Highlights

FEDERAL ACTION

‘On Time with Tymon’ Provides Preview of AASHTO’s Washington Briefing – AASHTO Journal

House T&I Approves $42.5B in Further COVID-19 Relief – AASHTO Journal

E-BIKE Act Offers Tax Credit for Electric Bicycles – AASHTO Journal

House Panel to Include Climate Policy in Infrastructure Bill, Pallone Says – Transport Topics

Biden meets with bipartisan senators to discuss potential infrastructure bill – The Hill

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $180 Million Funding Opportunity for Low or No Emission Transit Vehicles & Facilities – FTA (News release)

COVID-19

House T&I Hearing on ‘Lessons Learned’ from COVID-19 – AASHTO Journal

Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray testifies to Senate committee about state vaccine program – WBKO-TV

COVID-19 pandemic takes toll on Wisconsin transportation fund revenues – Wisconsin State Journal

The FAA Announces Season 2 of Its Podcast The Air Up There! – FAA (Press release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

As more cars go electric, Missouri’s fleet remains exclusively gas-powered – St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Three Approaches to Investing in Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure – Resources

Long-range infrastructure master plan moves closer to reality – Arizona Daily Star

Utah lawmakers face ‘mind boggling’ $1.1 billion in infrastructure requests – Deseret News

Momentum is growing towards investing in America’s crumbling infrastructure – The Hill (Opinion)

AIR QUALITY

When power most needed, ‘peaker’ polluters fire up in Berkshires. Should that continue? – Berkshire Eagle

How inversions affect pollution and air quality – KTVB-TV

UP’s science-based targets approved for reducing GHG – Progressive Railroading

Pre–COVID-19 Subway Air Polluted from DC to Boston, But New York Region’s Is the Worst, Study Finds – NYU Langone Health (Press release)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Another Problem for the U.S. Border Wall: Wildlife Destruction – Bloomberg Green

VDOT selects team to help with water quality project – WWBT-TV

Mississippi River pollution plunged after passage of Clean Water Act, LSU study says – Times-Picayune

Draft Water Permits for Bulk Petroleum Storage Facilities Will Help Protect Chelsea River and Local Communities – EPA (News release)

Appeal Challenges Housing Development on Restorable San Francisco Bay Wetlands – Center for Biological Diversity (Press release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Caltrans seeks public input on active transportation plan survey – Red Bluff Daily News

Turns out biking and walking in winter isn’t a breeze – Daily Herald

More Puget Sound-area foot ferries could cut travel times, new study says – Seattle Times

Scooters Are Rebounding from the Pandemic ‘Nuclear Winter’ – Government Technology

MORPC Matters: Central Ohio shifting toward complete mobility network – ThisWeek (Opinion)

Tampa Named Number One in Nation for Bicycle Friendly Businesses – FDOT (Press Release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

FAA Holding Webinar to Present Latest Noise Research – AASHTO Journal

New Mobility Services Combined with Transit Show Potential to Further Accessibility, Efficiency, Equity, Safety, and Sustainability – TRB

Clearing the Skies with Research on Electric Vehicles – TRB

TRB Webinar: Retrospective, Perspective, & Prospective of Transit-Oriented Development – TRB

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

New Report Charts Path to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, Recommends Near-Term Policies to Ensure Fair and Equitable Economic Transition and Revitalization of Manufacturing Industry – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Quality Water from Every Tap: Proceedings of a Workshop – in Brief – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Recalibrate Reality: The Future of NY – Regional Plan Association & 92Y (Webinar series)

Planning and TDM (Part 2): Meaningful Design + Mobility Decisions: Elevating TDM’s Role in Reshaping Our Communities – Association for Commuter Transportation (Webinar)

Webinar Recording: Navigating the Muddy Waters of the Supreme Court’s Maui Decision – National Law Review

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Forest Service Manual 2200, Chapters Zero, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 70; Forest Service Handbook 2209.13, Chapters 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90; and Forest Service Handbook 2209.16, Chapter 10; Extension of Comment Period for Rangeland Management; Public Notice and Comment for Changes to Forest Service Directives – Forest Service (Issuance of proposed directives; notice of availability for public comment; extension of comment period)

Technical Mapping Advisory Council; Meeting – FEMA (Committee management; notice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting)

FEDERAL ACTION

Registration for AASHTO’s Washington Briefing Now Open – AASHTO Journal

State DOTs Look to Work with Secretary Buttigieg to Improve Americans’ Quality of Life – AASHTO Journal

New bills target federal dollars to U.S. transportation infrastructure improvements – Transportation Today

How the Federal Government Could Help Kill the Highways It Built – CityLab

The Biden administration needs a climate migration coordinator – The Hill (Opinion)

COVID-19

Contactless Transit Fares Get a Pandemic Boost – CityLab

Webinar: Connecticut in Motion-Transit and COVID-19 – March 2 – Hartford Business Journal

