Posts – Page 32 – Environmental Technical Assistance Program Newsletter

Maryland DOT, USACE Join Forces on Chesapeake Bay Project

The Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland Department of Transportation recently signed a Project Partnership Agreement or PPA to work together on the $4 billion Mid-Chesapeake Bay ecosystem restoration project.

[Pictured left to right in photo above: William Doyle; director of the Maryland Port Administration; Maryland DOT Secretary James Ports, Jr.; and Colonel Estee Pinchasin, USACE Baltimore District commander. Photo by the USACE.]

The PPA outlines the roles, responsibilities, and financial obligations of both partners for the restoration of both James and Barren islands in Dorchester County, beneficially re-using material dredged from the Port of Baltimore approach channels and the Honga River, respectively.

The Mid-Bay project includes restoration of 2,072 acres of lost remote island habitat on James Island and 72 acres of remote island habitat on Barren Island. Habitat may include submerged aquatic vegetation, mudflat, low marsh, high marsh, islands, ponds, channels, and upland areas.

USACE said it received more than $80 million in funding from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in November 2021 to complete the design and preconstruction activities for this project.

Based on the current schedule, Barren Island may start to accept dredged material as early as 2024 with James Island accepting material sometime in 2030 after finishing construction of dredged material containment facilities at each location.

The Mid-Bay project should wrap up in 2067 – providing more than 40 years of capacity to place almost 100 million cubic yards of dredged material, USACE said.

“It’s an honor to sign this agreement signifying ‘all systems go’ for this critically important project that will provide so many environmental benefits for Maryland,” said Maryland DOT Secretary James Ports Jr., in a statement.

“Rebuilding James and Barren islands will promote wildlife, restore coastal shorelines, and provide us with a long-term placement site for dredged material from port shipping channels, allowing us to accommodate larger ships bringing more cargo and business to Maryland,” he said.

Every year, USACE dredges nearly five million cubic yards of material from the channels and anchorages serving the Port of Baltimore to maintain current depths and widths for safe navigation. Once removed, the material must be contained or disposed of in an environmentally conscious manner.

“With this project, we hope to build upon the success of Poplar Island,” said Col. Pinchasin. “The habitat we restored and created using dredged material is flourishing.”

“We are very excited to work closely with Col. Pinchasin and her outstanding team at the Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, on this legacy initiative,” added MPA Director William Doyle.

Concurrently, Governor Larry Hogan (R) announced a “historic agreement” to advance a major dredging project at the Port of Salisbury, with dredged material supporting wildlife habitats near that port.

A new memorandum of understanding between Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources and Wicomico County will provide for 137,000 cubic yards of material dredged from the port for re-use to benefit over 70 acres on DNR’s Deal Island Wildlife Management Area.

That material will help restore wetlands, preserve natural habitats, and protect infrastructure along the Manokin River to keep pace with rising sea levels.

“The dredging material will be beneficially used and re-used, and the project will provide for local wetlands restoration, and the creation of vital wildlife habitat,” the governor said in a statement. “I want to thank our team at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, along with our partners in Wicomico County, the City of Salisbury, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for working together toward this collaborative solution.”

“As the second largest port in our state, the Port of Salisbury is critically important to our economy, and was at risk due to a severe need for dredging,” said DNR Secretary Jeannie Haddway-Riccio. “This unique partnership is allowing us to complete this necessary project while using the dredge material to the benefit of our wetlands and wildlife.”

Environmental News Highlights – August 24, 2022

FTA Issues over $1.6B in Clean Bus Grant Awards

The Federal Transit Administration recently issued more than $1.6 billion in grants to transit agencies, territories, and states across the country to invest in 150 bus fleets and facilities.

[Above photo by the MTA]

Funded by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA enacted in November 2021, that funding should nearly double the number of no-emission transit buses on America’s roadways, according to an FTA statement.

The agency added that, for the first time, 5 percent of that low- and no-emission bus funding would go towards training transit workers on how to maintain and operate clean bus technology.

FTA is providing those bus grant awards through two programs. The first is its Low or No Emission (Low-No) Grant Program, which makes funding available to help transit agencies buy or lease U.S.-built low- or no-emission vehicles, including related equipment or facilities.

The IIJA provides $5.5 billion over five years for the Low-No Program – more than six times greater than the previous five years of funding, FTA said. For fiscal year 2022, approximately $1.17 billion is available for grants under this program.

