A roundup of headlines curated for state transportation environmental professionals
FEDERAL ACTION
EPA Narrows States’ Veto Power Over Infrastructure Projects – Bloomberg Law (see Federal Register Notices below)
23 states sue Trump to keep California’s auto emission rules – Associated Press
Injunction Sought Against Water Rule – Progressive Farmer
Colorado files lawsuit defending streams, wetlands – Conejos County Citizen
Energy & Sustainability Washington Updates – June 2020 – National Law Review
At last, a climate policy platform that can unite the left – Vox
Lawsuit Launched to Fight Trump EPA’s Delay in Reducing Sulfur Dioxide Air Pollution – Center for Biological Diversity (Press release)
Big Oil loses appeal, climate suits go to California courts – Associated Press
Senate Chairman Roger Wicker Unveils Rural Transportation Bill – Transport Topics
COVID-19
Enlisting Science and Technology in the Fight Against COVID-19 – and the Ongoing Struggle for Sustainable Development – National Academies
Oh No, Here Comes the Transportation Hellscape – New York Times (subscription)
Supporting commuters returning to worksites during covid-19 – Association for Commuter Transportation (Report)
Democrats Push Pandemic Aid, Highlight Infrastructure Package – Transport Topics
The Pandemic Cut Down Car Traffic. Why Not Air Pollution? – NPR
How to Safely Travel on Mass Transit During Coronavirus – CityLab
NEPA
Heber Wild Horse plan development reaches milestone – White Mountain Independent (Arizona)
INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY
Building Highways and Preserving the Environment – Transfers (Report)
What Role can Infrastructure Play in the COVID-19 Recovery Effort? – Novogradac (Commentary)
Managed Retreat in the Face of Climate Change, Part 2 – CleanTechnica
Sustainability vs. Conservation: Key Similarities and Differences – Conservation Folks
Repeated Hurricanes Reveal Risks and Opportunities for Social-Ecological Resilience to Flooding and Water Quality Problems – American Chemical Society (Report)
A Climate for Reading: A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety – Climate in Emergency (Blog)
AIR QUALITY
Study Examines COVID Shutdowns and Air Quality in Cities Worldwide – The George Washington University
Why We Must Close Polluting Urban Power Plants – US News and World Report (Commentary)
Cutting Air Pollution Is Crucial to Avoiding Second COVID-19 Peak, Reveals New Report – Interesting Engineering
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Chelsea and East Boston deserve true transit equity – CommonWealth
NATURAL RESOURCES
With Summer Heat Waves, Hurricanes, and Flooding on the Horizon, Disaster Responders Grapple with Planning for Extreme Weather in the Time of COVID-19 – National Academies
The Tragedy of the Compost – Scientific American (Opinion)
Road markings can be ‘microplastics risk’ – new report – ITS International
When States Get Serious About Phasing Out Natural Gas – JD Supra
Final Report: Oil and Gas Extraction Wastewater Management – EPA (Report)
Aera retreats from coastal project – Bakersfield Californian
CULTURAL RESOURCES
Uncovering Our Ancient Past – Archaeologist employs total stations to create photorealistic 3D GIS models – American Surveyor
Great Falls group, VDOT, Park Service collaborate on traffic hot-spot – InsideNoVa
State Parks Releases Final Scoping Document for Draft Historic Preservation Plan and Generic Environmental Impact Statement – New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (Press release)
How to Detect the Distortions of Maps – CityLab
‘Plano did not just fall out of the sky:’ Why preserving the city matters – Plano Star Courier
HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
How mobility startups can help authorities fix public transport after the pandemic – Urban Mobility Daily
Alaskans want to ride. But a pandemic bicycle boom is making supplies scarce. – Alaska Public Media
Atlanta Ordinance Establishes New Permit Structure For Micro-Mobility Companies – WABE
Uber destroys thousands of bikes and scooters – BBC News
TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Forecasting through COVID-19 will be crucial for the future of transportation – TRB NCHRP
Best Workplaces for Commuters Announces Telework Certificate Program – Yahoo Finance
FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES
EPA Issues Final Rule that Helps Ensure U.S. Energy Security and Limits Misuse of the Clean Water Act – EPA (Press release)
Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of Incidental Take Permit Application and Habitat Conservation Plan for the Proposed Rooney Ranch Wind Repowering Project, Alameda County, California; Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment – Fish and Wildlife Service (Notice)
Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program – USDOT (Final Rule)