NEPA

Pipeline Ruling Bolsters Environmental Standard Trump Erased – Bloomberg Law

TVA asks for public comments about proposed nuclear reactor site – Oak Ridge Today

Cheney introduces bill to recognize local interests in NEPA decisions – Wyoming Tribune Eagle

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

More than 75 bills are related to the environment this session. Here are ones we’re following. – Indianapolis Star

Bay Area Rep Introduces Environmental Restoration Bill – KNTV-TV

Trees, housing key parts of Decatur and Agnes Scott’s climate resilience plan – Decaturish
Transportation & Infrastructure: What to Expect from the Biden Administration & 117th Congress – National Law Review

AIR QUALITY

Tennessee Climate Office established at ETSU – Johnson City Press

Utah Bill To Raise Electric Vehicle Fees By Up To 400% Sparks Debate On Air Quality And Road Usage – KUER

Automakers Drop Opposition to California’s Vehicle Emissions Authority – Route Fifty

Saving Water Saves Energy and Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions – UC Davis (Press release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

DC DOT Advancing Transportation Equity – AASHTO’s ETAP Podcast

Transportation justice, commute knowledge, and equitable access – Penn Today

Baltimore to participate in Transit Equity Learning Lab – WMAR-TV

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Caltrans seeks public input on active transportation plan survey – KNVN-TV

Kelowna looks to offer exclusivity for e-bike-share operator, not e-scooters – Lake Country Calendar

Bikeshare could soon get federal transit dollars – Greater Greater Washington

Knoxville regional study shows drop in crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists – WATE-TV

SCDOT Adopts New “Complete Streets” Policy – South Carolina DOT (Press release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Mobility Services Combined with Transit Show Potential to Further Accessibility, Efficiency, Equity, Safety, and Sustainability – TRB

TRB Webinar: Retrospective, Perspective, and Prospective of Transit-Oriented Development – TRB

Planning and TDM (Part 1): An Engineer and a Planner Walk Into a Bar… – Association For Commuter Transportation (Webinar)

Verified: More Parking Puts More Cars on the Road – Sightline Institute

Impacts of transportation network companies on urban mobility – Nature Sustainability

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

National Standards for Traffic Control Devices; the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways; Revision – FHWA (Proposed rule; extension of comment period)

Request for Nominations to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council – EPA (Notice)

Agency Information Collection Activities; Hydrography Addressing Tool – U.S. Geological Survey (Notice of Information Collection; request for comment)

Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received; Google Research Climate and Energy Group – FAA (Notice)

Determination of a National Emergency Requiring Actions To Protect the Safety of Americans Using and Employed by the Transportation System – DHS (Notice)

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Construction of the South Fork Offshore Wind Project – National Marine Fisheries Service (Notice; proposed incidental harassment authorization; request for comments on proposed authorization and possible renewal)

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO’s Jim Tymon on Transportation and COVID-19, Working with a New Administration, and More – ITE Talks Transportation (Podcast)

Four highway funding questions for AASHTO – Pit and Quarry

DC Circuit Strikes Down Trio of Ozone-Emission Loopholes – Courthouse News Service

Biden’s push for electric vehicles could take funding away from infrastructure projects – NBC News

Biden to place environmental justice at center of sweeping climate plan – Washington Post

What Does Polly Trottenberg’s NYC DOT Tell Us About What She’ll Do in D.C.? – Curbed

COVID-19

State DOT CEO Roundtable at TRB Examines Transportation Impact of COVID-19 – AASHTO Journal

Vermont AOT gets over $500K federal grant to research COVID safety for public transit – Vermont Business Magazine

COVID-19 threw a curveball at curb management. Here’s how cities adapted. – Transportation for America (Blog)

NEPA

Vineyard Wind looks to regain spot in project pipeline – Herald News

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Talking Michigan Transportation – What to expect in transportation from a Biden administration – Michigan DOT’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast

Searsport dredging included in Maine Dept. of Transportation’s three-year plan – Penobscot Bay Pilot

Bill would further prioritize transportation infrastructure preservation – Lens

BART, Capitol Corridor, JPA unveil plans for second Transbay Tube, transit-connected megaregion – KTVU-TV

Bills on community solar and air quality permit denials pass committees – New Mexico Political Report

Governor Cuomo Announces $200 Million in ‘Bridge NY’ Funding Available to Build Resiliency in New York Communities – New York Governor’s Office (Press release)

AIR QUALITY

GM seeks to end making gas- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2035 – Detroit News

Portland mayor seeks to delay proposed carbon tax after businesses complain – The Oregonian

Pittsburgh airport to test new air quality improvement technology – The Times

Decaying Urban Gas Lines Are Fueling Global Warming – Bloomberg Green

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Legal Challenges Cast Cloud Over London’s Pandemic-Era Street Changes – CityLab

