Highlights

A roundup of headlines curated for state transportation environmental professionals

Tell us what you think of the new ETAP Newsletter by taking this short survey!

FEDERAL ACTION

Transit advocates want to “build political will for a green transportation future plan” – Washington Policy Center

Trump Shines Spotlight on Infrastructure Amid Uncertain Legislative Agenda – Transport Topics

California Attorney General Files Lawsuit Challenging the Trump Administration’s Final Rule Redefining the “Waters Of The United States” Under the Clean Water Act – Sierra Sun Times

Let’s get Minnesota’s economy moving (copy) – The Kenton Leader (Opinion)

Mississippi and nation need bold infrastructure legislation – Clarion Ledger

ARTBA Chairman Steve McGough Makes Case for Infrastructure Package with Trump Administration – ARTBA (Press Release)

COVID-19

McConnell: Infrastructure will not be in next coronavirus relief bill – The Hill

San Diego’s Infrastructure Problems Expected To Grow In COVID-19’s Wake – KPBS

The Impacts of COVID-19 on Public Transit with Paul Skoutelas, APTA President and CEO – ITE Talks Transportation (podcast)

EPA Interim Guidance on Site Field Work Decisions Due to Impacts of COVID-19 – National Law Review

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

PD Editorial: Plan for a managed retreat from climate change – Press Democrat (Sonoma Co., CA)

AIR QUALITY

L.A. coronavirus clean air streak has already come to an end. Here’s why – Los Angeles Times (subscription required)

Montana’s air quality hasn’t improved during COVID-19 closures — it was already good – Billings Gazette

The largest Arctic ozone hole ever recorded is now closed – CBS News

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

EPA provides grant funding to support environmental justice communities impacted by COVID-19 – Highland County Press

The White River: Cleanup follows decades of civil rights abuses. Now who will benefit? – Indianapolis Star

NATURAL RESOURCES

State suing solar developer for pollution and wetlands violations – WWLP (Boston, MA)

Tool to help communities get a grip on greenhouse gases – The MetroWest Daily News (Boston, MA)

How We got here: Habitat restoration in Lake Pepin and the Upper Mississippi River – RiverTowns.net (subscription required)

Stakeholders Meet to Advance Nature-Based Stormwater Management in North Carolina – Pew Trusts

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Meaning and Memory: Making a Place for Culture in Historic Preservation – Hidden City (Philadelphia)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Bike lanes provide positive economic impact –Science Daily

Community calls for ‘slow streets’ to take pressure off city parks and trails – Austin Monitor

Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership wants public input on proposed mobility principles for Golden Triangle – Post-Gazette

Spin exec: The scooter industry will see a resurgence – Smart Cities Dive

After COVID, telecommuting could play a role in easing Missoula’s traffic challenge – Missoula Current

Skateboarding advocate wants seat at active transportation table – BikePortland

Bike trails included among proposed Smokies projects – Smoky Mountain News

Researchers explore effects of COVID-19 on urban mobility – Smart Cities Dive

WILDLIFE

More moose GPS collars deployed to track when and where they cross Wyoming highway (photos) – Oil City News

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Existing and Emerging Highway Infrastructure Preservation, Maintenance, and Renewal Definitions, Practices, and Scenarios – TRB (Report)

Evaluating the Suitability of Roadway Corridors for Use by Monarch Butterflies -TRB (Report)

Bicyclist Facility Preferences and Effects on Increasing Bicycle Trips – TRB (Report)

Innovation of the Month: Unmanned Aerial Systems – FHWA

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Program Technical Amendments – Environmental Protection Agency (Final Rule)

National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures Energy Department (Proposed Rule)

Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in Utah – FHWA (Notice)

Notice of Availability of the Revised Record of Decision for the Mountain View Corridor Project in Utah and Final Federal Agency Actions – FHWA (Notice)

A roundup of headlines curated for state transportation environmental professionals

Tell us what you think of the new ETAP Newsletter by taking this short survey!

AASHTO NEWS

Second Step Taken to Finalize New WOTUS Rule – AASHTO Journal

COVID-19

Is Coronavirus Reducing Noise Pollution? – Forbes

Coronavirus is not just a health crisis — it’s an environmental justice crisis – Grist

Filling a post-coronavirus commuting void with bike lanes: Working at home – Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio)

COVID19: smart mobility goes viral – 2025 AD (Commentary)

Environmental Justice During COVID-19: Communities bear extra burden – GreatLakesNow (Michigan)

McEachin Letter Urges HHS to Address Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes for Environmental Justice Communities – Congressman Donald McEachin – House.gov (Virginia)

FEDERAL ACTION

All Projects Being Constructed Under Nationwide Permit 12 at Risk – JD Supra

EPA restores state water quality standards – The Lens (Washington)

Trump’s rewrite is finalized. What happens now? – E&E News

Unmanned Aerial Systems – FHWA

U.S. Transportation Officials Seek Alternative Tech for GPS – IEEE Spectrum

EPA finalizes rule officials fear will allow pollution of streams and wetlands – Colorado Springs Indy (Colorado)

TRB RESOURCES

Transportation, Environment, and Energy: An Integrated Research Symposium – Will not be held as scheduled – TRB

TRB Webinar: What Role Does Ecology Have in Sustainable Transportation? – TRB

TRB Webinar: Designing landscapes to enhance roadside water management – TRB

TRB Webinar: The intersection between health and transportation – TRB

NEPA

Stimulating Clean Infrastructure Through NEPA Reform – RealClear Energy

Environmental lawyer reflects on 50th anniversary of NEPA – ROI-NJ.com (New Jersey)

