Environmental News Highlights – December 6, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Holds Winter Meeting on Public Transit Issues -AASHTO Journal

Tackling the Climate Crisis -Department of Interior

Transportation, Infrastructure Move Toward Electrification -Government Technology

Cities can achieve sustainability wins with micro transportation, green infrastructure and climate resilience planning -American City & County

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces New Thought Leadership Series “Up, Up, and Away: Innovations in Advanced Air Mobility -FAA (media release)

 

COVID-19

Has the pandemic forever changed our walking habits? -Talking Michigan Transportation podcast

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Hawaii DOT Helping with Emergency Stormwater Project -AASHTO Journal

Connecticut Moves To Soften EV Mandate –ClearTechnica


San Diegans love their cars. SANDAG wants employers to encourage a different way to commute –inewssource

Massachusetts launches ResilientCoast initiative -WCVB-TV

Detroit touts first wireless-charging public road for electric vehicles in US -Detroit Free Press

New York City redesigning thousands of intersections to make them safer for pedestrians -WCBS-TV

 

AIR QUALITY

Railroads take on EPA’s pollution-reporting proposal –Freightwaves

Air pollution from heavy traffic can raise blood pressure, researchers say -Medical News Today

Reaching for air: How a historic mistake led to Salt Lake City’s pollution nightmare -KUER Radio/Salt Lake Tribune

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Republicans’ EJ battle plan –Axios

Where Is Noise Pollution The Worst? Redlined Neighborhoods –Grist

Braille signage installed on all 8,400+ bus stops in Metro Vancouver, BC -TransLink (blog)

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Continues to Accelerate Environmental Justice in Disadvantaged Communities through the President’s Investing in America Agenda -White House (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Florida’s coral reefs are recovering after record high ocean temperatures –NPR

Feds give grant to study wildlife crossings in Virginia -Cardinal News

CULTURAL RESOURCES

NCDOT Seeks Entries for Yearly Aviation Art Contest -AASHTO Journal

Crossing paths: New photography project takes aim at the impacts of transportation on wildlife -Canadian Geographic

America’s last lighthouse keeper is retiring. She, and her light, are ready. -Christian Science Monitor

Honoring Native American Heritage Month -Voices for Public Transportation (blog)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

DC could ban cars in 3 corridors and create pedestrian zones -WTOP Radio

Walkers and cyclists added to Nebraska’s road safety plan for the first time -Omaha World-Herald

Key stretch of Adirondack Rail Trail is complete between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid -Adirondack Explorer

Santa Barbara, California Public Library Helping People Try E-Bikes For Free -Yale Climate Connections


NTSB to Hold Summit on Pilot Mental Health -NTSB (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Exploring the Future of Public Transportation Research: A National Online Dialogue –FTA

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Fiscal Year 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: All Stations Accessibility Program -FTA (Notice of funding opportunity)

Notice of Availability and Extension of Comment Period for the Preliminary Designation of Certain Stormwater Discharges Within Two Watersheds in Los Angeles County, California Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System of the Clean Water ActEPA (Notice)

Federal Land Managers’ Air Quality Related Values Work Group (FLAG); Draft Addendum to 2010 Phase 1 Report -Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service (Notice of availability)

Request for Information on the Coast Guard Implementation of a Western Alaska Oil Spill Planning Criteria Program -Coast Guard (Request for information)

Forest Service Manual 2000 National Forest Resource Management; Chapter 2040 National Forest System Monitoring -Forest Service (Notice of availability for public comment)

Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for the Proposed Empire Offshore Wind Projects -Bureau of Ocean Energy and National Marine Fisheries Service (Notice)



Decommissioning and Disposition of the National Historic Landmark Nuclear Ship Savannah; Notice of Site Visit -Maritime Administration (Notice)

Environmental News Highlights – November 29, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

State DOTs Win Top Prizes in America’s Transportation Awards Competition -AASHTO Journal



Fifth National Climate Assessment -US Global Change Research Program

Biden administration proposes limiting environmental reviews to speed up renewables -The Hill

NYC Congestion Pricing Could Unleash a Transportation Revolution –CityLab

Most Americans still have to commute every day. Here’s how that experience has changed. -New York Times

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

How one city funds climate resilience, a dollar at a time -Route Fifty

Port of Seattle moves forward on electrification -National Fisherman

Retired Wind Turbine Blades Live on as Park Benches and Picnic Tables -Bloomberg Green

Minnesota’s Metro Transit Using Rainwater To Clean Buses At New Garage -KMSP-TV

 

AIR QUALITY

So Thieves Nabbed Your Catalytic Converter. Here’s Where It Ended Up. -New York Times

Researchers Explore Hydrogen Power for Railways -Oak Ridge National Laboratory Review (pdf)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

