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service – Natural Resources Conservation Service (Notice of availability; reopening and extension of comment period)

Public Hearing – Susquehanna River Basin Commission (Notice)

FEDERAL ACTION

Rep. DeFazio: “We have to do a reauthorization by October 1.” – AASHTO Journal

House GOP Planning Climate Package to Counter Democrats – Bloomberg Green

Biden Plan Spurs Fight Over What ‘Infrastructure’ Really Means – New York Times

US Senators Introduce Carbon Capture, Sequestration Bill – Transport Topics

Retreat from coastlines? Politicians don’t want to talk about it. – Grist

COVID-19

Planners grapple with pandemic’s mystery impacts on population boom and traffic – Reporter Newspapers

More Cars on the Road as COVID Restrictions Lift Leads to Worsening Air Quality – KNBC-TV Video

What We Learned After Analyzing 5 Months of Active Mobility Responses to COVID-19 – TheCityFix (Commentary)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Managing the Transition to Electric Vehicles – AASHTO Journal

W.Va. congressional delegation, environmentalists at odds over Biden jobs and infrastructure plan – Herald-Dispatch

Ohio plans $2B in infrastructure investments; officials to discuss local projects today – Cincinnati Enquirer

Nevada bridges ranked among the country’s best by national survey – KVVU-TV

State’s new drone fleet to help with investigations, inspections – Jackson Hole News & Guide

How to move from a wish list to a national plan in adapting America’s infrastructure – Thomson Reuters Foundation (Opinion)

AIR QUALITY

McKee under pressure over RI climate bill requiring net-zero emissions by 2050 – WPRI-TV

Decreasing Your Carbon Footprint Through Abandoned Farmland Restoration – Forbes

New Army of LG Robots Eye Air Pollution – CDOTrends

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says ‘there is racism physically built’ into America’s infrastructure – The Hill

EPA reverses Trump stance in push to tackle environmental racism – The Guardian

NATURAL RESOURCES

ITD Shares Award for Eco-Friendly Bridge Work – AASHTO Journal

USDA and Partners Work to Identify Best Management Practices for Wildlife Repellents at Airports – State Aviation Journal

Bill to improve water quality for tribes passes committee – Curry Coastal Pilot

Investors worth $105 billion join the call for lasting protection for Bristol Bay from Pebble Mine – Earthworks (Blog)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Suggested changes to Reagan National Airport noise study to be released – WTOP Radio

Micromobility is thriving in the new safety economy – GreenBiz

City of Tyler starts installing 36 miles of bicycle lanes – Tyler Morning Telegraph

Transportation leaders: Pedestrian safety bills could have unintended consequences – WFTS-TV

Lower Saucon mapping walking, biking plan with input from residents – Morning Call

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Navigating Environmental Compliance for Public-Private Partnerships – TRB

Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities for Sustainability Science: Proceedings of a Workshop – in Brief (2021) – National Academies

Clearing the Skies with Research on Electric Vehicles – TRB

What can be done now to move us toward a more sustainable and prosperous future for all? – Nobel Prize Summit (Announcement)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

National Environmental Education Advisory Council – EPA (Request for nominations)

Pipeline Safety: Pipeline Leak Detection, Leak Repair, and Methane Emission Reductions Public Meeting – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice)

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Dry Dock 1 Modification and Expansion – NOAA (Notice; proposed incidental harassment authorization; request for comments on proposed authorization and possible renewal)

Meeting of the Regional Resource Stewardship Council – Tennessee Valley Authority (Notice)

Port Access Route Study: Northern New York Bight – Coast Guard (Supplemental notice of study, request for comments)

FEDERAL ACTION

Biden Harris Infrastructure Plan Allocates $621B for Transportation – AASHTO Journal

How Biden plans to tackle the climate crisis in his $2 trillion infrastructure plan – Vox

Oil Giants Win Climate Suit as Judges Push For Political Fix – Bloomberg Green

An Essential Ingredient for Getting Infrastructure Done: Pork – Governing (Commentary)

White House Announces Environmental Justice Advisory Council Members – The White House (Press release)

COVID-19

The Environmental Implications of the Return to the Office – CityLab

NEPA

FHWA Lays Out Next Step for NYC Congestion Pricing – AASHTO Journal

DOT halts Texas highway project in test of Biden’s promises on race – Politico

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Transportation And Climate Initiative Passes Legislative Hurdle In Connecticut – WSHU Radio