The second is FTA’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program, which supports transit agencies in buying and rehabilitating buses and vans and building bus maintenance facilities. The IIJA provides nearly $2 billion over five years for the program, the agency said. For fiscal year 2022, approximately $550 million for grants was available under this program.

Several state departments of transportation received grants via this round of awards (for a full list of the projects receiving grants, click here). Those include:

The Alaska Department of Transportation, on behalf of the City and Borough of Juneau and Capital Transit, received $2.3 million to rehabilitate and modernize its vehicle storage and maintenance facility.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation received just over $20 million on behalf of the Connecticut Southeast Area Transit District to rehabilitate its Preston transit facility, buy battery electric buses, and launch a training program to help staff operate and maintain zero-emission buses.
The Colorado Department of Transportation received $51 million to support a variety of projects, including $34.7 million on behalf of Summit Stage, a rural transit agency that provides bus service in Summit, Park and Lake Counties in northeast Colorado, to build a bus depot for electrical charging and storage. It will replace Summit Stage’s aging facility and prepare for a 100-percent electric fleet in the future.
The District of Columbia Department of Transportation is getting $9.6 million to help buy battery-electric buses to replace diesel vehicles and increase the size of the Washington, D.C., Circulator fleet.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation gets $23.2 million on behalf of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui counties to buy a mix of zero-emission buses, battery electric buses, and fuel cell electric buses. The agency is also getting a further $12 million to undertake bus stop and facility improvements.
The Iowa Department of Transportation gets $15.8 million for one urban and four rural transit agencies to buy battery electric buses and charging equipment. The agency gets a further $12 million to buy new buses, cutaway chassis, and vans to replace older vehicles for 26 of Iowa’s transit systems.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation gets $4.1 million on behalf of Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority and Nantucket Regional Transit Authority will receive funding to buy battery electric and propane buses to replace older diesel vehicles.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation gets $3.4 million to buy battery electric buses and charging equipment to replace buses that are part of four rural transit fleets.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation gets $3 million on behalf of the South Central Regional Transit District to buy battery electric buses and charging equipment, provide training and buy property it currently leases. It also gets another $2.5 million on behalf of the South Central Regional Transit District to buy battery electric buses and charging equipment as well as fund staff training.
The Oregon Department of Transportation gets $4.6 million to buy battery electric buses and install three new electric chargers. It gets an additional $2 million for the Sandy Area Metro to buy battery electric buses and install charging equipment, replacing diesel buses that have exceeded their useful life.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation gets over $1 million on behalf of River Cities Public Transit, Community Transit of Watertown/Sisseton, Prairie Hills Transit, and Rural Office of Community Services to buy low-emission propane buses, two propane conversion kits, and install a propane fueling station.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation gets $12 million on behalf of two urban and five rural transit agencies to buy buses and demand-response vehicles to replace older vehicles that reached their useful life.
The Utah Department of Transportation gets over $6 million on behalf of Park City Transit to buy battery-electric buses and charging equipment to expand its express route service in the Quinn’s Junction area.
The Vermont Agency of Transportation gets $9.1 million to buy electric buses and install charging equipment for Marble Valley Regional Transit District in Rutland and Green Mountain Transit in Burlington. VTrans gets a further $3.2 million to build a bus depot for the Marble Valley Regional Transit District.
The Washington State Department of Transportation gets $5.4 million to purchase vehicles for three rural transportation providers, replacing buses that have exceeded their useful life, improving quality of life, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Cycling Group Holding Bike Route Webinar for State DOTs

The Adventure Cycling Association is hosting a webinar in November entitled “Successful U.S. Bicycle Route System Designation for Transportation Professionals” for state department of transportation executives and managers.

[Above photo by NYSDOT]

In this one-hour webinar, the group plans to dive into efforts to expand the U.S. Bicycle Route System or USBRS into a national network for long-distance bicycle travel. State DOTs create specific bicycle routes, with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials providing oversight and Adventure Cycling providing technical support for that process.

[Editor’s note: In February 2021, AASHTO and Adventure Cycling signed a memorandum of understanding or MOU to formalize their 16-year partnership, which seeks to create a 50,000-mile national bicycle network.]

Webinar presenters include:

Jenn Hamelman, Adventure Cycling’s USBRS program manager.
Matt Hardy, AASHTO program director for planning and performance management.
Kyla Elzinga, AASHTO associate program director for planning and performance management.
Meg Fennell, transportation analyst with the New York State Department of Transportation state bicycle and pedestrian unit.
Karen Lorf, NYSDOT state bicycle, and pedestrian coordinator.
Jerry Scott, multimodal data system coordinator for the Transportation Data & Analytics Office at the Florida Department of Transportation.
Tiffany Gehrke, Florida DOT Roadway Design Office’s Complete Streets coordinator.