The best and worst states for green, equitable transportation -Route Fifty

L.A. Agencies Sign Equity in Infrastructure Project Pledge and Launch ‘California Plan’ -Los Angeles Sentinel

85% of Rural Residents Have Reasonable Access to Intercity Transportation; Lack of Reasonable Access Falls Disproportionately on Low-Income Households -Bureau of Transportation Statistics (media release)

FTA Announces Nearly $5 Million Funding Opportunity to Improve Transit Access for Older Adults, People with Disabilities, and Low-Income Individuals -FTA (media release)

EPA Announces $2 Billion to Fund Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants as Part of Investing in America Agenda -EPA (media release)

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Truck hits Pennsylvania covered bridge that dates back to 1800s -WBAL-TV

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

San Diego votes to advance rolling back scooter laws after Bird pulls from city –KSWB

Chattanooga is reducing traffic lanes and adding bike lanes to more city streets -Chattanooga Times Free Press

Fighting loneliness with free transportation in Saco, Maine -WCSH-TV

Interactive map shows crash data between motorists and pedestrians, cyclists in Providence -Providence Business Journal

Commuter Dividend: The Economic Value of Commuters for City and Suburbs in the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut Region -Regional Plan Association

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Methods to Manage Tree Growth Near Airports –ACRP

How New Corporate Environmental Standards Will Impact Airports –ACRP

TRB’s involvement in research on Resilience from 2021-2023 -TRB (pdf)



TRB Webinar: Sustainable and Low-Carbon Solutions for Asphalt Pavements –NCHRP



TRB Webinar: Accessible Floating Bus Stops –TRB

TRB Webinar: Advancing Equity in Travel Experience – The Role of Gender and Identity –TRB

TRB Webinar: Climate Resilient Design for Culverts and Pavements –TRB

Navigating the 4-day Commute: Redesigning Employee Shuttle Programs -Association for Commuter Transportation (webinar)

Should Cities Tax Uber and Lyft? –SSRN

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Fiscal Year 2024 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility (ICAM) Pilot Program -FTA (Notice)

Safety Advisory 2023–07; Review and Implement New Predictive Weather Modeling and Proactive Safety Processes Across the National Rail Network To Prevent Weather-Related Accidents and Incidents -FRA (Notice)

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement To Reconsider a Highway Right-of-Way Application and Associated Amendment of an Incidental Take Permit, Washington County, Utah -Fish and Wildlife Service (Notice of intent)


Adoption and Submittal of State Plans for Designated Facilities: Implementing Regulations Under Clean Air Act Section 111(d) -EPA (Final rule)



Release of Achieving Health and Environmental Protection Through EPA’s Meaningful Involvement Policy -EPA (Draft policy; Notice of availability)

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Public Meeting -EPA (Notice)

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

National and Governmental Advisory Committees to the U.S. Representative to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) -EPA (Notice of meeting)

Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) and Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS); Meeting -EPA (Notification of public meeting)

Environmental Justice Scorecard -Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) (Request for information)

Multi-Year Certificate of Documentation for Recreational Vessel Owners -Coast Guard (Final rule)

Recreational Boating Safety Projects, Programs, and Activities Funded Under Provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; Fiscal Year 2023 -Coast Guard (Notice)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancies -Coast Guard (Request for applications)



Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board -Forest Service (Notice of meeting)

 

Environmental News Highlights – November 15, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION


Longest Serving USDOT Deputy Secretary Passes Away -AASHTO Journal



White House, Lawmakers Evaluate IIJA on Second Anniversary -Transport Topics



White House Regulation Plan Sets Path for Tougher Climate Rules -Bloomberg Law



Charging Forward: A Toolkit for Planning and Funding Urban Electric Mobility Infrastructure -U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (link to pdf)



Transit’s physical cliff: Climate change -Transportation for America (blog)

 

COVID-19

CDC expands testing of international air traveler samples to include flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses -Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Indiana DOT Issues $91M in Community Crossings Grants -AASHTO Journal

Maryland transportation panel considers whether to recommend new fees for electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as higher tolls -WUSA-TV

Cities Experiment With Pedal-Powered Delivery Policies -Government Technology

Bottles to bridges: Glass-based concrete makes for a greener crossing -New Atlas

Parking garages are a huge wasted heat source -Anthropocene

Can Solar Panels in Highway ROW Be the Next Big Step in Renewable Energy? -Thinking Transportation (podcast)

AIR QUALITY

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Transportation Planning -FHWA Innovator



Midwest pollution spiked dramatically this summer because of Canadian wildfires. Now officials may erase those days from the books. -Chicago Tribune



Texas could spend federal funds meant to cut carbon emissions on highway projects -Texas Tribune


START Lab expansion aims to make aviation greener -Penn State University

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

North Carolina DOT Official On Using AI And Cloud-Based Apps To Advance Transportation Equity -StateScoop