N.C. Ports Works On Next Steps For Wilmington Harbor Navigational Project – WilmingtonBiz

California to Test Whether Big Batteries Can Stop Summer Blackouts – Bloomberg Green

The Northwest Seaport Alliance recognizes 2020 North Star Award winners – American Journal of Transportation

AIR QUALITY

Cruise ship emissions have short-term effect on downtown Juneau air quality, Alaska DEC says – KTOO Radio

EPA Reinforces Position that Certain Types of ECM Changes in Road-Certified Vehicles Constitute “Tampering” Under the Clean Air Act – National Law Review

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Oregon Bill Proposes New Statewide Land Use Planning Goal for Climate Justice – JDSupra

Environmental justice symposium to activate green community “hubs” around the state – The Burg

EPA to start environmental justice training program in Dayton – WDTN-TV

NATURAL RESOURCES

Planning continues to curtail invasive plants along state roads and highways – Newton County Times

Cost of litter cleanup delays other NCDOT projects – WRAL-TV

State environmental regulators fine Department of Transportation for Preston permit violations – Charleston Gazette-Mail

Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards v. Red River Coal Company, Inc., No. 19-2194 (4th Cir. 2021) – Justia (Summary and link to decision)

New Mexico tribes sue US over federal clean water rule – AP

CULTURAL RESOURCE

Four environmental projects receive extra funds from PitCo commissioners – Aspen Times

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Community Spotlight: Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition – WHSV-TV

An idea for bringing life back to the Loop? Close State Street to vehicle traffic – REJournals

Transport Troy unveils trails map – The Record

E-Bikes Force Reconsideration of Old Bike Trail Rules – Bakersfield Californian

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Transportation Recovery from COVID-19 Changes Takes Research and Planning – TRB

Transportation Research Record Special Issue on COVID-19: Deadline Extended to April 30 – TRB

Seeking Panel Nominations for Supplemental National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis Projects: Nominations due April 28 – NCHRP

Webinar: Geochemistry and Mineralogy in Chemical Soil Stabilization – TRB

Project Called International Model for Environmental Justice and Revitalization – ReGenesis Economic Development Corporation and MDB, Inc. (Press release)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Administrative Rulemaking, Guidance, and Enforcement Procedures – Office of the Secretary of Transportation (Final rule)

Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion Project in Norfolk, Virginia – National Marine Fisheries Service (Final rule; notification of issuance of Letters of Authorization)

Hazardous Materials: Notice of Public Meetings in 2021 for International Standards on the Transport of Dangerous Goods – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice of 2021 public meetings)

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Ocean Wind, LLC’s Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore New Jersey – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice)

Request for Nominations of Candidates to the EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) – EPA (Notice)

Request for Nominations of Candidates to the EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) – EPA (Notice)

United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Mitigation of Contaminated Transboundary Flows Project – EPA (Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; notice of virtual public scoping meetings; request for comments)

Community Forest Program – Forest Service (Final rule)

FEDERAL ACTION

Report Highlights How State DOTs Deliver the Benefits of Transportation – AASHTO Executive Director

Biden Harris Administration Reveals Infrastructure Priorities – AASHTO Journal

Republicans tell Buttigieg that Biden’s infrastructure bill should focus on roads, rail, ports – not climate or social justice – USA Today

Democrats offer priorities via stand-alone infrastructure bills – Roll Call

U.S. Oil Lobby Backs Carbon Fee as Substitute for Regulation – Bloomberg Green

COVID-19

COVID-19 & Transportation Funding in Illinois: One Year Later – Illinois Economic Policy Institute (Link to study pdf)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Caltrans: Rebuilt Section of Highway 1 Could ‘Last for Centuries’ – AASHTO Journal

Can the electrical grid handle a boom in electric vehicles? – Detroit Free Press

How to get started with measuring sustainability – Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

Los Angeles now has a road map for 100% renewable energy – Los Angeles Times

Governors Rev Up Momentum on Infrastructure – National Governors Association (Press release)

AIR QUALITY

Cargo bikes – The Future of Zero Emission Last-mile Deliveries – Air Quality News

