A roundup of headlines curated for state transportation environmental professionals
FEDERAL ACTION
House Passes $1.5T Infrastructure Package – AASHTO Journal
House Climate Report Urges Transit Expansion, VMT Study – AASHTO Journal
GOP irked as $14 billion for water systems became $40 billion – Roll Call
Blumenauer’s bike-related bills move forward in $1.5 trillion House transportation bill – Bike Portland
Could the Coronavirus Kill the Gasoline Tax? – Pittsburgh Today
House Highway Bill Sets Up Showdown On Energy Tax Breaks – Law360
COVID-19
Lessons continue to be learned in TRB events on COVID-19 – TRB
Recycling stakeholders say years of turbulence helped prepare industry for pandemic – Waste Dive
EPA must consider COVID-19 when setting air pollutant standards – The Hill (Commentary)
CEOs Drop Climate Change Talk to Focus on Surviving Covid-19 – Bloomberg
Webinar Series: The Impacts of COVID-19 on Tele-Activities, Travel and Purchasing Behaviors – Rensselaer Institute of Technology (Webinar announcement)
NEPA
Column: For communities and climate, federal government should leave environmental protections alone – Columbus Dispatch (Opinion)
INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY
Developers cancel long-delayed, $8B Atlantic Coast Pipeline – AP
Judge orders Dakota Access pipeline shut down pending review – AP
In New York City, ‘Managed Retreat’ Has Become a Grim Reality – InsideClimate News
AIR QUALITY
House Climate Change Plan Tackles Heavy-Duty Equipment at Ports – Transport Topics
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
‘The Wrong Complexion For Protection.’ How Race Shaped America’s Roadways And Cities – NPR
Video: Access to Nature and Outdoor Recreation are Critical, Underappreciated Environmental Justice Issues – InsideClimate News
Time for California communities to step up on environmental justice – Cal Matters (Commentary)
NATURAL RESOURCES
Mapping America’s Underwater Real Estate – Bloomberg Green
Understanding Wildlife Behavioral Responses to Traffic Noise and Light to Improve Mitigation Planning – UC Davis
ADOT, USGS partnership is a model for sustainable transportation solutions – Arizona DOT
Roadkill Reduced During Lockdowns, but Traffic Is Increasing Again – Smithsonian Magazine
CULTURAL RESOURCES
As summer gets underway, a look at this year’s 10 best U.S. cities for parks – Washington Post (subscription)
HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
Regional Plan Association Calls For Proposed 425-mile Connected and Protected Five Borough Bikeway – RPA (Press release)
He Coined The Word ‘Gridlock’ Now New York City’s Sam Schwartz Plans A Bicycle Bridge To Prevent It – Forbes
It’s Not Too Late to Turn the Electric Scooter Industry Around – Bloomberg Green
TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Guidebook for Managing Data from Emerging Technologies for Transportation – TRB
Seeking principal investigators for FY2021 NCHRP Synthesis Projects: Letters of interest due August 27, 2020 – TRB
Guidelines to Incorporate the Costs and Benefits of Adaptation Measures in Preparation for Extreme Weather Events and Climate Change – TRB
Incorporating the Costs and Benefits of Adaptation Measures in Preparation for Extreme Weather Events and Climate Change – Guidebook – TRB
Advancing Demand Management in Resort Towns and Communities – FHWA (Office of Operations)
FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Program (WIFIA) Criteria Pursuant to the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 – EPA (Notice)
Agency Information Collection Activities; Federal Fish and Wildlife Permit Applications and Reports— Native Endangered and Threatened Species – Fish and Wildlife Service (Notice of information collection; request for comment)
Petition for Partial Reconsideration of Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter: Revision of Federal Implementation Plan Requirements for Texas – EPA (Notice of action denying petition for reconsideration)
Hours of Service of Drivers; Exemption Applications: U.S. Department of Energy – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (Notice of final disposition; grant of application for exemption)