Illinois RTA provides 25,000 $20 transit passes to be distributed to survivors of domestic violence -Regional Transportation Authority (blog)

Apple And The EPA Take On The Future Of Environmental Policy -Forbes (contributed content)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Alaska Expands Reach of Unmanned Aerial systems in Remote Locations and Extreme Conditions -FHWA Innovator

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Historical Markers To Commemorate Saratoga Springs Cycling History -Saratoga Today



Want to save our cities? Look to San Francisco’s iconic survivor: the Ferry Building -Los Angeles Times



Forest County Potawatomi unveil dual language highway signs in Wisconsin -Wisconsin Law Journal



Does Anyone Know How to Behave on the Subway Anymore? -New York Times

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Officials seek feedback on plan to make Oklahoma streets more friendly for cyclists, walkers -Oklahoma Voice



Tensions Flare as Southern California Surf Communities Fight over E-Bikes –Surfer



Arroyofest returns to advocate active transportation -Talon Marks



Southmont, PA one of nine communities to win state’s ‘active transportation’ grant -Tribune-Democrat



Bike Utah: The e-bike revolution is here. That’s a good thing. -Salt Lake Tribune

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

What Do Americans Think About Federal Tax Options to Support Transportation? Results from Year Fourteen of a National Survey -Mineta Transportation Institute

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Locomotives and Locomotive Engines; Preemption of State and Local Regulations -EPA (Final rule)



Biannual Request for Information on the Status of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Industry -FHWA (Notice)



Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC): Notice of Meeting -EPA (Notice)



Hazardous Materials: Public Meeting Notice for the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety Research, Development & Technology Virtual Forum -Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Notice)



Request for Information: National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy -National Science Foundation (Notice)

 

Environmental News Highlights – November 8, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

Port Infrastructure Projects Get $653M in Federal Funds -AASHTO Journal

A New Environmental Justice Playbook for Federal Agencies -The White House


U.S. cities consider banning “right on red” laws amid rise in pedestrian deaths -CBS News



Shipping industry could lose $10 billion a year battling climate change by 2050 –CNBC

An archeologist shortage could stifle the climate law -E&E News

Port Leaders Push Wind Power as Long-Term Solution -Transport Topics

 

COVID-19

Americans Are Walking 36% Less Since CovidCityLab

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

How the country’s largest ferry system is going green –Axios

Texas Wants to Know: How will the state’s transportation infrastructure handle its booming population? -KXAS-TV

Build the Bike Lanes and the Delivery Bikes Will Follow -Government Technology


NYC seeks suggestions for moving freight traffic off of roads onto the rivers -Daily News

How do you prevent New York City subway flooding in extreme rain? –Marketplace

 

AIR QUALITY

Colorado built a park over I-70 to contain pollution. Is the air safe to breathe? -Colorado Public Radio

EPA grant will encourage small California airports, pilots to switch from leaded to unleaded fuel -KNTV-TV

California may require railroads to eliminate pollution, EPA rules -Nation World

Los Angeles aiming for vast greenhouse gas reductions before 2028 Olympics with new plan -Inside the Games

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Flying Is Becoming More Accessible For Passengers With Disabilities –Forbes

New Mississippi program to transport patients to appointments -WJTV-TV


Metrolinx is joining the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program -Metrolinx (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Tennessee DOT’s ‘No Trash November’ aims to remove 50,000 pounds of litter from roadways -WATE-TV

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Why is Houston so car centric? -EnergyPortal.eu

Young Photographer Gives New View Of Planes -ABC News (link to video)

MTA, New York Comedy Festival Team Up to Bring Top Comedic Voices to the Subway System -Metropolitan Transportation Authority (media release)

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Questions remain as Richmond-San Rafael bike lane pilot program ends -KPIX-TV

Drivers make noise about Chicago proposal targeting and fining loud cars -WBBM-TV

Abandoned hire bikes and e-scooters in London can now be reported via FixMyStreet -Highway News

FDOT, Partners Celebrate Eighth Annual Mobility Week -Florida DOT (media release)

Kansas Mobility Week encourages multimodal transportation choices -Kansas DOT (media release)

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Webinar: Let’s Catch a Bus – Understanding Health Impacts and Public Transit Equity –TRB

Paths to Biking, Walking Improvements Supported by Wealth of Research –NCHRP



Assessing the Impacts of Right-Turn Lanes on Rural and Suburban Highways –NCHRP

Accessing America’s Great Outdoors: Forecasting Recreational Travel Demand –NCHRP


Communicating Safe Behavior Practices to Vulnerable Road Users -Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program

UVA and VDOT celebrate 75th anniversary of state transportation research council -Augusta Free Press

Exploring decarbonization pathways for USA passenger and freight mobility -Nature Communications