Here’s how Biden’s EPA can start right now to advance environmental justice – Chicago Sun-Times (Commentary)

NATURAL RESOURCES

State fines landowners for removing shoreline vegetation – VTDigger

‘Last line of defense’: New bill would strip protections for many of Indiana’s wetlands – Indianapolis Star

Alaska environmental regulators introduce plan to monitor cruise ship pollution after Gov. Dunleavy vetoed funding for onboard observers – Anchorage Daily News

Environmental groups sue to stop alleged surface mine pollutant discharge into Kanawha River tributary – Charleston Gazette-Mail

EPA, Clark County settle on mitigation for Clean Water Act violation – Mohave Valley Daily News

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Study looks at the intersection of transit and land use planning – Times Leader

St. Louisans Push For Safer Streets After Pedestrian Deaths Nearly Doubled In 2020 – St. Louis Public Radio

St. Augustine’s proposed bike share, mobility efforts move ahead amid pandemic – St. Augustine Record

Texas A&M technology being used to make Houston better for walkers, bikers – KPRC-TV

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Watch Dorval R. Carter, Jr.’s, 2021 Thomas B. Deen Distinguished Lectureship on Equity in Public Transportation – TRB

New Mobility Services Combined with Transit Show Potential to Further Accessibility, Efficiency, Equity, Safety, and Sustainability – TRB

Cities as stakeholders in mobility – In Visible Capital (Podcast)

Intro Transportation Equity Webinar – University of Florida Transportation Institute T2 Center

New Report Highlights Guidance for Zero-Emission Bus Industry from National Transit Leaders – Center for Transportation and the Environment

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Applying the Supreme Court’s County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund Decision in the Clean Water Act Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program – EPA (Notice of availability of guidance)

Framework for Automated Driving System Safety; Extension of Comment Period – NHTSA (Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period)

Drawbridge Operation Regulation; New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway, Atlantic City, NJ – Coast Guard, (Temporary final rule)

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Sets 2021 Transportation Policy Priorities – AASHTO Journal

Federal court strikes down Trump administration’s rollback of Clean Air Act – Associated Press

Buttigieg Sees ‘Generational Opportunity’ to Transform the Nation’s Infrastructure – New York Times

Can Joe Biden get infrastructure done in 2021? – FreightWaves

Environmentalists challenge EPA change that allows Florida to control wetlands development – Sun-Sentinel

COVID-19

ACI Report: COVID-19 Pandemic Will Cost Airports Billions – AASHTO Journal

An unexpected COVID-19 victim – Recycling – Monterey Herald

Oklahoma Department Of Transportation Expecting $150M From Latest COVID Relief Package – KWGS

Could a COVID-19 surge lead to shutdowns at L.A. ports? Officials plead for dockworker vaccines – Los Angeles Times

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $15.8 Million in Grant Awards to 37 Projects Nationwide to Improve Operational Efficiency of Transit Agencies Affected by COVID-19 Public Health Emergency – FTA (Press release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Infrastructure Investment Key to Economic Recovery, Groups Say – AASHTO Journal

‘Notorious’ Port Authority Bus Terminal May Get a $10 Billion Overhaul – New York Times

Philadelphia renews commitment to fighting climate change – KYW

America needs a climate adaptation strategy – The Hill (Opinion)

3 Ways the Biden Administration and Congress Can Lower America’s Flood Risk—and Costs – Pew

CTDOT Releases Updated Five-Year Capital Plan; Includes $9.7 Billion in Investments in Public Transportation, Roads, Bridges, Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements – Connecticut DOT (Press release)

AIR QUALITY

New York City Ranked Top for Carbon-Friendly Transportation – Bloomberg Green

Toyota Motor Company to Pay $180 Million in Settlement for Decade-Long Noncompliance with Clean Air Act Reporting Requirements – US Department of Justice (Press release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Why the Environmental Justice Movement Should Think Locally – New Republic (Opinion)

NATURAL RESOURCES

2021 Indiana Green Expo to go online with live and on-demand sessions – Purdue University

Wetlands permit decision due on natural gas pipeline in Somerset County – County Times

And finally… Network Rail on lookout for rare species with new technology – Scottish Construction Now

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Nominations Sought for Outstanding Achievements in Historic Preservation – Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (Press release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Brattleboro coalition advocates for safer infrastructure for cyclists, pedestrians – Brattleboro Reformer

Safety campaign to emphasize law requiring motorists to move over for cyclists – KLAS-TV

Littleton to improve pedestrian safety with CDOT grants – Littleton Independent

Virginia Beach Trail could be ‘life-changing’ when complete – WAVY-TV

When Commuting Comes Back, the E-Scooters Will Be Ready – CityLab

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Options for Reducing Lead Emissions from Piston-Engine Aircraft – TRB

TRB Webinar: People Movers and Shakers – Quality of Life in Airport Communities – TRB