Close to Home: Don’t gut America’s fundamental environmental law – Press-Democrat (Commentary) (California)

California awards $500 million in transit and rail project grants – Mass Transit

Draft PEA On Snow, Soil Moisture Monitoring Network In The Upper Missouri River Basin Available For Comment – Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan (North Dakota)

Port NOLA Board of Commissioners Adopts PIER Plan – WGNO-TV (Louisiana)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Wood energy as a climate change solution – The Hill (Opinion)

Using Millions of Maggots to Slow Down Climate Change – Bloomberg Green (Subscription Required)

New Systems of Governance Are Needed to Address Climate Change – Government Executive

The Health Emergency That’s Coming to West Louisville – CityLab (Commentary) (Kentucky)

Ann Arbor council not ready to adopt A2Zero carbon-neutrality plan – MLive.com (Michigan)

Without fanfare, Houston unveils Climate Action Plan, shooting for carbon neutrality by 2050 – Houston Chronicle (Subscription Required (Texas))

State: Climate change to impact infrastructure, livestock, water – GoErie.com (Pennsylvania)

Bold investments in clean energy and transportation infrastructure will help lead us out of a recession – CalMatters (Commentary) (California)

Senate Committee Bills Would Steer Billions To Water Infrastructure – Waterways Journal

Florida’s climate change efforts ‘disjointed,’ former state resilience officer found – Tampa Bay Times (Florida)

Sunrise GW signs Earth Day letter supporting path to cut D.C. greenhouse gas emissions – The GW Hatchet (District of Columbia)

In the ‘climate refuge’ city of Duluth, a fight brews over the hometown utility – MinnPost (Minnesota)

50 years later, Earth Day’s unsolved problem: How to build a more sustainable world – MSN

50 Years of Earth Day: What’s Better Today, and What’s Worse – New York Times (Subscription Required)

ASU achieves carbon neutrality, ranked among most sustainable universities in the world – ASU Now (Arizona)

Earth Day 2020: Corvias Partnerships Supports Resiliency, Sustainability and Energy Independence – Olean Times Herald (Subscription Required)

AIR QUALITY

Air quality in US dramatically worse than in prior years, says new ‘State of the Air’ report – CNN

Washington has its cleanest spring air in 25 years: How air quality has improved during the coronavirus crisis – The Washington Post (Subscription Required)

Princeton scientist solves air quality puzzle: Why is ozone pollution persisting in Europe despite environmental laws banning it? – Princeton University

The coronavirus crisis means we may have already reached peak carbon – CNBC

Pioneering the possibilities: N.J.’s energy and resource leaders pave way for a clean, green future – Jersey’s Best (New Jersey)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Washington State AG Ferguson Rolls Out Environmental Justice Initiative in Honor of Earth Day – Gonzaga University (Washington state)

SFR Elements: A look at disproportionate environmental impacts – Santa Fe Reporter (New Mexico)

An Earth Day Conversation About Environmental Justice With Pioneer Vernice Miller-Travis – Union of Concerned Scientists (Blog)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TAAR helps fund Norte program – Traverse City Record-Eagle (Michigan)

Billings trails connecting community to outdoors in time of pandemic – Billings Gazette (Montana)

SF Opens Select Streets to Pedestrians, Bicyclists Amid Pandemic – KNTV-TV video (California)

Could better measures mean better management for urban micro-mobility options? – Mass Transit

Connecticut DOT Marks Earth Day 2020 – The Newtown Bee (Connecticut)

WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS

Establishing a statewide water quality database – High Plains Journal (Kansas) (Subscription Required)

New Opportunity: Prairie Pothole Water Quality and Wildlife Program – NewsDakota.com (North Dakota)

WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS

Fresh Forest Regrowth May Offset Climate Hit From Australia Fires – Bloomberg Green (Subscription Required)

Lake Elsinore at highest level since 2012 after rising 6 feet – The Press-Enterprise (California)

A roundup of headlines curated for state transportation environmental professionals

Tell us what you think of the new ETAP Newsletter by taking this short survey!

HOT TOPICS

‘Hole in the data’: Coronavirus fight puts environmental fieldwork on hold – StarTribune

Federal Judge Prohibits Use of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Nationwide Permit 12 for Utility and Pipeline Projects – National Law Review

Integrating Tribal Expertise into Processes to Identify, Evaluate, and Record Cultural Resources – National Cooperative Highway Research Program (Report Announcement)

COVID-19

Water quality could change in buildings closed down during COVID-19 pandemic, engineers say – Purdue University

COVID-19 Draining The Highway Trust Fund – Yahoo Finance

Detroit’s poor air quality could be worsening the city’s COVID-19 outbreak – WJBK

How COVID-19 will redesign urban mobility – GreenBiz

How the COVID-19 pandemic is changing the face of transportation in cities – Tech Republic

Waze Community Deploys Data To Aid The Global Fight Against COVID-19 – Forbes

Businesses, groups call on INDOT to stop planning highway project during coronavirus pandemic – Indianapolis Star

New Data Show Air Pollution Drop Around 50 Percent In Some Cities During Coronavirus Lockdown – Forbes

Coronavirus lockdown gives animals rare break from noise pollution – Deutsche Welle

How One Mobility Innovator Is Supporting Cities And Envisioning The Post-Coronavirus Future – Forbes

Wary of public transport, coronavirus-hit Americans turn to bikes – Reuters

Coronavirus lockdowns have sent pollution plummeting. Environmentalists worry about what comes next. – NBC News