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Transportation Services for Individuals With Disabilities: ADA Standards for Transportation Facilities -USDOT (Request for information on accessibility improvements for transportation facilities)

Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE); Notice of Public Meeting -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice)



Determination To Defer Sanctions; California; California Air Resources Board -EPA (Interim final determination)

Approval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Vehicle Miles Traveled Emissions Offset Demonstrations for the 2015 Ozone Standards; California -EPA (Final rule)

Notice of Availability of Preliminary Designation of Certain Stormwater Discharges Within Two Watersheds in Los Angeles County, California Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System of the Clean Water Act -EPA (Notice of availability)

Notice of Availability of Consultation Documents for Public Comment Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act -FAA (Notice)

Notice of Proposed Methodology for the 2024 Delaware River and Bay Water Quality Assessment Report -Delaware River Basin Commission (Notice)

John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System; Florida, Georgia,Louisiana, Maine, and New York; Draft 5-Year Review Boundaries -Fish and Wildlife Service (Notice of availability; request for comments)

Land Uses; Special Uses; Carbon Capture and Storage Exemption -Forest Service (Proposed rule; request for public comment)

Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for the Proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project -Bureau of Ocean Energy and National Marine Fisheries Service (Notice)

 

Environmental News Highlights – November 1, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Backs Preserving State/Local Authority on AVs -AASHTO Journal



Big federal dollars for small state projects aim to get more cars off the roads -Missouri Independent



Legacy programs stymie Biden’s efforts to boost equity in infrastructure spending -Route Fifty



Q&A with Susan Handy, Director of the National Center for Sustainable Transportation at UC Davis –Sactown



Readout of the Environmental Permitting Technology and Data Summit -White House (media release)


National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Progress UpdateJoint Office of Energy and Transportation (media release)

COVID-19

The work commute changed after the pandemic, new data shows -State Smart Transportation Initiative

 

NEPA

Unlocking New Mexico’s energy potential: The imperative of NEPA reform -Las Cruces Sun News (opinion)

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Rubber hits the road at tire recycling event -Jefferson City News Tribune



Geothermal technology is now being used at Louisville Airport -WLKY-TV



How to Prevent Forest Fires by Building Cities With More Wood –Bloomberg



White House opens $45 billion in federal funds to developers to covert offices to homes -Dow Jones



AIR QUALITY

EPA to Increase Air Monitoring at Marine Ports -National Law Review (contributed content)



California meets its target for zero-emissions truck sales two years ahead of schedule -California Air Resources Board (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Nevada shows commitment to getting desert wildlife across the road safely -Las Vegas Sun



How New York City Turned the World’s Biggest Garbage Dump Into a Park –Bloomberg



Humans mimicking beavers to combat wildfires and restore wetlands -Wildfire Today



Idaho Adopt-A-Highway Removes 3 Million Pounds Of Litter, Saves $25 Million In Labor -Idaho Transportation Department (media release)

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

How Transportation Improves Quality of Life -Talking Michigan Transportation (podcast)



Delmont, PA council approves transportation plan aimed at improving pedestrian, bike infrastructure -Murrysville Star



Multiple Bay Area Programs Aim to Expand Access to E-Bikes -Government Technology



How a century-old rail agreement slowed a Seattle bike lane project -Seattle Times



As e-bikes grow in popularity, so do calls for safety certification –Grist



Need to find a bike rack in Atlanta? There’s an app for that -WAGA-TV



Boulder installs protected bike lane infrastructure new to the US -City of Boulder (media release)

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Webinar: Accommodating Utilities in Highway and Freeway Right-of-Way -AASHTO and NCHRP



Webinar: Mitigating Air Pollution Exposures from Transportation –TRB



Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States –TRB



Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Performance Functions –TCHRP



Is Federal Infrastructure Investment Advancing Equity Goals? -Urban Institute

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Transportation and Climate Division (TCD) Grant Program Reporting Templates: Supplemental Project Application Template and Project Reporting Templates for Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA), Clean School Bus (CSB), Clean Heavy Duty (CHD), and Clean Ports Grant Programs; EPA ICR No. 2793.01, OMB Control No. 2060–NEW -EPA (Notice)



Revising Scope of the Mining Sector of Projects That Are Eligible for Coverage Under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act -Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Extension of comment period)



Federal Management Regulation; Designation of Authority and Sustainable Siting –GSA



Railroad Safety Advisory Committee; Charter Renewal -FRA (Announcement)



Public Meeting of the Scientific Earthquake Studies Advisory Committee -Geological Survey (Notice)

 

Environmental News Highlights – October 25, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

USDOT Forms Climate and Transportation Research Group -AASHTO Journal

EPA takes step toward regulating lead in fuel for small planes -The Hill

States pitch mileage tax to bridge gap in federal highway funding -Route Fifty

Longer Commutes, Shorter Lives: The Costs of Not Investing in America -New York Times Magazine