To register for this webinar, click here.

Adventure Cycling said it would not record the November webinar, which is limited to 40 participants. By contrast, in December, Adventure Cycling plans to hold a second webinar on the USBRS for a wider audience – mainly for any person or group considered a stakeholder in the USBRS designation process – with unlimited audience size.

Environmental News Highlights – August 17, 2022

FEDERAL ACTION

AASHTO Comments on Clean Water Certification Rule – AASHTO Journal

What Scientists Say about the Historic Climate Bill – Scientific American

Is the climate bill ‘historic’? Maybe not, historians say. – E&E News

The E-Bike Tax Credit Is Only Mostly Dead As Supporters Plot Next Steps – The Verge

FHWA Announces Final Rule to Reduce Roadway Fatalities in Dark Conditions by Improving Visibility with Retroreflective Pavement Marking – FHWA (Media release)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More than $3 Billion in Funding for Two FEMA Programs to Increase Climate Resilience Nationwide – FEMA (Media Release)

COVID-19

The Pandemic Wasn’t Supposed to Hurt New York Transit This Much – New York Times

How global COVID-19 pandemic restrictions shed light on the relationship between transport and air pollution – University of Melbourne

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Delaware launches initiative to expand electric vehicle charging – WHYY

New York City EV pilot may lead to 10,000 on-street chargers by 2030 – electrive.com

California’s first ‘inland port’ to be built in Kern County – KERO-TV

Satellites Monitor Tiny Roadway Changes Along Texas Highway – Government Technology

Transportation recovery after disasters: A collaborative university/community model – National Institute for Transportation and Communities

Gov. signs infrastructure bond bill, with some amendments and vetoes – Massachusetts Municipal Association

AIR QUALITY

Electric Vehicles and State DOTs – AASHTO’s ETAP Podcast

Are electric trucks zero-emission vehicles? – FreightWaves

The new climate bill abandoned the type of electric vehicle that can make the biggest difference – Electrek

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

New Jersey Debates ‘Overburdened’ in Environmental Justice Rule – Bloomberg Law

Does the Climate Bill Throw Environmental Justice Under the Bus? – The Nation

NATURAL RESOURCES

Outsmart Vegetation-Related Power Outages – T&D World

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Illinois DOT to remove unmarked gravesites to complete upgrades to I-64 in Metro East – KMOV-TV
(Video)

Iowa’s first dual-language road signs added to US Highway 30 near Meskwaki Settlement – Des Moines Register

Law Department predicts challenges ahead for equity-based preservation programs – Austin Monitor

NYC’s public spaces are becoming increasingly hostile toward homeless people – City & State New York

Artwork In Northeast Kansas City Aims To Improve Pedestrian Safety – KSHB-TV

Our national parks still need fixing – The Hill (Opinion)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

Houston’s new funding formula for building bike lanes – Axios

A neighborhood fights to be heard as Dulles planes drown out daily life – Washington Post

Can Greater Access to E-Bikes Get More People Biking? – Portland State University

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Adaptive Flood Relief Techniques to Enhance Resiliency – TBR (Webinar)

Climate Conversations: Wildfire – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

FY 2022 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Mobility, Access, & Transportation Insecurity: Creating Links to Opportunity Demonstration Research: Program Lead – FTA (Notice)

National Chemical Transportation Safety Advisory Committee; Vacancies – Coast Guard (Request for applications)

Safe Loading, Safe Powering and Flotation Compliance Guidance for Electrically Powered Recreational Vessels Policy Letter – Coast Guard (Notice of availability and request for comments)

The Hazardous Waste Electronic Manifest (e-Manifest) System Advisory Board; Notice of Public Meeting – EPA (Notice)

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines; New Source Performance Standards for Stationary Internal Combustion Engines; Court Vacatur – EPA (Final rule)

Proposed Settlement, Clean Water Act Claim – EPA (Notice; request for public comment)

National Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Virtual Public Meeting – EPA (Notification)

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Future Wind Energy Development in the New York Bight; Extension of Comment Period – Bureau of Ocean Energy (Notice)

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Line 5 Tunnel Project, Mackinac and Emmet Counties, Michigan – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Notice of intent)

Bureau of Land Management Request for Information on Federal Old-Growth and Mature Forests – Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (Request for information; Extension of comment period)

Joint Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Vineyard Wind 1 Offshore Wind Energy Project; Notice of Availability of Record of Decision Supplements – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Notice)

Maryland DOT Archeologists Excavate Iron Furnace Site

Archaeologists from the Maryland Department of Transportation are helping excavate two small Colonial-era cabins near the historic Elkridge Furnace in Howard County, MD, located on land originally purchased for a highway project.