Coalition Asks Biden Administration to Reduce Truck Emissions by Fall 2022 – Transport Topics

City sets lofty goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% over next 30 years – KOLN-TV

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Priority Shift: Great Lakes exec moves environmental justice to top of list – Great Lakes Now

Environmental Justice: Evaluating Zip Codes And Pollution Burdens – Science Friday

Lawmakers seek pause on plans to overhaul Massachusetts transportation system that provides rides to low-income and disabled residents – State House News Service

NATURAL RESOURCES

With Emphasis on Climate Change, St. Lawrence Seaway Opens for 63rd Season – Spectrum News

What’s that noise? ‘Sound cannons’ used to scare off birds near Santa Maria strawberry farms – KSBY-TV

Connecticut begins food waste recycling push to help solve waste disposal crisis – Hartford Courant

Thousands of acres must be restored to save declining species of birds on Lake Erie – Columbus Dispatch

The nation’s water infrastructure cannot be graded on a sliding scale – Penn Live/Patriot-News (Opinion)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

‘When Seattle Shakes’ online exhibition explores historical preservation and seismic risks – Seattle Times

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Lawmakers Consider Update For Oregon’s Groundbreaking Bike Bill – Oregon Public Broadcasting

City officials attempting to ‘calm’ traffic down for pedestrians, bicyclists – Williamsport Sun-Gazette

Disabled Clark County residents join statewide demand for more sidewalks – Clark County Today

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

An Update on Public Transportation’s Impacts on Greenhouse Gas Emissions – TCRP

New Biennial Review Says Stronger Science Support Needed as Everglades Restoration Pivots from Planning to Operations – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (Press release)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in Idaho – FHWA (Notice of limitation on claims for judicial review of actions by FHWA)

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Little Manatee River, Ruskin, Hillsborough County – Coast Guard (Final rule)

Seaway Regulations and Rules – Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (Final rule)

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement for the Charleston Peninsula Coastal Flood Risk Management Study, Charleston County, South Carolina – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Notice)

South Carolina: Final Approval of State Underground Storage Tank Program Revisions, Codification, and Incorporation by Reference – EPA (Direct final rule)

Brownfields Stakeholder Discussion and Listening Session With Nonprofit Organizations and Community Foundations – EPA (Notice)

Air Plan Approval; Maine; Removal of Reliance on Reformulated Gasoline in the Southern Counties of Maine – EPA (Proposed rule)

Approval and Promulgation of State Plans for Designated Facilities and Pollutants; North Dakota; Control of Emissions From Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills; Control of Emissions From Existing Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Unit – EPA (Proposed rule)

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, Point Pleasant, NJ – Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Notice)

Review and Approval of Projects – Susquehanna River Basin Commission (Notice of proposed rulemaking; notice of public hearing)

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Provides Perspective on Return of Congressional Earmarks – AASHTO Journal

AASHTO Issues 2021 Benefits of Transportation Report – AASHTO Journal

Illinois Sen. Duckworth Unveils Sweeping Environmental Justice Legislation – St. Louis Public Radio

Farm groups ask Biden to include rural investments in infrastructure plan – Capital Press

McConnell Rules Out Backing for Tax-Funded Infrastructure – Bloomberg

COVID-19

Trudeau Says US-Canada Border Won’t Reopen Anytime Soon – TravelPulse

The Local Policies That Will Outlast the Pandemic – CityLab

Jersey City to expand on-demand transport after shift in commuting habits – TNW

Caltrans Considering Freeway Closures Due to PPE Litter on Highways – KNSD-TV

NEPA

FAA Releases LaGuardia AirTrain Final Environmental Impact Statement – FAA (Press release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Four State DOT Projects Named ‘Infrastructure Gamechangers’ – AASHTO Journal

Caltrans Showcases the Achievements of Landmark SB1 Legislation on Rebuilding the State’s Aging Infrastructure – Caltrans (video)

Alabama State Port Authority’s growth story transcends geographical luck – FreightWaves

Teaching the next generation of engineers how to make Puerto Rico’s infrastructure resilient – University of Rhode Island (Press release)

AIR QUALITY

Senators debate what cutting carbon emissions means for transportation industry – Nexstar

Jet fuel made from food waste could slash carbon emissions – Energy Digital

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Unjoyful noise: Port Authority tunnel fans disturb Dormont residents – Post-Gazette