I-95 is going to become an electric truck charging corridor –Electrek

 

NEPA

Wyoming officials slam proposed changes to NEPA -Sundance Times

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Trucking Stakeholders Tackle EV Challenges -Transport Topics



Current Climate: Federal Government Projects A Surge In Renewable Energy In The Coming Decade –Forbes

MTI report outlines economic and environmental benefits of high-speed rail in U.S. -Mass Transit



What are those glass balls in the road? INDOT experts shed light on reflective technology -WTHR-TV

Can California continue to fight the ocean? A new book argues for new approaches -Lookout Santa Cruz

Metrolink utilizes first-in-nation earthquake safety technology to conduct on-board drill for Great California ShakeOut -Metrolink (media release)

AIR QUALITY

Revealed: how a little-known pollution rule keeps the air dirty for millions of Americans -The Guardian

New California rules to reduce vessel emissions at ports get federal OK -Long Beach Post

California Trucking Association Sues to Block CARB RuleTransport Topics

Airlines say they’ve found a route to climate-friendly flying –Vox

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE/EQUITY

Making transportation more accessible around Lake Tahoe -Tahoe Daily Tribune

Reducing Negative Health Impacts from Transportation on Communities of Color -Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Historic low water levels on Mississippi River stymie commercial barge traffic in Arkansas -Talk Business & Politics

EPA selects six communities to improve stormwater management and advance environmental justice -EPA Region 1 (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Utah governor says future Olympics could bring transportation improvements, trains -KPCW Radio

New York Subway Stations, Through the Eyes of an Architect –CityLab

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Look at highway work zones from my perspective -PhillyVoice (contributed content

)

New Bicycle Path Improvements Change the Face of Downtown Santa Barbara -Santa Barbara Independent

Brownsville, Texas makes mobility plan public -Brownsville Herald

Houston Bike-Share Is Struggling. Public Transit Is Stepping In. –Governing

Greenacres ‘Dillman Trail’ providing safe alternative transportation for locals and students in Florida -WPBF-TV

 

TRB RESOURCES/RESEARCH/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Clearing the Skies with Research on Electric Vehicles –TRB

TRB Webinar: Demonstrated Performance of Buried Bridges –TRB

Nighttime Visibility for Safety -FHWA Center of Accelerating Innovation

Series Finale: Commemorating the Second Anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) -USDOT Volpe Center (link to webinar registration)

Co-Cities: Innovative Transitions toward Just and Self-Sustaining Communities -Carnegie Mellon University (webinar)

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity (ACTE); Notice of Public Meeting -Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation (Notice)

Finding That Lead Emissions From Aircraft Engines That Operate on Leaded Fuel Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution That May Reasonably Be Anticipated To Endanger Public Health and Welfare -EPA (Final action)

Science Advisory Board Environmental Justice Science and Analysis Review Panel; Nominations Request -EPA (Notice)

California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Ocean- Going Vessels At-Berth; Notice of Decision -EPA (Notice of decision)

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Council -Forest Service, Agriculture (Notice of meeting)

National Maritime Security Advisory Committee; December 2023 Virtual Meeting -U.S. Coast Guard (Notice of Federal advisory committee virtual meeting)

Cape Hatteras National Seashore; Bicycling -National Park Service (Proposed rule)

Environmental News Highlights – October 18, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

State DOTs Support National Pedestrian Safety Month -AASHTO Journal



USDOT Equity Committee Working on Recommendations -AASHTO Journal



Why Transportation Planners Should Prioritize the ‘Silently Suffering’Governing



Human Environment Digest –FHWA

 

NEPA

AASHTO Comments on CEQ’s Proposed NEPA Revisions -AASHTO Journal

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

New York Offers $165M for Community-Based Projects -AASHTO Journal



Why Tugboats Are Key to the $19 Billion Overhaul of Kennedy Airport -New York Times



AI for good: Google unveils raft of new tech schemes for sustainability –edie



Port of Savannah Seeks to Deepen Shipping Lane Again – Atlanta Journal-Constitution



Decarbonizing the Transportation Sector: How Transportation Demand Management Can Untangle the Nation’s Mobility Crisis Through Efficiency -Association for Commuter Transportation



Charging up EVs: Bridging the apartment gap -Transportation for America (commentary)

 

AIR QUALITY

Stockholm Bans Diesel, Petrol Cars in City Center From 2025 –CityLab



Ford’s Patent Tracks How Much Your Car is Polluting -Daily Upside



DOJ sues eBay for selling ‘rolling coal’ devices; fines could hit $2 billion –CNBC



First Intercity Zero-Emission, Hydrogen Passenger Trains in North America Coming to California –Caltrans (media release)

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

California Governor Signs Bill Creating ‘Ebony Alerts’ For Missing Black Women, Children -KABC-TV