The Pandemic Could Be an Opportunity to Remake Cities – Wired

WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS

Vice Chair Appointed for AASHTO Water Council – AASHTO Journal

County approves NFM water quality project – North Fort Myers Neighbor

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE and SUSTAINABILITY

Weakening environmental reviews for transportation infrastructure is a bridge too far – Brookings (Commentary)

Get Ready for More, Longer Blackouts – Bloomberg Green (Limited access, Subscription Required)

Summertime Heat to Florida’s Early Spring – Bloomberg Green (Limited access, Subscription Required)

Why Can’t We Build Infrastructure Cheaply, Quickly and Well? – Governing (Opinion)

TRB Webinar: Greener in many ways: Environmentally sustainable funding and financing – Transportation Research Board

As Other Carmakers Retrench, Volvo’s Battery Lab Plugs Away – Wired

AIR QUALITY/GHG/ENERGY

EPA retains Obama-era air quality standards despite staff questions of adequacy – The Hill

How will reduced activity affect air quality and the environment? – Johns Hopkins University

NC State professor says more people will die if air quality standards left unchanged – North Carolina Health News

Shell Sets Bolder Emissions Goal Even as Virus Hits Oil – Bloomberg

Agriculture’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks – Farm Bureau

New Website Will Help Steer the U.S. Away From Fossil Fuels – Columbia University

California Cities Install EV Chargers as Symbol of Future – Governing

City Planning $5.25 Million Solar Farm At Moccasin Bend Sewage Treatment Plant – Daily Chattanoogan

Funds from Regional Clean-Energy Initiative to Electrify NJ’s Transportation Sector – NJ Spotlight

NOISE

Traffic noise reduces bats’ ability to feed – The Guardian

FAA Supersonic Proposal Draws Environmentalist Ire – AINonline

As Online Buying Surges, So Do Noisy Cargo Flights – The New York Times (subscription required)

What’s that annoying buzz? PennDOT considers daytime construction after noise complaints – Billypenn.com

FEDERAL ACTIVITY/FUNDING & FINANCE

An infrastructure stimulus will make America more resilient, if we get it right – Environmental Defense Fund (blog)

Highway Users urges Congress to invest in infrastructure in next stimulus package -Transportation Today

Gazette opinion: Now’s the time to rebuild and re-employ – Billings Gazette

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Environmental Justice Inseparable from Economic Justice – TAP into Bloomfield (Press release)

4 Principles for Environmental Justice: Lessons from Hawai‘I – Nonprofit Quarterly

Recent & Recommended Books on Environmental Justice – The Washington Informer

50 Years On, Earth Day’s Legal Legacy Looms Large – Earthjustice

EPA Pandemic Enforcement Policy Draws Environmental Lawsuit – Bloomberg Green (Limited access, Subscription Required)

INVASIVE SPECIES/VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

Boaters still required to stop at aquatic invasive species inspection stations – KTVZ

Controlling Invasives: States urge residents to help stop spread of invasive species – GreatLakesNow

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Public transit’s “road to recovery” could include more ridesharing partnerships says DePaul study – Mass Transit

An “Under-21” position is open on the state’s Bike/Ped Advisory Committee – Oregon DOT

Bike Walk Savannah giving free bikes to essential workers left without transportation – WSAV-TV

Companies Pull Scooters from Atlanta After City Order – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Helsinki smart mobility pilots deemed a success – Intelligent Transport

Active transportation plan coming to Sandy and Draper – Sandy Journal

Santa Barbara City Council supports grant applications for safety improvement projects – Santa Barbara News-Press

Madison traffic lanes to close to help cyclists and pedestrians keep social distance – WKOW

Philly should close streets to cars, open space for social distancing, advocates say – WHYY

Anyone Feel Like Saving Electric Scooters? – CityLab

Lime reactivates scooter fleets around the world – Intelligent Transport

WASTE MANAGEMENT/RECYCLING

Garbage Pickups Tell a Tale of Two Cities, With Part of Manhattan Shrinking – The City

Building a circular economy: five key concepts – National Geographic

Murphy signs bill to boost food waste recycling in New Jersey – NJBIZ

Plastics Had Been Falling Out of Favor. Then Came the Virus – Bloomberg Green (Limited access, Subscription Required)

COVID-19

AASHTO Asks Congress for $50 Billion in COVID-19 Relief Aid for State DOTs – AASHTO News

Coronavirus: Flagler County officials worried about $6 million dune restoration funding – The News-Journal

Amid coronavirus restrictions on Dunes recreation, air quality managers monitoring changes to air quality – KSBY

Does air pollution increase risk from COVID-19? Here’s what we know – ABC News

Chicago Not Reaping As Much Air-Quality Improvement Amid Shutdown – WBBM

Air pollution down 38% in Indianapolis as Hoosiers stay home to stop spread of coronavirus – Indianapolis Star

ODOT Watching for Infrastructure Spending in Next Federal Coronavirus Response Bill – KWGS Radio

The Potential Role of Infrastructure In The Coronavirus Pandemic – Spectrum News

What the coronavirus pandemic means for Atlanta transportation infrastructure projects – Curbed Atlanta

New Research Links Air Pollution to Higher Coronavirus Death Rates – The New York Times

74 miles of Oakland streets will close to cars to give pedestrians, bicyclists exercise room during coronavirus stay-home order – San Francisco Chronicle

OU amid coronavirus: Student sustainability efforts on pause; quarantine shows positive impact to air, water quality – OU Daily

At the Curb: Coronavirus’s Impact on Trash and Recycling in Northeast Ohio – WKSU