Road Salt Is Imperiling Aquatic Ecosystems. It Doesn’t Have To. – Undark (Opinion)

Buttigieg tweet on Chinatown shines light on racism in infrastructure – KYW

CULTURAL RESOURCES

New traffic lights near historic buildings stopped after preservationist objects – KTBS-TV

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Bike Fort Collins Discovers Mayoral and City Council Candidates Views on Bikes and Alternative Transportation – North Forty News

Biking Was Big in Philly Even Before the Pandemic. Then the Past Year Sent it Skyrocketing – Philadelphia

Making Milwaukee’s Downtown Better For Pedestrians Will Be Top Of Mind In The New Development Plan – WUWM

Wet Weather Biking Virtual Workshop – Penn State

Steady Rise in Pedestrian Fatalities Rings Alarm Bells – Texas DOT (Press release)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Virtual Public Meeting – EPA (Notification of public meeting)

Federal Aluminum Aquatic Life Criteria Applicable to Oregon – EPA (Final rule)

Air Plan Approval; Texas; Revisions to the Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction Incentive Program – EPA (Proposed rule)

Public Water System Supervision Program Revisions for the Navajo Nation – EPA (Notice of tentative approval)

Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) Sustainable and Health Communities Subcommittee Meeting—March 2021 – EPA (Notice of public meeting)

Notice of Intent To Amend the California Desert Conservation Area Plan and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment for the Oberon Solar Project, Riverside County – Bureau of Land Management (Notice of intent)

Notice of Intent To Rule on a Land Release Request at Council Bluffs Municipal Airport (CBF), Council Bluffs, Iowa – FAA (Notice of request to release and sell airport land)

Waiver of Aeronautical Land Use Assurance: Independence Municipal Airport (IDP), Independence, KS – FAA (Notice of intent of waiver with respect to land use change from aeronautical to non-aeronautical)

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Project in Virginia Beach, Virginia – National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and NOAA (Notice; issuance of Renewal incidental harassment authorization)

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Old Sitka Dock North Dolphins Expansion Project in Sitka, Alaska – National Marine Fisheries Service and NOAA (Notice; proposed issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization; request for comments)

Revolving Fund Program—Water and Environmental Provisions of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 – Rural Utilities Service (Final rule)

Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction Meeting – National Institute of Standards and Technology (Notice of open meeting)

Agency Information Collection Activities; DOI Generic Clearance for Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Activities – Interior (Notice of information collection; request for comment)

FEDERAL ACTION

Transportation Getting $100B from $1.9T COVID Package – AASHTO Journal

USDA Investing $285M in Transportation, Infrastructure – AASHTO Journal

Leveraging Policy, Funding to Improve Infrastructure Resiliency – AASHTO Journal

Sen. Ed Markey Pushes Climate-Focused Transportation Bills – Transportation Topics

New Version of Ports-to-Plains Highway Bill Authored in Congress – KKAM

Biden eyes tougher approach to measuring impact of greenhouse gases – The Hill

COVID-19

How contactless technology is defining the customer experience post-COVID-19 – Future Travel Experience

Aviation industry urges Biden to back COVID-19 health credentials – Reuters

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Texas has lessons for all of us on infrastructure resilience – The Hill

To Fight Flooding, This City Plans to Renovate – and Retreat – Bloomberg Green

Breakingviews – U.S. stimulus is map for infrastructure bonanza – Reuters

Infrastructure’s Time Has Come – Supply Chain Management Review (Opinion)

For Transportation Infrastructure, Look to Cities to Do It Right – Governing (Commentary)

AIR QUALITY

Trump Change to Pollution Rules Survives New Jersey Appeal – Courthouse News Service

New York Pilots Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Heat Pump Technology – ACHR News

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

In call for environmental justice, Biden’s climate agenda reaches into neighborhoods – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Albuquerque invests in electric buses, and calls for transit equity – Daily Lobo

NATURAL RESOURCES

Caltrans Specialists Scale Boulders & Cliffsides to Protect Motorist Safety – Using Courage, Know-How & Explosives! – Caltrans (Video)

Trump’s water rule now enforced nationally – National Hog Farmer

Arizona seeks to create surface water protections after Clean Water Act rollback – Arizona PBS