[Above photo by the Maryland DOT]

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Elkridge iron furnace –– used enslaved, indentured, and convict labor. Its use of slave labor is why it is now part of the U.S. National Park Service’s “Underground Railroad Network to Freedom,” which chronicles the history of slavery in the United States.

Iron furnaces used intense heat to convert iron ore into “pig iron” which could then be made into tools, wagon wheels, and other iron-based products. The white-hot fires required for this conversion made them labor-intensive and dangerous places to work.

This $50,000 archaeological project is a partnership between Maryland DOT and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources or DNR. The Maryland DOT’s State Highway Administration originally owned the land in conjunction with its construction of nearby I-195 but later conveyed it to DNR to save the historic complex.

The excavation team – led by Dr. Julie Schablitsky, Maryland DOT’s chief of cultural resources – uncovered brick floors, stone foundations, and various artifacts. Archaeologists hope to determine the age of the buildings and their relationship to the historic iron furnace.

*Dr. Julie Schablitsky, Maryland DOT’s chief of cultural resources, describing finds at the site*

“Archaeology is our last chance to understand the lives of these iron furnace workers who endured horrific conditions,” said Dr. Schablitsky in a statement. “We are piecing together their life one ceramic sherd and lost button at a time.”

“This latest partnership between MDOT and DNR shows our shared commitment to collaborate with fellow agencies and the community to discover and preserve one of Maryland’s greatest assets: our history,” added MDOT Secretary James F. Ports Jr.

The agency said any archaeological findings found at the site would become part of “interpretive materials” used by DNR, with the investigation also helping guide DNR’s work to restore the buildings. In the future, DNR and an on-site restaurant – Elkridge Furnace Inn – hope to use the archaeological discoveries to share the history of the site and the lives of the ironworkers with the public.

“As stewards of Maryland’s natural and cultural resources, we are proud to partner with MDOT and support this archaeological work,” DNR Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio said. “Having this information on the Elk Ridge Furnace site is invaluable as we work to interpret the important history of the Underground Railroad and convey what life was like during our nation’s early Industrial Revolution.”

This effort follows a previous dig conducted by Maryland DOT’s archeological team in 2021 that helped discover a historic home site once owned by the father of famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who helped slaves escape north via the Underground Railroad.

The agency’s team discovered the former home of Harriet Tubman’s father, Ben Ross, on property acquired in 2020 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or USFWA as an addition to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, MD.

NCDOT Hydraulics Unit Wins Water Quality Award

The hydraulics unit of the North Carolina Department of Transportation recently won a 2022 Pelican Award from the North Carolina Coastal Federation for its efforts to both protect and improve coastal water quality.

[Above photo by NCDOT]

The Pelican Award honors volunteers, businesses, agencies, and organizations that go “above and beyond” to ensure a healthy North Carolina coast for future generations.

The Federation commended the NCDOT team – one of three winners of Pelican wards this year – for its dedicated advancement of nature-based resilience initiatives, such as its work on the living shoreline project along N.C. 24. That project is part of NCDOT’s effort to make more than 500 miles of coastal roads resilient to storms using nature-based solutions.

“The [NCDOT hydraulics] unit is on the cutting edge of research and advancement of effective stormwater management,” the Federation said in a press release about the 2022 Pelican Award winners.

The Hydraulics Unit has collaborated with the N.C. Coastal Federation for more than 20 years on various projects and educational opportunities.

“We both want to protect our environment, ensure our economy is thriving, and ensure those special areas of our state where people want to visit, work, and play remain accessible,” said NCDOT Hydraulics Engineer Stephen Morgan in a statement.

The unit also received recognition for helping develop the “nature-based” Stormwater Strategies Action Plan released by the Federation and The Pew Charitable Trusts in 2021.

“I want to thank the great work of my staff, who – alongside our partners at the Federation – leveraged resources, expertise, and educational opportunities to make our projects truly successful for all involved,” NCDOT’s Morgan said. “We were very excited to receive the Pelican Award and look forward to continuing our efforts with this important work.”