Webinar: Transportation Inflection Reflection – Shared-Use Mobility Center

Q&A: IBTTA president Mark Compton – ITS International

Equity Summit – Smart Growth America (Announcement)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Streamlining U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Permitting of Rights-of-Way – Fish and Wildlife Service (Proposed rule)

Delegation of Authority to the Commonwealth of Virginia To Implement and Enforce Additional or Revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Standards and New Source Performance Standards – EPA (Notice of delegation of authority)

Delegation of Authority to the State of West Virginia To Implement and Enforce Additional or Revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Standards and New Source Performance Standards – EPA (Notice of delegation of authority)

Written Determination: Bicycle Use on Visitor Center Connector Trail at Arches National Park – National Park Service (Notice)

FEDERAL ACTION

Energy & Sustainability: What to Expect from the 117th Congress and the Biden Administration – National Law Review

Pendulum swings in Clean Water Act regulation – Capital Press

How the Supreme Court could upend Biden’s green agenda – E&E news

NTSB Issues 14 Safety Recommendations Following Investigation of Natural Gas Explosion – NTSB (Press release)

COVID-19

Public Transit and Shared Mobility COVID-19 Recovery: Policy Recommendations and Research Needs – UC Berkeley

NEPA

Virginia groups sue U.S. Forest Service over new environmental review standards – Virginia Mercury

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

U.S. Chamber urges infrastructure modernization plan to ensure nation’s long-term economic growth – Logistics Management

Will Utah become ‘epicenter’ of research to electrify transportation? – Deseret News

AIR QUALITY

TTI Researchers Develop Curriculum for Transportation Emissions and Health – Texas A&M University

Electrifying Freight: Pathways to Accelerating the Transition – Electric Coalition (link to PDF)

Polis gives update on state’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap – KUSA-TV

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Environmental Justice Report Highlights EPA Progress – Riverbank News

How can we implement education for climate action and climate justice? – Brookings Institution (Blog)

NATURAL RESOURCES

BNSF Plan Aims To Reduce Train-Related Grizzly Bear Deaths – Montana Public Radio

Pittsburgh Water And Sewer Authority Pleads Guilty To Violating Clean Water Act – KDKA-TV

More Blackouts Loom With Fire Threat Returning to California – Bloomberg Green

CULTURAL RESOURCES

10,000-year-old jewelry among artifacts found while clearing land for I-540 project – WTVD-TV

A Green Transformation for the ‘World’s Most Beautiful Avenue’ – CityLab

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Pedestrian traffic deaths in Colorado are up 89% since 2009, AAA analysis shows – Denver Post

Richmond’s bike share expansion braked for pandemic but rolling again – Richmond BizSense

Nearly 300 miles were just added to the U.S. Bicycle Route System – Time Out

City of Oklahoma City installs 50 new bike racks, 5 repair stations – KOKH-TV

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

COVID-19 Addendum to Critical Issues in Transportation – TRB

Measuring and Managing Freight System Resilience Workshop – early bird registration deadline February 8, 2021 – TRB

Lead Emissions from Small Aircraft Can Be Reduced, Benefiting Public Health – TRB

RFP: Alternative Methods to Manage Tree Growth Near Airports – TRB (ACRP)

Propose New Topics for the 2022 NCHRP Synthesis Program: Submissions due February 17 – TRB (NCHRP)

RFP: Design Guide and Standards for Infrastructure Resilience – TRB (NCHRP)

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

Cities, Transit Agencies, and Shared Mobility Providers Should Collaborate to Fully Realize Transportation Potential Across Metropolitan Areas – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The Importance of Highways to U.S. Agriculture – USDA

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Hazardous Materials: Editorial Corrections and Clarifications – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Correction)

Pipeline Safety: Frequently Asked Questions on the Gas Transmission Rule – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notification and request for comments)

Notice of Availability of the Records of Decision for a Highway Right-of-Way, Amended Habitat Conservation Plan and Issuance of an Incidental Take Permit for the Mojave Desert Tortoise, and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendments, Washington County, UT – Bureau of Land Management (Notice of availability)

Notice of Availability of the Las Vegas Metroplex Project Written Re- Evaluation/Record of Decision for Changes to the Final Environmental Assessment Designs – FAA (Notice of availability of the Written Re-evaluation/Record of Decision)

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area; Motor Vehicles – National Park Service (Final rule)

Gulf Islands National Seashore; Personal Watercraft – National Park Service (Proposed rule)

Pollutant-Specific Significant Contribution Finding for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units, and Process for Determining Significance of Other New Source Performance Standards Source Categories – EPA (Final rule)

Inland Waterways Users Board Meeting Notice – Corps of Engineers (Notice of open Federal advisory committee virtual meeting)

Notice of Matching Fund Opportunity for Hydrographic Surveys and Request for Partnership Proposals – NOAA (Announcement of matching fund pilot program opportunity, request for proposals, and request for interest by February 26, 2021)