Equity Moves to the Center of Transportation Planning in Austin -Government Technology



ZIP code discrimination, pollution top concerns at DEP meeting on environmental justice policyPennsylvania Capital-Star



A new U-Md. research center will study fairer, greener transportation networks -Washington Post



LADOT Launches Universal Basic Mobility Pilot -LA Department of Transportation (blog)



DOL Scales Program to Expand Equal Opportunity, Diversity In Construction Trades for Jobs On Large Infrastructure Projects -U.S. Department of Labor (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Iowa DOT Experimenting With Road Salt Application -KSOM Radio



Arkansas DOT preparing for heavy traffic during the 2024 total solar eclipse -KHBS/KHOG-TV



When It Comes to Urban Trees, More Isn’t Always Better –CityLab

 

CULTURAL RESOURCES

150-year-old Florida Keys lighthouse illuminated for first time in a decade –AP



Cambridge to install street signs in American Indian language -WGBH Radio

 

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Ohio DOT Helps Equip Rest Areas with Naloxone Kits -AASHTO Journal



RIDOT Helps Support ‘Gotham Greens’ Path Project -AASHTO Journal



Iowa DOT approves $1.5 million funding for 3 trail projects -KCCI-TV



ADOT recommends improvements to reopen 5 miles of Apache Trail -Queen Creek Sun Times



Truesdale, MO approves active transportation plan -Warren County Record



Chico, CA Active Transportation Plan ready for fresh input -Enterprise-Record



Raleigh’s investment in cycling infrastructure paying off in big way, data shows -WRAL-TV



New York City Mayor Promises 40-Mile Greenway Expansion, Mostly Along Waterfronts –Gothamist

 

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Small Group Discussions and Community Listening Session to Inform the Public Health Research and Surveillance Priorities from the East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment: A Workshop –TRB



Transportation for People with Disabilities and Older Adults During COVID-19: Lessons for Emergency Response –TCRP



Webinar: Carpool-based Parking Assignment Policy -National Institute for Congestion Reduction



Gender roles and identities influence transportation needs and experiences, new equity-focused research finds -University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Reformulated Gasoline Covered Areas -EPA (Final rule)



Revisions to the Air Emissions Reporting Requirements -EPA (Proposed rule; extension of comment period)



Women of Trucking Advisory Board (WOTAB); Notice of Public Meeting -Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (Notice of public meeting)

 

Environmental News Highlights – October 11, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

Active Transportation Reshaping Communities -AASHTO’s ETAP Podcast



USDOT Equity Committee Working on Recommendations -AASHTO Journal



Senators Propose EV Fee for Highway Trust Fund -Transport Topics



USDOT Announces New Climate and Transportation Research Funding -USDOT (media release)

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

NCDOT’s flood-warning system up for national award, $10K for charity -Port City Daily

Congestion Pricing: Current Status and Key Policy Choices -Regional Plan Association

In Santa Monica, Calif., officials will pay you not to drive your car -Los Angeles Times

Amtrak switching to fuel made from cooking oil for Pacific Surfliner service -KSWB-TV

MTA says New York’s mass transit is in dire need of climate resilience upgrades –Gothamist

The Quest for the Low-Budget Park –Bloomberg

AIR QUALITY

Texas sues EPA over emissions standards -Axios Texas

Virginia begins crafting new plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -Virginia Mercury

How the Seattle Department of Transportation plans to reduce travel emissions -KING-TV

Proposed wildlife crossing in Southern Oregon seeks federal funding -Jefferson Public Radio

TxDOT urges drivers to be extra vigilant about protecting pedestrians -TxDOT (media release)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

US DOT Launches Awareness Campaign On Disabled Rights -Simply Flying

Iowa DOT changing restroom accessibility in state -WOI-TV

Potential for hazmat transport accidents higher in low income areas in Midwest -WYSO Radio

DEP Announces Public Comment Meetings Series for Interim Final PA Environmental Justice Policy -Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (media release)

NATURAL RESOURCES

Arizona DOT Hosts Highway Litter Cleanup Event -AASHTO Journal

They Dredged the Mississippi River for Trade. Now a Water Crisis Looms –CityLab

The costs of wildlife vehicle collisions in the West are astounding. These crossings could help -Deseret News

WYDOT to host ribbon cutting on Dry Piney wildlife crossing project -Oil City News

EPA Finalizes Cleanup Plan for Lehigh Valley Railroad Derailment Superfund Site in Genesee County, New York -EPA (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

US government agrees to help restore sacred Native American site destroyed for Oregon road project –AP

Seats are for butts not bags’: MTA’s cheeky message encourages subway ‘courtesy’ -WNBC-TV

Scenic Los Angeles Raises Concerns Over Metro’s Transportation Communication Network -City Watch