Mass Quarantine From COVID-19 Mutes Urban Noise, but Earth Roars On – Interesting Engineering

Planning and development during COVID-19 – States respond with emergency planning legislation and changes to planning controls – Lexology (Australia)

COVID-19 Reveals How Micromobility Can Build Resilient Cities – Next City

Transportation and Climate Initiative moves ahead amid pandemic uncertainty – Energy New Network

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGES

Middle Grand River Water Trail Development Plan Receives Environmental Stewardship Award – WSYM

Permit Extension Bill Up for Vote in Both Houses – NJ Insider

Bay Area sea-level report explores cost of inaction – Marin Independent Journal

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE

Resilient, Resourceful, Focused, Strong – Railway Age

Trump Touts Infrastructure Plan as Congress Eyes Expanded Aid – Transport Topics

Elaine Chao Emphasizes Need for Infrastructure, Safety Funds for Rural Areas – Transport Topics

What A Hotter And Drier World Means for Shared Firefighting – Bloomberg Green

A Resilient Pack: 2 Stories of Ingenuity and Compassion – NC State University News

WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS

Public comment extended on Lake Erie water quality plan – The Crescent-News

Dubuque seals state’s first pact to partner with farmers on water-quality goals – Des Moines Register

Ohio EPA certifies water quality for new GM plant – The Vindicator

UNH research leads to new drinking water standard in Granite State – Fosters.com

How SNWA safely protects the Valley’s drinking water – Las Vegas Sun (Advertorial)

Mississippi Levee Board Takes Strong Stand In Favor Of Backwater Pumps – Vicksburg Post

HISTORIC PRESERVATION/CULTURAL RESOURCES

Tax credits available to repair historic buildings damaged in Utah earthquake – The Salt Lake Tribune

Rising Seas Threaten Historic Houses – Architectural Record

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking comments on draft plans for managing the historic Huron Island Light Station on Huron National Wildlife Refuge – The Daily Mining Gazette

WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS

Agreement Reached to Aid Monarch Butterfly Conservation – AASHTO Journal

$24 million awarded to four local coastal restoration projects – WALA

California State Water Board approves key permits for KRRC dam removal – Herald and News

Forestry Department Seeks Public Feedback on 2021 Projects – The Corvallis Advocate

Indigenous celebrate victory against Dakota Access Pipeline, but remain wary of Judge Boasberg – Peoples World

NEPA

Alleged Industry Back Channel Blasted by Environmental Groups – Bloomberg Law

TVA Seeks Public Input On Proposed Expansion Of Mining In Illinois – The Chattanoogan

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Environmental Justice Immersion brings revelations from UP’s backyard – The Beacon

SEParating from Tradition: Justice Department Prohibits Use of Supplemental Environmental Projects to Resolve Civil Enforcement Actions and Eyes Additional Policy Change – JD Supra

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

E-Bike Rule Proposed for National Parks – AASHTO Journal

Program Matches Bicycles To Essential Workers Who Need Them In New York – NPR’s All Things Considered

Active Trans discusses why it’s not pushing to reopen the Lakefront Trail during pandemic – Streetsblog Chicago

Pedestrian crossings automated to reduce touch points in downtown Chattanooga – WRCB

Preventing Civilization’s Collapse With On-Demand Transit Service For Key Workers During Pandemic – Forbes

Reduced Traffic, Pollution Has Cycling Advocates Taking Notice

Reduced Traffic, Pollution Has Cycling Advocates Taking Notice

Reduced Traffic, Pollution Has Cycling Advocates Taking Notice

Reduced Traffic, Pollution Has Cycling Advocates Taking Notice – Spectrum News 1

INDIRECT EFFECTS/CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

Methane Emissions Hit a New Record and Scientists Can’t Say Why – Bloomberg Green

Airport expansion not expected to fix pollution, noise – The Aspen Times

Social cost of carbon could further sway Virginia from fossil fuel power plants – Energy News Network

INVASIVE SPECIES/VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

Great Lakes Get Extra Funds For Cleanups, Invasive Species – CBS2 Chicago

Could climate change shift the conversation on this invasive species? – WHYY

DEC, Agriculture & Markets announce seventh annual Invasive Species Awareness Week, June 7-13 – Niagara Frontier Publications

Hennepin County awards thousands in aquatic invasive species prevention grants to local organizations – Southwest News Media

Win a prize with Michigan invasive species bingo: How to play – Detroit Free Press

Invasive yellow weeds take over parts of Phoenix area – azfamily.com

AIR QUALITY

U.S. Slashes Carbon Emissions Forecast as People Stay Home – Bloomberg Green

Governor Northam signs Virginia Clean Economy Act – WWBT

How Burning Wood, Once a Viable Power Source, Fell Out of Favor in the U.S. – Yahoo Finance

The Solar Industry Was Poised for a Strong Year, But Now Demand is Plummeting – Bloomberg Green

Oil Companies Are Collapsing, but Wind and Solar Energy Keep Growing Industry – The New York Times

Low-income California communities enact plan to fight disproportionate air pollution – NBC News

NOISE

Redefining Noise in the Context of Hearing Health – The Hearing Journal

Residents, experts reflect on changes in noise during pandemic – Cape Cod Times

TRB RESOURCES

TRB Webinar: Designing landscapes to enhance roadside water management – Transportation Research Board

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SERVICES

4 Technologies Gives New Life to Archaeology – EET India

Mapzen Project Adopted by Urban Computing Foundation – Government Technology

SUSTAINABILITY

Urban Land Institute Earns 2020 ENERGY STAR® Award for Excellence – PR Newswire (Press release)

WASTE MANAGEMENT/RECYCLING

State recommends delaying food scraps ban, changes to recycling rules – VTDigger

Reduce, reuse, recycle – Union Bulletin

Tell us what you think of the new ETAP Newsletter by taking this short survey!