FEDERAL ACTION

USDOT Sec. Elaine Chao Resigns over Capitol Hill Riot – AASHTO Journal

How will Pete Buttigieg sell Congress on infrastructure? – E&E News

How Merrick Garland could figure into Biden’s climate plans as attorney general – Grist

Congress authorizes water infrastructure projects – Agrinews

COVID-19

Breaking Down State DOT COVID-19 Relief Funding – AASHTO Journal

New York car ownership jumps nearly 40% as pandemic creates mass transit worries – CNET

Transit agencies join forces to promote mask usage – Mass Transit

Requiem for the Super Commuter – CityLab

NEPA

AASHTO Comments on NEPA Revisions, Highway Design Standards – AASHTO Journal

Federal pilot to allow some projects to avoid NEPA – Progressive Railroading

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Rail shippers give policy wish list for 2021 – FreightWaves

Sustainability director retires as two major projects near completion – Park Record

Slow Streets Disrupted City Planning. What Comes Next? – CityLab

The South’s communication infrastructure can’t withstand climate change – Southerly

National Security Implications of Deferred Maintenance in Infrastructure – Lawfare

Multibillion-Dollar Transportation Program Will Create America’s Most Connected Urban Center In National Landing – National Landing Business Improvement District (Press release)

AIR QUALITY

Can a future ban on gas-powered cars work? An economist explains – The Conversation

EPA decision on National Ambient Air Quality Standards praised by business group – Pennsylvania Business Report

Modern Mobility: Regional Bodies Can Have a Big Impact – ARLnow (Opinion)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Maine Board Adds New Environmental Justice Standard – AP

From the Left: M-CORES options for new highways threaten another environmental debacle – Daily Commercial (Opinion)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Why the American West is fighting for water protections – Vox

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Four finalists in running to claim and reuse historic Minnesota bridge – Minnesota Public Radio

MTA Metro-North Railroad Announces Opening of Major Segment of Empire State Trail in Putnam and Dutchess Counties – Putnam County, NY (Press release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

ODOT Strategic Action Plan promises ‘ambitious transformation’ – BikePortland

Old railroad corridors near Chicago transformed into all-weather trails for hiking, cycling and cross-country skiing – Chicago Tribune

Effort underway to make bike, pedestrian wayfinding easier across the valley – Daily Sentinel

Here’s Why You Can’t Judge Honolulu’s Bike-Share Program On Public Costs Alone – Honolulu Civil Beat

Colorado initiative to fund Safer Main Streets projects – Transportation Today

Governor Cuomo Announces Completion of 750-Mile Empire State Trail – New York State (Press release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Environmental Topics at the Virtual TRB Annual Meeting – AASHTO’s ETAP Podcast

TRB Webinar: Driving Toward the Truth – Dispelling the Myths About Cannabis Products – TRB

TRB Webinar: A Two-Way Ticket – Collaborative Planning Among Airports and Public Agencies – TRB

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Research Topics for Upcoming Small Business Innovation Research Program Solicitation – USDOT (Press release)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Revisions to Civil Penalty Amounts – Office of the Secretary, FAA, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, FRA, Maritime Administration, NHTSA, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (Final rule)

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

Guidance on the Preparation of Clean Air Act Section 179B Demonstrations for Nonattainment Areas Affected by International Transport of Emissions – EPA (Notice of availability)

Official Release of the MOVES3 Motor Vehicle Emissions Model for SIPs and Transportation Conformity – EPA (Notice of availability)

Strengthening Transparency in Pivotal Science Underlying Significant Regulatory Actions and Influential Scientific Information – EPA (Final rule)

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA); Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC); Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) – FEMA (30-Day notice and request for comments)

FEDERAL ACTION

Updated: State DOTs Net $10B in Aid from COVID-19 Relief Legislation – AASHTO Journal

The Biden Environment Team and a Government-Wide Approach to Sustainability – Earth Institute/Columbia University

The pendulum is the pits: Can the United States make enduring regulations? – Brookings Institution

AAPA: U.S. Ports fare well in Congressional Year-End Legislation – Dredging Today

COVID-19

How local waste and recycling leaders are grappling with coronavirus-driven budget pressures – Waste Dive

NEPA

Biden CEQ pick signals NEPA changes – E&E News

Transition Thoughts: The Presidential Transition, NEPA, and Project Review – National Law Review

Seven-year King of Prussia rail delay shows folly of modern environmental laws – Philadelphia Inquirer (Opinion)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Virginia DOT Launches Second Major Anti-Litter Initiative – AASHTO Journal

Extra scrutiny sought for warehouse at Grand Island Amazon site – Buffalo News

Lorain’s active transportation planning continues despite pandemic – Morning Journal (Ohio)