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Tampa Bay Area students skip the bus to pound the pavement on National Walk to School Day -WTVT-TV

Building a bike-friendly city -Smart Cities Dive

E-bike popularity is surging, creating regulatory challenges on U.S. roads -PBS News

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Collective and Individual Actions to Envision and Realize the Next Era of America’s Transportation Infrastructure: Phase 1 -AASHTO and NCHRP

Travel Time Reliability Reference GuideFHWA Office of Operations

Rebound effects undermine carbon footprint reduction potential of autonomous electric vehicles –Nature

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Request for Nominations for the Federal System Funding Alternative Advisory Board to the Federal Highway Administration -FHWA (Notice)

Approval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; New York; Emission Statement Program -EPA (Proposal rule)

Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) and Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS) Meeting -EPA (Notice)

National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee; November 2023 Meetings -U.S. Coast Guard (Notice)

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the December 2016 Record of Decision Entitled Glen Canyon Dam Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan -Bureau of Reclamation (Notice and request for comments)

Forest Service Proposed New Recreation Fee Sites -Forest Service (Notice)

Regional Meeting of the Binational Bridges and Border Crossings Group in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico -Department of State (Notice)

Meeting of the Regional Energy Resource Council -Tennessee Valley Authority (Notice)

Environmental News Highlights – October 4, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

Buttigieg Reiterates USDOT Support for EVs at Hearing -AASHTO Journal

 

Several State DOTs Salute National Roundabouts Week -AASHTO Journal

Reconnecting Communities Summit Slated for October -AASHTO Journal

Gabe Klein, Executive Director, US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation: Moving Transportation Electrification Forward in the US -ITE Talks Transportation (podcast)

MapLab: The Secret History of GPS –Bloomberg

Environmental groups push to clamp down on coal dust from trains -Yahoo Finance

 

COVID-19

SEPTA CEO Leslie Richards on public transit, safety and how the pandemic altered travel -WPVI-TV’s Inside Story (video)

Not Just a Fad: Biking Activity Remains Strong Post-Pandemic -Government Technology

 

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

City of Phoenix has temporarily stopped installing Cool Pavement, here’s why -KTVK/KPHO-TV

New Minnesota task force to focus on infrastructure resiliency in face of more severe weather -WCCO-TV

MORPC wants to hear from public on sustainability and the environment –WSYX-TV

Streetlights Are Mysteriously Turning Purple. Here’s Why -Scientific American

New Mexico plans to expand electric vehicle infrastructure -KOB-TV

Sensor And Drone Technologies Help Maintain Minnesota’s Aging Bridge InfrastructureUniversity of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies

EV chargers will return to the Mass. Pike after months with no juice -Telegram & Gazette

EV Charging Is Coming to Truck Stops and Curbsides -Government Technology

 

AIR QUALITY

FAA Announces Nearly $300 Million for Projects to Reduce Carbon Pollution from Aviation as Part of Investing in America Agenda -FAA (media release)

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Environmental justice’ rules may hurt Wyoming’s bid for federal support -Wyofile.com

USDOT Announces that United Airlines Will Implement Industry-Leading Improvements for Passengers Using Wheelchairs -USDOT (media release)

EPA and U.S. Senator Tom Carper Announce Historic Investments Advancing Environmental Justice for Underserved Communities -EPA (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Native Florida plants could be part of the solution to state’s flooding and water quality problems –WMFE

BLM welcomes public input on draft management plan for northwest California public lands -Ukiah Daily Journal

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Welcome to Route 20: America’s longest road stretches from Boston to Oregon –WBUR

Truck Stops Upgrade to Recharge Electric Vehicles (and Their Drivers) -New York Times

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TxDOT launches pedestrian safety campaign for month of October -Fort Bend Herald

Bikeshare Pittsburgh To Add New, Adaptive Bicycles Around City -KDKA-TV

US Bike Trips Have Soared Since 2019CityLab

Pedesting app aims to open Calgary to people with mobility challenges -LiveWire Calgary

City of Rochester, NY on new ‘Active Transportation Plan’ -WROC-TV

UNLV to Launch Tourist Safety Institute Within Greenspun College of Urban Affairs -UNLV (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Pop-Up Power – Research and Practice on Quick-Build Bike Facilities –TRB

TRB Webinar: Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety in BRT and High-Priority Bus Corridors –TRB

TRB Minority Student Fellows Program Strengthens the Transportation Community –TRB

 

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Proposed Second Renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Assigning Certain Federal Environmental Responsibilities to the State of Arizona, Including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Authority for Certain Categorical Exclusions (CEs) -FHWA (Notice of proposed MOU, request for comments)

Designation of Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary; Delay of Effectiveness -NOAA (Final rule; delay of effectiveness)

Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation -DOE (Notification of ex parte communication; request for comment)