Park closes roads for restoration work, amphibian crossings – Pike County Courier

What Is A Wetland? – WorldAtlas

Environmental nonprofits join forces to hire ‘science geek’ to help fix the region’s water woes – News-Press

Beverly Gard: Wetlands bill needs more study before lawmakers act blindly – Indianapolis Business Journal (Opinion)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Caltrans asks for public input on areas to improve bicycling, walking – KNX

Atlanta BeltLine moves toward finding Northwest Trail route through Buckhead; transit route to follow – Reporter Newspapers

More bike lanes are coming to Reston and Herndon this year – Reston Now

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Real-Time Response – A Pandemic Playbook for Public Transportation Agencies – TRB

TRB Webinar: The New Virtual Reality for Public Meetings and Social Distancing – TRB

TRB Webinar: Emerging Challenges for Congestion Pricing on Managed Lanes – TRB

TRB’s Transportation Explorers Podcast: Communicating and Using Transit to Get People to Vaccines – TRB

Airport Authority Launches Interactive Map – Charlotte County Airport Authority (Press Release)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Information Collection; National Woodland Owner Survey – Forest Service (Notice; request for comment)

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Oil Shale Management – Bureau of Land Management (Notice of information collection; request for comment)

Proposed Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service – Natural Resources Conservation Service (Notice of availability; request for comment)

Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Infrastructure SIP Requirements for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS – EPA (Proposed rule)

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Southern Bighorn Solar Projects, Clark County, Nevada – Bureau of Indian Affairs (Notice of availability)

Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for Vineyard Wind LLC’s Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore Massachusetts – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice of availability; final environmental impact statement)

Recertification of Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council – Coast Guard (Notice of recertification)

Review of Nomination for Lake Erie Quadrangle National Marine Sanctuary – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Notice)

FEDERAL ACTION

ASCE Report: U.S. Transportation Infrastructure Needs Investment – AASHTO Journal

House T&I Plans to Add Earmarks to Surface Reauthorization Legislation – AASHTO Journal

Where Does Surface Transportation Funding Stand? – Asphalt Contractor

Oregon’s Rep. Peter DeFazio eyes national infrastructure bill, looks to use earmarks – The Banks Post

How a federal Climate Planning Unit can manage built environment risks and costs – Brookings Institution

COVID-19

COVID-19 Data Dashboard – C2SMART Consortium

NEPA

Biden Administration Revives Consideration of Climate Change Impacts in NEPA Reviews – JD Supra

Biden Should Keep Trump’s Reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act – Earth Institute Columbia University (Opinion)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Pete Buttigieg Stresses a ‘Fix It First’ Infrastructure Policy – CityLab

Utah Legislature’s Latest Inland Port Bill Creates ‘Bank’ To Fund Infrastructure Projects – KUER

Container CEOs jointly attack US ports for having insufficient infrastructure – ShippingWatch

AIR QUALITY

The Biden Administration Increases the Social Cost of Carbon – Route Fifty

Study Finds Wildfire Smoke More Harmful To Humans Than Pollution From Cars – NPR

Cities across Virginia seek cleaner transportation to minimize air pollution – The Breeze

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Metro Transit’s big plans for faster bus routes offer a chance to improve both air quality and racial equity – Sahan Journal

Equity is driving force behind Philly’s new transit plan – Philadelphia Inquirer (Editorial)

NATURAL RESOURCES

EPA Drops Trump-Era Challenge Of Redwood City Salt Ponds Protection – KPIX-TV

The Boise River: nature, development, and water quality shape its future – BoiseDev

11 Facts About Salt Marshes and Why We Need to Protect Them – Pew

California’s Pacific Coast Highway is falling into the ocean. Is this the end of the road for one of America’s most scenic drives? – USA Today

The ‘LitterCam’ that’s watching you – BBC

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Lime says it will spend $50 million on a huge e-bike expansion – The Verge

Fractured: Distrustful of frackers, abandoned by regulators – Environmental Health News

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Equity and the Black Experience Webinar – TRB

TRB Webinar: The Ubiquitous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle – UAVs for Infrastructure Monitoring – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Ambient Air Monitoring Reference and Equivalent Methods; Designation of One New Reference Method and One New Equivalent Method – EPA (Notice)

Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC): Request for Nominations – EPA (Notice)

Local Government Advisory Committee and Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee: Request for Nominations – EPA (Notice)

Air Plan Approval; GA: Non- Interference Demonstration and Maintenance Plan Revision for the Removal of Transportation Control Measures in the Atlanta Area – EPA (Final rule)

Texas: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revision – EPA (Final Rule)

Notice of Request To Release Property at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, NC – FAA (Notice)

Public Notice for Waiver of Aeronautical Land Use Assurance; Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, Medford, Oregon – FAA (Notice)

Federal Transit Administration Limitation on Claims Against Proposed Public Transportation Projects – FTA (Notice)

Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Ferry Berth Improvements in Tongass Narrows, Alaska – National Marine Fisheries Service (Notice; request for comments on proposed Renewal incidental harassment authorization)

Pipeline Safety: Gas Pipeline Regulatory Reform – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Final rule; withdrawal of enforcement discretion; delay of effective date)

Pipeline Safety: Gas Pipeline Regulatory Reform; Correction – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Final rule; correction)

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Did You Feel It? Earthquake Questionnaire – U.S. Geological Survey (Notice of Information Collection; request for comment)

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Purchase of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles – U.S. Postal Service (Notice)

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO President Sheehan Testifies Before Senate EPW Committee – AASHTO Journal

AASHTO, Adventure Cycling Formalize Partnership to Reach 50,000-Mile National Bike Route System – AASHTO Journal

Cedric Richmond: Infrastructure Bill is the Next Order of Business – AASHTO Journal

House Transportation Republicans Urge Bipartisan Policymaking – Transport Topics

Business groups rally around green infrastructure plans – The Hill

COVID-19

DHS, New York’s MTA Studying Transit Spread of COVID-19 – AASHTO Journal

WisDOT podcast features pandemic-specific safety tips for highway travel across Midwest states – Milwaukee Independent

More biking, fewer trains: Survey examines the pandemic’s effects on mobility in the D.C. region – Washington Post

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Top Bottlenecks Less Congested Last Year, but Infrastructure Needs Persist, ATRI Finds – Transport Topics

Wisconsin receives low grade on infrastructure – WAOW-TV

Port of Milwaukee ice-breaking tugboat sinks – WISN-TV

Skokie officials provide updates on environmental sustainability efforts – Chicago Tribune

SC Senate approves borrowing $550M for Charleston port – WCSC-TV

More than $100 Million Going to Rural Communities for Infrastructure Improvements – Indiana DOT (Press release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

In A Blow To Environmental Justice Advocates, State Regulators Approve Controversial East Boston Substation – WBUR

The origins of environmental justice-and why it’s finally getting the attention it deserves – National Geographic

Highways that destroyed Black neighborhoods are crumbling. Some want to undo that legacy – CNN

NATURAL RESOURCES

800-pound bulls in Trabuco Canyon help restore environment – Orange County Register

San Rafael kicks off environmental review of marsh restoration project – Marin Independent Journal

Old Ohio amusement park becomes new wetland restoration project – Great Lakes Echo

Wyoming road kill bill could be a boon for taxidermists but raises highway safety concerns – Oil City News

Tourism, ODOT Partner to Take Oklahomans Fishing – Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department, and Oklahoma Department of Transportation

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Traffic Noise Is a Silent Killer – The Atlantic

Residents in the region want to walk and bike more, and drive less after COVID-19, a “Voices of the Region” survey suggests – Greater Greater Washington

Bicyclists wanted: Rapid City seeks input for bicycle-friendly community survey – KEVN-TV

Conservation Department explores allowing bicycles on conservation-area service roads – News Tribune

The growing importance of bike infrastructure – Sonoma Gazette

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Role of Transit, Shared Modes, and Public Policy in the New Mobility Landscape – TRB

TRB Webinar: Visualizing Effects of COVID-19 on Transportation: A One-Year Retrospective – TRB

TRB Webinar: Measuring Resiliency – Tools for Analyzing Resilient Transportation Systems – TRB

TRB Webinar: Transportation Impacts in Managing Retreat from High-Risk Areas – TRB

Seeking project panel nominations for FY 2021 Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP): Nominations due March 15 – TRB

Propose New Topics for the 2021 TCRP Synthesis Program: Submissions due March 19 – TRB