FLAP grant eyes infrastructure projects on Teton Pass – Jackson Hole News&Guide

AIR QUALITY

Regional GHG Reduction Consortium Takes Shape – AASHTO Journal

Colorado air quality regulators update plan to lower ozone levels and align with EPA standards – Colorado Sun

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Biden links climate change, jobs and environmental justice – Successful Farming

Landmark Climate Policy Faces Growing Claims of Environmental Racism – Pew

NATURAL RESOURCES

Charles River Tributary in Boston Gets D- for Water Quality in New Report Card – WBTS-TV

Thousands of bats live in this Sacramento freeway. How Caltrans is ‘evicting’ them – Sacramento Bee

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Looking back on Minnesota and Washington State DOTs’ inaugural artists-in-residence – Transportation for America

President-Elect Biden Expected To Act To Reverse President Trump’s Public Lands Impacts – National Parks Traveler

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

What Does Pete Buttigieg’s Nomination as Transportation Secretary Mean for Cyclists? – Bicycling

Opinions sought for state Active Transportation Plan – Hays Post

State active transportation plan is rolling: Washingtonians invited to comment by Feb. 15 – WSDOT (Press release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: People Movers and Shakers-Quality of Life in Airport Communities – TRB

2021 Conference on Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology – TRB

TRB Webinar: A Two-Way Ticket – Collaborative Planning Among Airports and Public Agencies – TRB

How We Move Matters: Exploring the Connections between New Transportation and Mobility Options and Environmental Health– Abstracts due April 15, 2021 – TRB (Call for Presentations)

Characteristics and Elements of Nonpunitive Employee Safety Reporting Systems for Public Transportation – TCRP

Introduction to Blockchain and Airport Operations in a COVID-19 Environment – ACRP

Oregon DOT Hiring an Environmental Project Manager – Oregon DOT

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Program for Eliminating Duplication of Environmental Review – FHWA/FRA/FTA (Final rule)

National Standards for Traffic Control Devices; the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways; Revision – FHWA (Proposed rule; notice of proposed amendments; correction)

Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program; Arizona Department of Transportation Draft FHWA Audit Report – FHWA (Notice; Request for comment)

Hours of Service of Drivers: Association of American Railroads and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association; Application for Exemption – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (Notice of final disposition; grant of exemption)

Hazardous Materials: Miscellaneous Amendments Pertaining to DOT- Specification Cylinders
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Final rule)

Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act; Correction – EPA (Final rule; correction)

Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment – EPA (Final rule)

Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Clean Air Act Rulemaking Process – EPA (Final rule)

Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals From Electric Utilities; Reconsideration of Beneficial Use Criteria and Piles; Notification of Data Availability – EPA (Proposed rule; notice of data availability; request for comment)

EPA’s Approval of Florida’s Clean Water Act Section 404 Assumption Request – EPA (Notice)

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Ice Roads and Ice Trails Construction and Maintenance Activities on Alaska’s North Slope – NOAA (Final rule; notification of issuance of Letters of Authorization)

Financial Support for Transmission and Distribution Lines To Pump Stations 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 in Connection With the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline – Rural Utilities Service (Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision)

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Comments on the Nomination of Pete Buttigieg as U.S. Transportation Secretary – AASHTO (News release)

Department of Energy Announces $128 Million for Sustainable Transportation Research – AASHTO Journal

Buttigieg would bring his agenda and Biden’s to Department of Transportation – Roll Call

Historic Picks for EPA, Interior Complete Biden Climate Team – Scientific American

Passing Infrastructure Policies in New Congress – Transport Topics

FTA Awards $6.2MM in TOD Grants – Railway Age

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces $544.3 Million in Federal Funding Allocations for Seven Transit Infrastructure Projects – USDOT (Press release)

COVID-19

The future of airport design after COVID-19 – Construction Specifier

SEPTA and Drexel team up to stop the spread of COVID-19 on public transit – WHYY

Imagine How COVID-19 Could Reshape Mobility for People Who Rely on Transit – Mass Transit

The ‘Highway Boondoggles’ That the Pandemic Hasn’t Killed – CityLab

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces Additional Administrative Relief for Transit Agencies During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency – FTA (Press release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Over 100 Vermont organizations support Transportation & Climate Initiative – Vermont Business Magazine

Transportation leaders discuss need for more infrastructure funding to spur economic growth – Northern Kentucky Tribune

U.S. Department of Transportation Launches New Regional Infrastructure Accelerators Program – USDOT (Press release)

Biden Must Look to Cities and Embrace ‘Resilience’ in His Climate Strategy – US News and World Report (Commentary)

AIR QUALITY

50 years in, the Clean Air Act’s societal benefits still outweigh costs 10 to 1, research finds – University of California

ADOT: 2020 brings first-of-its-kind dust detection and warning project – KVOA-TV

Getting U.S. to Zero Carbon Will Take a $2.5 Trillion Investment by 2030 – Bloomberg Green