FEDERAL REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE ACTION

Transportation Investment Touted For Post-Coronavirus Recovery – AASHTO Journal

Pelosi says infrastructure may have to wait past fourth coronavirus bill – CNN

Could coronavirus bring back infrastructure week? – Roll Call

DeFazio pushes for infrastructure plan as next phase of relief – Land Line

DOT Opens Funding Opportunity for University Transportation Centers – Transport Topics

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE

Transportation in the Treasure Valley: ‘We simply can’t build roads big enough’ – Idaho Press

Transportation planning to the extreme for weather and climate change – TRB News

South Carolina DOT on track to invest $3.2 billion in infrastructure – Transportation Today

With traffic down, is now a good time to fix the potholes? – Atlanta Journal-Constitution

9 NC Resiliency Projects Receive Millions – Coastal Review

ITD responds to 6.5 magnitude earthquake – Idaho Transportation Department

Lawmakers look to infrastructure spending to help economy recover from coronavirus – Washington Post

Trump’s ambitious infrastructure vision faces Senate GOP roadblock – The Hill

How can public transport be more resilient to pandemics? – Metro

We’ll Need To Reopen Our Cities. But Not Without Making Changes First. – City Lab (Commentary)

Abnormally warm Gulf of Mexico could intensify the upcoming tornado and hurricane seasons – The Washington Post

SUSTAINABILITY

Northwestern recognized as a national leader in energy efficiency and sustainability – Northwestern University

ENERGY/GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

NHTSA, EPA Roll Out Final Fuel Economy Rule – AASHTO Journal

Adding Solar At Airports – PV Magazine

Decarbonization Is In – Building Indiana (press release)

Finalized SAFE policy slashes vehicle emission standards – PV Magazine

Oregon Transportation Commission Says I-5 Expansion Doesn’t Need Full Environmental Review – Oregon Public Broadcasting

RESOURCES

Building and Maintaining Air Service Through Incentive Programs – Transportation Research Board; Airport Cooperative Research Program

AIR QUALITY

The stunning impact of COVID-19 social distancing on air pollution – GreenBiz

Air pollution clears in cities globally – new maps – European Public Health Alliance

‘We have great air quality at the moment’: Utah’s inversion season is over – KSL

Solomon Bililign: COVID-19 crisis shows clear need for commitment to improving air quality – News & Record (commentary)

As Many Stay Home, L.A.’s Air Quality Is Better Than It’s Been in Decades – Los Angeles Magazine

WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS

World Water Report and Resilience Coalition Launch on World Water Day – International Institute for Sustainable Development

California rules anger water agencies, environmental groups – Raleigh Observer

Clean Water Advocates Applaud Immediate Statewide Moratorium on Water Shutoffs to Protect Californians – National Resources Defense Council

Public comment extended on Lake Erie water quality plan – WNEM

Fears for water quality after NSW allows coalmining extension under Sydney’s Woronora reservoir. – The Guardian

PROJECT DELIVERY/STREAMLINING

EIR released for Valley Rail Sacramento Extension Project – Mass Transit

Why National Environmental Policy Act Reform Matters for National Parks – The Daily Signal

HISTORIC PRESERVATION/CULTURAL RESOURCES

State Historic Preservation Office seeks comment on updated preservation plan – The Buffalo News

WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS

Restoring San Francisco Bay’s Tidal Wetlands – KNTV

Forests’ hidden wetlands work for wildlife, water quality – Bay Journal

Water quality: Indian River Lagoon, St. Lucie River are gorgeous, but seagrass is wiped out – TCPalm

Bitterroot National Forest partners with ‘citizen science’ group to monitor water quality – Ravalli Republic

Farmers lead in watershed protection – Kenosha News

STATE NEWS

Environmental departments in N.C. face cuts amidst state budget uncertainty – Daily Tar Heel

Should California Throw Out Environmental Rules To Help Businesses During Quarantine? ‘That’s Not Happening,’ Governor’s Office Says. – CapRadio

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Sustainable highway construction – TRB News

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

NDOT launches ‘Walk and Roll Wednesdays’ to encourage healthy family social distancing – CarsonNow

Making Cities More Walkable with Better Data and Technology – Government Technology

Trail Group Asks to Convert Roads to Paths for Safer Social Distancing – GearJunkie

COVID-19 forces mobility firms to dramatically scale back services – Intelligent Transport

Emerging Trends In Mobility With Annie Chang, SAE International – Transportation Radio

Have Bike, Will Travel: The Bicycle Makes A Comeback – Forbes (commentary)

Wounded, Not Dead: Micro-Mobility Struggles in Uncertain Times – Government Technology

New York finally legalizes electric bikes and scooters – The Verge

Cleveland Metroparks Closes Busy Roads to Cars to Allow More Room for Pedestrians and Bicyclists to Practice Social Distancing – Cleveland Scene

National Park Service Getting Around To eBike Regulations – National Parks Traveler

Duluth to increase pedestrian opportunities – WDIO-TV

TxDOT virtual meeting set on Hallsville sidewalks, bicycle path – Longview News-Journal

NDOT Launches “Walk and Roll Wednesdays” – Nevada DOT

OR: E-scooter companies ditch Portland, ridership plummets amid coronavirus pandemic – Mass Transit

Switching Gears: Making Your Bike to Work Campaigns Virtual – Association for Commuter Transportation (webinar announcement)