Environmental News Highlights – August 10, 2022

FEDERAL ACTION

Every State DOT Formally Submits EV Infrastructure Plans – AASHTO Journal

Senate Approves Democrats’ Sweeping Climate and Health Bill – Route Fifty

White House Summit Champions Advanced Air Mobility – National Business Aviation Association

Biden administration announces initiative to improve wastewater sanitation in underserved rural communities – The Hill

States to Target Lower Transportation Emissions Under Proposed Rule – Governing

10 Ways the Biden-⁠Harris Administration Is Making America Resilient to Climate Change – White House (Fact sheet)

COVID-19

Diary of a Pandemic Bus Driver – CityLab

Transportation Department proposes stricter rules for airline refunds after complaints surge – CNBC

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Oregon DOT Begins South Coast Landslide Study – KPIC-TV

Georgia officials want federal help to pay for electric vehicle infrastructure – The Center Square

We haven’t built for this climate – Axios

Think Your Street Needs a Redesign? Ask an AI – CityLab

Groundbreaking marks construction of new Portal Bridge – WCBS-TV (Link to video)

CTDOT Submits National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan – Connecticut DOT (Media release)

AIR QUALITY

U.S. fuel retailers rail against green aviation fuel tax credit – Reuters

How Businesses Can Help Reshape Urban Transportation To Improve Air Quality – Forbes (Op-ed)

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

Implementing Equity in the Transportation Industry – AASHTO Journal (link to video)

A Tree Planter’s Guide to Environmental Justice – North Carolina State University

Automated vehicles and underserved populations – University of Texas at Arlington

NATURAL RESOURCES

Louisiana DOTD Initiates Tree Replacement Program – AASHTO Journal

The End of Snow Threatens to Upend 76 Million American Lives – Bloomberg

EPA Kicks Off Tour of Iconic Waters, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act – EPA (Media release)

Colorado’s newest wildlife overpass and underpass provide safe passage for wildlife and motorists – Colorado DOT (Media release)

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Change in vacation habits placing strain on Gulf Coast traffic – WPMI-TV

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

As more states legalize pot, safety advocates issue guidelines to keep people from getting high and driving – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Everyone loves e-bikes – except some who have to share roads with them – Washington Post

Gates installed to slow bike traffic on busy Park City, Utah trails – KPCW Radio

Amid a summer of more cyclists and fatal crashes, advocates push for better bike infrastructure – WGRZ-TV

Downtown Tampa has e-scooters, bikes and streetcars. Ready for golf carts? – Tampa Bay Times

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Growing the Impacts of Climate-Smart Agriculture – National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Toward a Touchless Airport Journey – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

Update to U.S. DOT FY22 Safe Streets and Roads for All Funding – Office of the Secretary of
Transportation, USDOT (Amendment to FY22 Notice of Funding Opportunity)

Noise Exposure Map Notice: Receipt of Noise Compatibility Program and Request for Review – FAA (Notice)

Request for Comments in Minimum Seat Dimensions Necessary for Safety of Air Passengers (Emergency Evacuation) – FAA (Notice)

Membership in the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group – FAA (Solicitation of applications)

Environmental Justice Scorecard Feedback – Council on Environmental Quality (Request for information)

Federal Railroad Administration Notice of Final Agency Actions on Proposed Railroad Project in California – FRA (Notice)

Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Funding Opportunity – Natural Resources Conservation Service (Notice of availability and finding of no significant impact)

Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Ocean Wind, LLC’s Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore New Jersey; Extension of Comment Period – Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Draft environmental impact statement; extension of comment period)

Notice of Availability of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group Final Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #8: Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats and Finding of No Significant Impact – NOAA (Notice)

Notice of Teleconference Meeting of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Committee – Office of the Secretary of Interior (Notice)

PennDOT Helps Launch New Anti-Littering Effort

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation joined several fellow state agencies to help launch a new anti-litter campaign entitled “PA Fights Dirty: Every Litter Bit Matters.” The creation of this campaign is one of the many recommendations made by Pennsylvania’s first-ever Litter Action Plan, released in December 2021. That plan also won a Pennsylvania Governor’s Awards for Excellence in May.

[Above photo by PennDOT]

“Every Litter Bit Matters” seeks to get state residents to ensure every piece of their trash, regardless of size, is disposed of properly as research shows only 3 percent of Pennsylvanians approve of littering, yet 40 to 50 percent of them admit to littering roadways and other public areas. “Every Litter Bit Matters” also seeks to educate state residents about “situational littering,” such as leaving trash on the ground next to a full can or in a stadium, as well as reminding them that litter of all sizes stacks up and creates problems.