Mass., other states near historic agreement to curb transportation emissions – Boston Globe

Report outlines solutions for curbing U.S. carbon emissions – University of Colorado Boulder

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Environmental justice groups see ally in Biden’s EPA nominee – E&E News

NATURAL RESOURCES

The Largest Wildlife Bridge in the U.S. Opens in San Antonio – Route Fifty

Targeting U.S. wetland restoration could make cleaning up water much cheaper – Science

Caltrans Uses New Tree Removal Technology – Safer, Faster and Efficient – Caltrans (News release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

New Report Highlights History of Clashes Between Civil Rights and Historic Preservation in Alexandria – ALXnow

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

KDOT kicks off first Active Transportation Plan in 25 years – Kansas DOT (Press release)

Philadelphia installs the first in-street bicycle counters in the region – City of Philadelphia

Abandoned South Austin railroad on track to become city’s newest urban trail – CutureMap Austin

New pedestrian, bike trail to open Tuesday in Moline – KWQC-TV

Ocean City aims to get bicycles off dangerous Coastal Highway – WTOP Radio

A new app is geared for e-scooter riders – WDVM-TV

Active rail lines pose new challenges for Atlanta Beltline northside trail routes – Atlanta Business Chronicle

Hickory adopts plan for bike, pedestrian improvements – Hickory Daily Record

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Improving the Health and Safety of Transit Workers with Corresponding Impacts on the Bottom Line – TCRP

Advanced Ground Vehicle Technologies for Airside Operations – ACRP

Updated Survey of Laws and Regulations Applicable to Airport Commercial Ground Transportation – ACRP

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway Projects in Texas – FHWA (Notice of Limitation on Claims for Judicial Review of Actions by TxDOT and Federal Agencies)

Hazardous Materials: Editorial Corrections and Clarifications – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Final rule)

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Long Beach Cruise Terminal Improvement Project in the Port of Long Beach, California – NOAA (Notice; issuance of incidental harassment authorization)

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental To Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Washington State Department of Transportation Purdy Bridge Rehabilitation Project, Pierce County, WA – NOAA (Notice; proposed incidental harassment authorization; request for comments on proposed authorization and possible renewal)

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat – Fish and Wildlife Service (Final rule)

Reauthorization of Permits, Maintenance, and Vegetation Management on Western Area Power Administration Transmission Lines on National Forest System Lands, Colorado, Nebraska, and Utah (DOE/ EIS–0442) – Western Area Power Administration (Record of decision)

A roundup of headlines curated for state transportation environmental professionals

FEDERAL ACTION

Congress Passes One-Week Extension of CR – AASHTO Journal

Report urges Congress to reform surface transportation funding – Transportation Today

Final WRDA package leaves clean water out – WaterWorld

Transit systems nationally – including UTA – beg Congress for emergency pandemic aid – Salt Lake Tribune

The Emergency Funding Ideas That Could Help Keep Transit Alive – CityLab

EPA Announces $17.7 Million in Grants to Support Water Systems Rural and Small Communities – EPA (Press release)

COVID-19

FedEx, UPS to ‘split country into two’ for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, UPS exec says – USA Today

‘Very High Risk’: Longshoremen Want Protection From the Virus So They Can Stay on the Job – New York Times

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

How Disasters Can Spur Resiliency in the Gulf – National Academies

Congress Eyes Support for Busy Ports – Transport Topics

Nashville mayor proposes $1.6 billion transportation plan – WKRN-TV

Benefits of Ports-to-Plains hailed – Amarillo Globe-News

International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure Celebrates Growth in First Year – American Society of Civil Engineers (Press release)

AIR QUALITY

Trucking Takes Initial Steps Toward a Zero-Emission Future – Transport Topics

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Xavier Becerra Brings Environmental Justice to Forefront – New York Times

Biden can’t move the needle on environmental justice without these 2 things – Vox

Growing Opposition To Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) From Environmental & Social Justice Groups In New Jersey And Nationally – Insider NJ (Press release)

NATURAL RESOURCES

How one city plans to recover from losing most of its trees – National Geographic

The North Carolina hog industry’s answer to pollution: a $500m pipeline project – The Guardian

Senate passes priority bill improving water quality, sustainability – Sentinel-Tribune

Eroding coast paves the way for ‘managed retreat’ – Los Angeles Times (Link to video)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

To Rethink the School Run, Get Rid of the Cars – CityLab

Area universities, Texas Research Alliance to provide innovative transportation assistance – Blue Ribbon News

Research recommends additional support for innovative shared-mobility services in Minnesota – University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies

DelDOT Launches Report a Pedestrian Issue Feature on Website & App – DelDOT (Press release)

MnDOT invites public comment on first Statewide Pedestrian System Plan – MnDOT (Press release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Permissible Uses of Airport Property and Revenue – TRB