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SERVICES

Plan B For GPS III Ground System Approved For Everyday Use – C4ISRNET

Google will release maps data ‘mobility reports’ to show people’s movements in coronavirus pandemic – Fortune/Bloomberg

Mapping the spread of COVID-19 by sampling human waste in US sewer systems – WATE

Readers: Share Your Hand-Made Maps of Life Under Quarantine – CityLab

WASTE MANAGEMENT/RECYCLING

Uncharted waters: Waste and recycling companies adapting to the coronavirus economy – Waste Dive

Facing uneasy budget picture due to coronavirus, Carroll County commissioners look to cut costs, raise fees – Carroll County Times

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NEPA

NEPA revisions continue with senators’ support – Alaska Journal of Commerce

Federal Court Decision Underscores Need for NEPA Reform – Competitive Enterprise Institute

Participate in the federal Snake River dams public process this week — the stakes are high – Columbia Basin Journal

DOI Is Using Coronavirus as a Smoke Screen – Outside Magazine (Opinion)

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGES

Climate Action Planning in a Federal Leadership Vacuum – Resilience.org

Debunking The Myth Of Green Unaffordability – Forbes

How Politics Thwarts Alternative Ways of Getting Around – Governing (Opinion)

What is COMPASS? Inside southwest Idaho’s regional planner – Idaho Press

WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS

US Clean Water Rule Repeal Set to Take Effect – Coastal Review Online (NC)

Senior design team working to expand suburban wetland area – Temple University

Desert park will double as effluent recharge facility – Tuscon.com

State Geologist discusses how contaminants move in groundwater – SWNew4U.com

Affordable, safe drinking water for all Michiganders essential to slow spread of COVID-19: U-M experts – University of Michigan

HISTORIC PRESERVATION/CULTURAL RESOURCES

Historic Preservation Comes To Atlanta Neighborhood – Builder

Toll of damaged historic buildings in Utah earthquake rises to 126. Here’s a map. – Salt Lake Tribune

Owner of historic Zapata ranch refusing to sign right of entry request for border wall survey – Laredo Morning Times

Riverline Project Advancing to Design Stage – Buffalo Rising

WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS

Federal judge rules permits for Dakota Access Pipeline violated law (link to decision)- JURIST

Let’s not give up yet on sustainability, self-reliance, diversity – Greenfield Recorder (opinion)

TRANSPORTATION REAUTHORIZATION

Ex-USDoT bosses urge Congress to reauthorise Fast – ITS International

Guest opinion: We need transportation solutions that move us forward – Idaho Press

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Climate justice in frontline communities: here’s how to (really) help – The Hill (Opinion)

New York City’s First Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice Wants to Empower Communities – Next City

Whitmer orders that homes’ water service be restored amid COVID-19 pandemic – The Detroit News

An effort to bring ‘environmental justice for all’ goes virtual – Grist

INDIRECT EFFECTS/CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

Fire Fallout: How Ash and Debris Are Choking Australia’s Rivers – Yale Environment 360

E.P.A., Citing Coronavirus, Drastically Relaxes Rules for Polluters – The New York Times

Decreasing air pollution increases agricultural yields – Anthropocene/

INVASIVE SPECIES/VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

Statewide Invasive Species Rule to Take Effect April 18^th – The Times (Noblesville, IN)

Lake Tahoe invasive species inspections halted, effectively closing boat launches – Reno Gazette Journal

AIR QUALITY

Social distancing will impact air quality in Philly, experts say – WPVI

Bay Area air quality sees dramatic improvement in only 24 hours – Curbed.com

Ports and dockworkers seek delay on ship pollution cuts, citing coronavirus – Los Angeles Times

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s traffic signal program improves traffic, air quality – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

How Traffic and Air Quality Are Changing Amid Self-Isolation – KNBC-TV

Coronavirus could be ‘bad news’ for air pollution in long-term, scientist warns – AirQualityNews.com

NOISE

Noise pollution in Arizona – Arizona Public Media

Changes in Flight Paths at Burbank Airport are Causing Distress in Surrounding Communities – KCET

Living Near Train Tracks – The New York Times

The Fight to Curb a Health Scourge in India: Noise Pollution – Undark

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE

Coronavirus Tanking Economic Growth, Creating Infrastructure Finance Risks – AASHTO

Food and agriculture are critical infrastructure – Daily News

Trees as infrastructure – EIT Climate-KIC

Incorporating the Costs and Benefits of Adaptation Measures in Preparation for Extreme Weather Events and Climate Change—Guidebook – Transportation Research Board; National Cooperative Highway Research

New Orleans, Memphis Win Flood Mitigation Funding Challenge – The Waterways Weekly Journal

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Micromobility Becomes Reliable Option For Last Mile Connectivity In World – Urban Transport News

Scooter companies find dockless riding and pandemics don’t mix – Crain’s Chicago Business

In a Global Health Emergency, the Bicycle Shines – City Lab

California Transportation Commission Calls for Applications for Transportation Funding – Streeetsblog CA

Traffic patterns are going to drastically be very different, says Micromobility expert– Cities of the Future

Minneapolis opens roads to pedestrians to practice social distancing – KMSP

Innovative Mobility Carsharing Outlook – Winter 2020 – UC Berkeley Transportation Sustainability Research Center

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SERVICES

Lime Launches Geofencing Safety Information Technology – Intelligent Transport

GIS plays critical role in states’ response to coronavirus pandemic – StateScoop

SUSTAINABILITY

House stimulus includes controversial effort to stem airline pollution – The Hill (Opinion)