Air Plan Approval; Washington; Southwest Clean Air Agency; Emission Standards and Controls for Sources Emitting Gasoline Vapors -EPA (Final rule)

Air Plan Approval; Washington; Southwest Clean Air Agency, General Air Quality Regulations -EPA (Final rule)

Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Review Document for Amended Arrival Routes at Los Angeles International Airport -FAA (Public comment period for the FAA’s draft environmental review document)

Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin -White House (Administrative Order)

Public Meeting of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council -Bureau of Reclamation (Notice of public meeting)

 

Environmental News Highlights – September 27, 2023

FEDERAL ACTION

Administration Announces New Actions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Combat the Climate Crisis -White House (fact sheet)



PHMSA Invests Nearly $15 Million to Improve Pipeline Safety -Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (media release)

 

COVID-19

Transit Agencies Rethink Schedules for Fewer CommutersGoverning

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

San Francisco considers lifting the Ferry Building by 7 feet to save it from the sea -NPR/WNYC

Can more canal trails connect Utah’s transportation and water needs? –KSL

Miami-Dade again floats using its waters to curb traffic -Florida Politics


Mississippi DOT Promotes National Roundabouts Week 2023
-Mississippi DOT (media release)

New infrastructure strategy meets climate change head-on -Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (media release)

 

AIR QUALITY

EPA approval for Denver smog-reduction plan partially tossed by US appeals court –Reuters

Wildfires are destroying decades of clean air efforts in the U.S. -NBC News

Sustainable aviation fuel: agriculture’s ticket to redemption? -S&P Global

 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Chicago takes on new approach to fight pollution problems, focusing on environmental justice -WLS-TV

To Achieve Justice and Climate Outcomes, Fund These Transit Capital Projects –TransitCenter

Pa.’s expanded environmental justice policy goes into effect this month –WHYY

Chesapeake Bay Trust establishes $17M environmental justice participatory fund -Maryland Daily Record

Four Decades of Work on Environmental Justice at Duke -Duke University (media release)

 

NATURAL RESOURCES

Florida looks to increase number of wetland mitigation banks, credits available to developers -Florida Politics

Missouri farmers face soaring harvest transportation costs amid drought and low Mississippi River levels -KRCG-TV

MARTA Railcars Head For Atlantic Ocean As Part Of Department Of Natural Resources Reef Project -MARTA (media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Disneyland’s renovation plan gets environmental review -Los Angeles Times

Secrets of the World’s Coolest Bike Tunnel –CityLab

FHWA, National Park Service Celebrate Completion of Roadway Safety Improvements Along Natchez Trace Parkway -FHWA (media release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Bozeman City Commission finalizes Parks, Recreation and Active Transportation plan -KECI-TV

Transportation safety advocates want SF to ban turns on red -Axios San Francisco

Complaints continue to mount as Austin finds itself unable to regulate driverless rideshares -KEYE-TV

To Help Cyclists, and the Environment, This Tool Looks for Crashes -New York Times

Houston could have two bike share programs soon -Axios Houston

Union County, NJ to receive One Million Dollars for NY Connects to Union County NJ East Coast Greenway Bikeway Project -Union County, NJ (media release)

George Washington Bridge upgrades improve pedestrian, cyclist accessibility -North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (media release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

TRB Webinar: Maximizing the Power of the Research in Progress (RIP) Database –TRB

Airfield Turf and Vegetation Management Practices –ACRP

E-Scooter Safety: Issues and Solutions -Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program

Homelessness: A Guide for Public Transportation –TCRP

Postwar Commercial Properties and Section 106: A Methodology for Evaluating Historic Significances –NCHRP

Postwar Commercial Properties and Section 106: Piloting the Methodology for Evaluating Historic Significance –NCHRP

Telecommuting, Remote Work, and Hybrid Schedules: Managing the Shift to a Flexible Work Future –NCHRP

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Notice of Adoption of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Categorical Exclusion Under the National Environmental Policy Act -Office of the Secretary, USDOT (Notice)

Interstate System Access -FHWA (Notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments)

Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program; Florida DOT Audit #4 Report -FHWA (Notice)

Notice of Availability of Programmatic Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Transit Projects; Request for Comments -FTA (Notice)

Safety Advisory 23–1 Bus-to-Person Collisions -FTA (Notice of Safety Advisory)

Railroad Safety Advisory Committee; Notice of MeetingFRA (Notice)

Spring Valley II Solar Project -Tennessee Valley Authority (Notice of intent)

Advisory Committee on Landslides; Request for Nominations -U.S. Geological Survey (Notice)

National Boating Safety Advisory Committee; October 17, 2023 Virtual Meeting -U.S. Coast Guard (Notice)

Hazardous Materials: Modernizing Regulations To Improve Safety and Efficiency; Extension of Comment Period -Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; Extension of comment period)