Protecting Wildlife Habitat is a Robust Slice of Transportation Planning – TRB

Register for UC ITS and TRB Webinar on COVID-19, Transit, and Shared Mobility – TRB (Webinar)

Pedestrian Resources to Help Talk the Walk – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

National Standards for Traffic Control Devices; the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways; Revision – FHWA (Proposed rule; notice of proposed amendments)

Environmental Impact Statement: Collin County, Texas – FHWA (Federal notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement)

Adoption of the Federal Highway Administration’s Nationwide Section 4(f) Net Benefit and Historic Bridges Programmatic Evaluations – FRA and FTA (Notice)

State Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Action Plans – FRA (Final rule)

Applying the Supreme Court’s County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund Decision in the Clean Water Act Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program – EPA (Notice of availability of draft guidance and request for comment)

Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of CCR; A Holistic Approach to Closure Part B: Alternate Demonstration for Unlined Surface Impoundments; Correction – EPA (Final rule; correction)

Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals From Electric Utilities; Legacy CCR Surface Impoundments; Extension of Comment Period – EPA (Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period)

Air Plan Approval; Pennsylvania; Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Under the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) – EPA (Final rule)

Criminal Negligence Standard for State Clean Water Act 402 and 404 Programs – EPA (Proposed rule)

Technical Mapping Advisory Council; Meeting – FEMA (Committee Management; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee meeting)

A roundup of headlines curated for state transportation environmental professionals

FEDERAL ACTION

Biden shortlist for White House key environmental post shows focus on environmental justice – Reuters

Biden Administration has many hurdles to leap in addressing surface transportation infrastructure – Logistics Management

Lawmakers request new GAO studies on pandemic’s effect on the aviation industry – Washington Post

Lawmakers Want Data to Decide the Future of America’s Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure – Nextgov

Former DOT chief to potential Biden picks: Beware of agency turf wars – FreightWaves

COVID-19

VTrans’ $600,000 Covid sign blitz targets travel to and from state – VTDigger

WYDOT praises federal emergency declaration extension as COVID pandemic persists – Oil City News

Austin’s mobility challenges analyzed during and after Covid-19 – Austin Business Journal

The Pandemic Took $750 Million From VA’s Transportation Budget. Here’s What Happens Now. – Dogwood

COVID May Impact NH’s Ability to Plow Roads, Official Says – NECN

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

FHWA reveals updated Jason’s Law truck parking survey – Land Line

First U.S. Offshore Wind Tower Factory Proposed For Port Of Albany – WAMC Radio

Electric Cargo Bikes Are Debuting in City Fleets – Route Fifty

Sound Transit light rail trains are now running on clean energy – Sound Transit (Press release)

Congress should prioritize infrastructure investment – Crain’s Chicago Business (Op-ed)

AIR QUALITY

Oil Refineries See Profit in Turning Kitchen Grease Into Diesel – New York Times

Transit Expert Calls The MBTA’s $89M Plan For New Silver Line Buses ‘Greenwashing’ – WBUR Radio

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Environmental Justice Crusader Eyed for White House Council – The Quint

Virginia to hire its first environmental justice director – Bay Journal News Service

Facing a funding crisis, Caltrain doubled down on racial and social equity, and it worked -Architect’s Newspaper (Op-ed)

Leaving a social legacy from infrastructure – Infrastructure Intelligence (Commentary)

NATURAL RESOURCES

TRPA starts work to remove invasive plants in Taylor, Tallac creeks – Tahoe Daily Tribune

Mitigation “bank” near Greeley will offset wetland damage, meet Clean Water Act rules – Colorado Sun

EPA awards $187,000 to Pennsylvania to support wetlands restoration – Daily American

Clean water projects highlighted in national ‘green infrastructure’ report – VTDigger

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

43rd Street Pedestrian Bridge Over Lake Shore Drive To Be Replaced With Accessible Overpass – Block Club Chicago

RTD partners with Lyft in mobile ticketing app – Denver Post

Honolulu bikeshare program lost city about $460K in 2019 – AP

Implementation requires money where our mouth is – Bozeman Daily Chronicle (Opinion)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Updated Survey of Laws and Regulations Applicable to Airport Commercial Ground Transportation – ACRP

Improving Health Care through Transportation – TCRP

Measuring and Managing Freight System Resilience Workshop – TRB/FHWA

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Expansion and Extension of the Modified Emergency Declaration No. 2020-002 Under 49 CFR § 390.25 – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (Announcement)

Proposed Consent Decree, Clean Air Act Citizen Suit – EPA (Notice of proposed consent decree; request for public comment)

Notice of Final Adoption of and Effective Date; Federal Environment Element, Section G of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital – National Capital Planning Commission (Notice of final adoption of and effective date)

Canadian Pacific Railway Company – Control Exemption – Detroit River Tunnel Company – Surface Transportation Board (Notice)

Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program; Alaska Department of Transportation Third Audit Report – FHWA (Notice; Request for comment)