A ‘Green Stimulus’ Could Battle Three Crises: Coronavirus, Economic Injustice and Climate Emergency – EcoWatch (Opinion)

Execs: Consumers pushing companies toward sustainability – Cornell Chronicle

Reaching ‘beyond the possible’ in Hawaii to meet sustainability goals – UN News

ENERGY/GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

University study debunks EV emissions ‘myth’ – ITS International

Trump administration close to finalizing fuel efficiency rules rewrite -sources – Reuters

Alaska Legislature passes Energy Efficiency and Air Quality Tax Credit Act – KTVF

This glass could turn skyscrapers into power generators – CNN

WASTE MANAGEMENT/RECYCLING

Nuclear waste disposal: Why the case for deep boreholes is … full of holes – Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Cities Wonder Whether Recycling Counts as Essential During the Virus – Bloomberg

Transportation secretary says DOH has noticed litter increase during pandemic – MetroNews (WV)

NEPA

Why Is It So Expensive To Build Things In America? – Forbes

Developers Know How to Dodge Environmental Reviews; Now They Might Have Help From the Federal Government – Inside Sources

National Environmental Policy Act – Counsel on Environmental Quality Proposed Rule Revisions: Examples of Opponent/Proponent Comments – JD Supra

Infrastructure spending as an economic stimulus requires a NEPA fix, too – The Hill

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGES

Coronavirus forces changes in forest plan public meeting schedule – Carolina Public Press

California Environmental Bills for 2020 – National Resources Defense Council

DC-area leaders concerned about auto pollution post-coronavirus crisis – WTOP Radio

WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS

AASHTO Seeks Elimination of Temporary Discharge Rule – AASHTO Journal

$1M awarded to wetlands restoration project on Chicago’s Southeast Side – Chicago Sun-Times

NRCS accepting applications for Conservation Easement Program – North Texas e-news

PROJECT DELIVERY/STREAMLINING

Coronavirus Creating Solar Industry ‘Crisis’: U.S. Trade Group – Reuters

HISTORIC PRESERVATION/CULTURAL RESOURCES

Historic Preservation Myths: It Cost Too Much – Adirondack Almanack

A Plan to Develop Farmland in Amish Country Meets Resistance – The New York Times

Historic homes in Philly can now add garage or basement apartments – The Philadelphia Inquirer

WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS

AASHTO Backs Effort to Advance Pollinator Habitat Creation – AASHTO Journal

Prescribed fire benefits landowners, ecosystems – Lincoln Journal Star

Rocky Mountain animals will move as the climate changes. These corridors could give them a safer path. – The Washington Post

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Fire, Forests, and Our Lands: An Indigenous Ecological Perspective – Nonprofit Quarterly

Government bemoans lack of environmental expertise in justice system – The Jakarta Post

DEC and NYSERDA Announce $24 Million in Volkswagen Settlement Funds to Support All-Electric Transit Buses in Environmental Justice Communities – New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (press release)

INDIRECT EFFECTS/CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

Social Distancing? You Might Be Fighting Climate Change, Too – The New York Times

INVASIVE SPECIES/VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

Stefanik introduces bipartisan bill to promote use of native plant materials – The Ripon Advance

AIR QUALITY

California’s strict air quality regulations help farmers prosper, study finds – University of California, Irvine

Why cutting car and truck emissions is so hard – Boston.com

Do urban speed limit reductions improve air quality? Experts say not so fast – Energy News Network

As Amazon speeds up, a warehouse community braces for a deadly combo: air pollution and coronavirus – Grist

NOISE

Air Force base decision raises F-35A noise debate in Tucson – The Brownsville Herald

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE

Coronavirus Forces Us To Rethink Infrastructure For An Age Of Biological Risk – Forbes

More Than $43 Million in Coastal Resilience Grants Announced for Communities Devastated by 2018 Natural Disasters – Yahoo Finance

Mississippi Mayors Push for Flood Resilience – ENR Midwest

Maine voters will decide two bond measures, totaling $120 million, on June 9 – Ballotpedia

How Power and Gas Utilities Keep Energy Flowing in the Pandemic – Bloomberg Green

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Georgia DOT recognized for making transportation more human – Transportation Today

Lime is yanking its electric scooters from California and Washington due to coronavirus – Verge.com

San Mateo County Active Transportation Plan Draft Recommendations Now Online – Streetsblog SF

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Coastal NC to get environmental grants – The Daily News (Jacksonville, NC)

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SERVICES

DOT holds first GPS backup technology demonstration – GPS World

U.S. government, tech industry discussing ways to use smartphone location data to combat coronavirus – The Washington Post

SUSTAINABILITY

2020 Conference on Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technologies – Transportation Research Board (Call for abstracts)

TRB Webinar: What role does ecology have in sustainable transportation? – Transportation Research Board (Webinar Announcement)

TRB Webinar: Sustainable highway construction – Transportation Research Board (Webinar Announcement)

ENERGY/GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Florida, Utah, Washington approve bills to boost EVs, including $50M Rocky Mountain Power charging plan – Utility Dive

California should reset its ambition and unleash the next wave of clean energy to combat climate change – CalMatters

He Set Up a Big Solar Farm. His Neighbors Hated It. – The New York Times

WASTE MANAGEMENT/RECYCLING

Pittsburgh recycling startup includes Phoenix in its expansion plans – Phoenix Business Journal

Delaware solid waste center makes changes (Delaware County, NY) – The Daily Star (Oneonta, NY)

31 years on, hazardous waste pact needs improving (Basel Convention) – Anadolu Agency (Turkey)