PennDOT noted that a 2019 Litter Research Study found that Pennsylvania has more than 500 million pieces of litter on its roadways, with more than 85 percent of those pieces measuring less than four inches in size. That study also found that litter-related cleanup costs currently total around $350 million each year.

“As a commonwealth, we recognize we need to change behavior, not just clean up the mess,” noted PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian in a statement. “With our collective efforts and this litter-prevention campaign, we are confident we can reduce litter in Pennsylvania.”

“Litter isn’t just ugly to look at. It can cause environmental contamination and put public health at risk,” added Ramez Ziadeh, acting secretary for Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. “Litter can leach chemicals into our land and water, and act as breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus.”

The campaign also features a new Young Ambassadors Program – formed as part of a new partnership between PennDOT and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful or KPB – that aims to involve rising 10th- through 12th-grade students to help with the state’s litter clean-up plans.

The students – chosen through a competitive process – will commit to nine months of service in representing and upholding the mission and values of KPB. Other responsibilities include attending a virtual orientation, four virtual education and training workshops, and up to two virtual networking events, organizing and participating in at least one community cleanup event through Pick Up Pennsylvania, conducting one community education event targeting youth in the student’s community and promoting participation on social media.

From September 2022 through May 2023, Young Ambassadors will build community stewardship by inspiring, engaging, and empowering Pennsylvanians to keep their communities clean and develop civic leadership to advocate for clean and beautiful communities across Pennsylvania, PennDOT added.

Pennsylvania’s new anti-litter campaign is one of several similar state-level efforts recently initiatives in different parts of the country.

In July, Ohio launched a new litter control program launched — one administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation – that seeks to broaden engagement by the business community in its trash removal efforts.

That new Ohio program allows businesses and groups to fund litter removal services along one-mile, one-direction segments of state highways. In exchange for their sponsorship, Ohio DOT displays the name of the business or group on a sign within their sponsored segment.

Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Transportation recruited popular singer, songwriter, and actor Joe Jonas to star in a series of Public Service Announcements as part of the agency’s “Don’t Mess with Texas” anti-littering campaign.

The agency said the “show-stopping” performer – a former Westlake, Texas, resident – takes an “over-the-top” approach in the PSAs to remind folks to keep Texas roadways free of litter.

The “Don’t Mess with Texas” litter prevention program – originally started back in 1986 – includes a grassroots partnership with “Keep Texas Beautiful, annual “Trash-Off” community outreach events, and the Adopt-a-Highway volunteer program.

USDOT Seeks Input for Thriving Communities Initiative

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a request for information or RFI on August 5 to get feedback from industry stakeholders regarding its new Thriving Communities Initiative, which the agency plans to launch this fall. Comments are due by August 26.

[Above photo by New Jersey DOT]

The agency said this new program – created by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in November 2021 – seeks to provide technical assistance and “hands-on” planning to support “transformative infrastructure projects” serving disadvantaged communities across the country.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD is providing complementary technical assistance as part of the Thriving Communities program, USDOT added, to improve the coordination of housing and transportation planning to advance residents’ access to opportunity and increase housing supply.

USDOT said it defines “technical assistance” to include programs, processes, and resources that provide targeted support, knowledge, or expertise to a community, region, organization, or other beneficiary to help access and successfully deploy funding and build local capacity to develop, design, and deliver transportation plans and projects.

The agency noted that it is interested in learning more about best practices in technical assistance delivery approaches from non-federal providers and those federal agencies disadvantaged communities feel have been successful in meeting their needs. USDOT is also interested in the technical assistance challenges disadvantaged communities face or anticipate facing when seeking to access its technical assistance and capacity-building opportunities.

“Given the historic levels of infrastructure funding we have, it is critical that we ensure disadvantaged communities can access those funds,” said USDOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg in a statement. “Through the Thriving Communities Initiative and other programs, the Department of Transportation is committed to collaborating with communities to craft technical assistance programs that meet them where they are and meet their needs — helping to create efficient, accessible transportation for all communities.”

USDOT added that it has aligned its Build America Bureau and other programs with the Thriving Communities initiative, including technical assistance programs supported through the Reconnecting Communities pilot program, the Rural and Tribal Assistance pilot program, and the Asset Concession and Innovative Finance Assistance program.

“Together these critical programs will provide support and access to a diverse set of technical assistance providers to work directly with communities as they identify, develop and deliver infrastructure projects that address critical social, economic, environmental, and mobility needs,” added Morteza Farajian, the Build America Bureau’s executive director.