One-Day Summit on Accelerating Active Transportation Change in Northern Virginia – George Mason University

2021 Future of Commuting Summit – Association for Commuter Transportation (Webinar)

Call for Session Presentation Topics – National Association of State Aviation Officials

Thinking Transportation: TTI’s New Podcast Explores the Future of Transportation – Texas A&M Transportation Institute

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Program for Fiscal Year 2021 – Office of the Secretary of Transportation (Notice of funding opportunity)

State Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Action Plans; Correction – FRA (Correcting amendment)

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Savannah River, Savannah, GA – Coast Guard (Notice of proposed rulemaking)

Approval and Promulgation of State Plans for Designated Facilities; New York; Section 111(d) State Plan for MSW Landfills – Environmental Protection Agency (Proposed rule)

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl; Delay of Effective Date – Fish and Wildlife Service (Final rule; delay of effective date and request for comments)

FEDERAL ACTION

Buttigieg: After COVID-19 Relief, an Infrastructure Policy -Transport Topics

Buttigieg sets goals for electric, automated freight vehicles -The Hill

Democrats May Invoke Congressional Review Act to Reverse Recent EPA Rules – National Law Review

For the first time the US DOT is carving out budget for climate and environmental justice projects – TechCrunch

Spin doctors have shaped the environmentalism debate for decades – Washington Post (Opinion)

COVID-19

Post-Covid, Transit Agencies Must Look Beyond Ridership – CityLab

Feature Article: NYC Initiatives are a Model for Safeguarding the Nation’s Public Transit Systems – DHS Science and Technology Directorate

NEPA

Environmental Enforcement Outlook on Climate Change, NEPA and Emerging Contaminants and Chemical Safety – Morgan Lewis (Blog)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Ohio’s Infrastructure Earns a ‘C-‘ Grade on Engineers’ Report Card – WKSU

‘It better be environmentally friendly’: UDOT working on better transportation in Little Cottonwood Canyon – KTVX-TV

SEPTA solar farm project now operational – Progressive Railroading

America’s Brittle Infrastructure Is on Display in Texas – New York Magazine

Florida celebrates sea level rise planning tool after years ‘behind the curve’ – Tampa Bay Times

AIR QUALITY

EPA abandons Clean Power Plan, saying reinstatement “would not make sense” – Indiana Environmental Reporter

Washington Department of Ecology Preparing New Rule to Assess Greenhouse Gas Emissions – National Law Review

Connecticut Gov. Lamont unveils environmental priorities amid dispute over impact on gasoline prices – Hartford Courant

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

How Biden’s Environmental Justice Order Might Work – E&E News

Issues Of The Environment: Commemorating 30 Years Of The Environmental Justice Movement –WEMU

Gov. Gavin Newsom is at a crossroads on climate action and environmental justice – Sacramento Bee (Opinion)

NATURAL RESOURCES

$194 million in five years: Vermont chips away at clean water goals – VTDigger

Healthy rivers: Communities use DNA tool to keep tabs on freshwater quality – The Conversation

Deregulation of wetlands a bad idea – Herald Bulletin (Editorial)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

City Council discusses proposed “demolition by neglect” ordinance – Wyoming Tribune Eagle

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission tool identifies potential transportation centers in 10-county region – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In Key Step for the Great Redwood Trail, NCRA Board Votes To Railbank the Line from Willits to Samoa – Lost Coast Outpost

Bicycle and pedestrian improvements planned by SCDOT – Moultrie News

Missoula’s new transportation plan heavy on bike lanes, trails; new interchange out – Missoula Current

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces FY 2021 Round of the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant Program – USDOT

Gaps in FAA’s Oversight of the AIP State Block Grant Program Contribute to Adherence Issues and Increase Risks – USDOT Inspector General

Webinar: Introduction to National Institute for Congestion Reduction (NICR) – National Institute for Congestion Reduction

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

FY 2021 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Low or No Emission Grant Program – FTA (Notice of funding opportunity)

Ocean Dumping: Modification of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site Offshore of Humboldt Bay, California – EPA (Final rule)

Air Plan Approval; OR; Smoke Management Revision – EPA (Proposed rule)

National Environmental Policy Act Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Council on Environmental Quality (Notice of rescission of draft guidance)