NEPA

Proposed changes in environmental review hit home in Taos – Taos News

Op-ed: Environmental racism in action – Environmental Health News

Farm Bureau Backs Proposal for More Efficient and Effective NEPA Rules – Farm Bureau

The Bad, the Ugly and the Good; The Trump Administration Proposes Changes to the National Environmental Policy Act – JD Supra

State of New Mexico opposes changes to federal law regulating oil and gas operations – Carlsbad Current Argus

Rollback of federal review could mean less scrutiny on critical SC infrastructure projects – The Post and Courier

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGES

Eversource substation would add to E. Boston environmental problems, face flooding, critics say – The Boston Globe

Environmental planning – City of Guelph (Ontario, CN)

Lawmakers give $10 million for air quality but advocates worry of complacency – Deseret News

WATER QUALITY/WETLANDS

Where Mermaids Play, A Nasty Water Fight – The New York Times

New Weather Patterns Are Turning Water Into a Weapon – Bloomberg Green

HISTORIC PRESERVATION/CULTURAL RESOURCES

Public works expansion pits Minneapolis vs. environmental justice concerns of East Phillips neighborhood – Star Tribune

Pitting Environmental Preservation Against Historic Charm – Hyperalergetic.com

Historic Preservation: What’s on Dr. Steven Hoffman’s mind – Southeaster Missourian

Old Public Square building’s next life may loom – Crain’s Cleveland Business

WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS

The decline of hunting shouldn’t be a crisis for wildlife conservation – The Missoulian

Effects of wildfires are far ranging for local ecosystems – KVII-TV (Amarillo)

An emerging threat to conservation: fear of nature – Salon

Climate change is causing bears to come out of hibernation a month early — which can be dangerous for humans – CBS News

FAST ACT/MAP-21

Missouri road projects at risk if federal spending plan not renewed – News Tribune

Stakeholders’ Input Key to Shaping AV 4.0, Says USDOT Nominee Finch Fulton – Transport Topics

Civic group calls on Congress to rethink $305B transport bill – Smart Cities Dive

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Whose is the European Green Deal? – Social Europe

Environmental justice documentary puts spotlight on Houston – Houston Chronicle

Vulnerable communities continue to bear greater pollution burden – San Diego Union-Tribune

INDIRECT EFFECTS/CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

Oregon Governor signs executive order to reduce the state’s impact on global warming – Fortune

Court Approves Settlement Requiring EPA Rules on Most Dangerous Chemical Spills – National Resources Defense Council (Press release)

The coronavirus is deadly enough. But some experts suspect bad air makes it worse. – The Washington Post

Study draws Southern California coastal light pollution into focus – UCLA Newsroom

INVASIVE SPECIES/VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

Noxious weeds an environmental threat – Great Bend (KS) Tribune

County to tackle a development side effect: invasive plants – The Daily Herald (Everett, WA)

AIR QUALITY

Scientists will soon be able to monitor air pollution hourly from space – The Verge

San Diego region failing to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks, report finds – The San Diego Union-Tribune

Why European Parents are Suing Their Cities Over Poor Air Quality – Next City

McKinley Park Neighbors Prep for Showdown With EPA Over Asphalt Plant – WTTW (Chicago)

This Proposed Bill Could Supercharge How Colorado Monitors Its Air Quality – Colorado Public Radio

Nine Counties Sue Colorado Health Department Over Air-Quality Rules – Courthouse News Service

NOISE

‘Gabriel’s trumpets’: Highway noise causes disruption for some city residents – Johnson City (TN) Press

Wood Asks Board of Health To Address Noise Pollution – The Intelligencer. Wheeling News Register

Defending Municipal Noise Complaints Against Outdoor Facilities – Law.com: New Jersey Law Journal

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE

Environmental Commission recommends city develop holistic resilience plan – Austin Monitor

‘We’re crossing our fingers’: Iowa has shored up Interstate 29 against flooding – The Daily Nonpareil

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

More Pedestrians and Cyclists are Dying in N.Y.C. Drivers are Often to Blame. – The New York Times

Minneapolis bets on walking, public transit to overtake driving by 2030 – Star Tribune

Florida House passes Sophia Nelson Pedestrian Safety Act by 118-1 margin – Florida Today

City eyes increased enforcement as Lime scooters return – The Spokesman-Review

Complete Streets Plan to be reviewed by Burbank officials – Los Angeles Times/Burbank Leader

Coronavirus has caused a bicycling boom in New York City – The Grist

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Iowa and Nebraska DOTs working together to mitigate potential spring flooding – Iowa DOT (News Release)

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SERVICES

Be careful what you’re learning from those coronavirus maps – The Washington Post

How GIS tech can be used to control locust menace – Daily Nation (Kenya)

SUSTAINABILITY

L.A.-Long Beach ports approve truck fee too low to clean smog, groups charge – Los Angeles Times

ENERGY/GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

London’s Trees Are Saving the City Billions – City Lab

L.A. Aims to be First to Power U.S. City With Green Hydrogen – Bloomberg Green

Gov. Brown signs executive order to fight climate change in Oregon – KGW-TV

Social Distancing? You Might Be Fighting Climate Change, Too – The New York Times

Boeing Joins Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance – Boeing (Press Release)

For Environmentalists, a ‘Monumental’ Legislative Session (Virginia) – Associated Press

Hydropower plan faces opposition – The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, MA)

WASTE MANAGEMENT/RECYCLING

Cost of Recycling Hits US Cities and Towns – Bioplastics News

Norwalk kick-starting food waste program, better recycling guidelines this spring – CT Insider