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Gina Barberio | Rachael Barolsky USDOT/RITA Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Gina Barberio | Rachael Barolsky USDOT/RITA Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Michael Culp | Rob Ritter Federal Highway Administration TRB Annual Meeting January 15, 2008.

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Gina Barberio | Rachael Barolsky USDOT/RITA Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

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  1. Gina Barberio | Rachael Barolsky USDOT/RITA Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Michael Culp | Rob Ritter Federal Highway Administration TRB Annual Meeting January 15, 2008 FHWA’s Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) Program:Using the PEL Umbrella Approach to Streamline Transportation Decision-making

  2. Discussion Framework • PEL Background • Benefits • Important Elements of PEL - Intra-Agency Coordination - Inter-Agency Coordination - Data Sharing and Analysis • Lessons Learned • FY 2008-2009 PEL Priorities

  3. Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL): What is it? • An APPROACH to transportation decision-making • A PROGRAM promoting tools and resources • Supports FHWA/FTA Planning and NEPA Regulations

  4. PEL Activities

  5. Expected Benefits of PEL • Relationship-building • Process efficiency • On-the-ground outcomes

  6. Important Elements of PEL • Intra- Agency Coordination • Inter- Agency Coordination • Data Sharing and Analysis

  7. Intra-Agency Coordination • Obtain executive level commitment to a more comprehensive process • Increase coordination among planning, environment, GIS, and IT staff • Sample Actions: • Conduct inter-disciplinary meetings • Host cross-training sessions • Develop agency-wide guidance

  8. Intra-Agency Coordination Example • Coordination includes sharing information, documents, history, files, commitments • Colorado DOT’s Linking Planning & NEPA Guidance and Online Training • Incorporated planning products into environmental review process http://www.dot.state.co.us/environmental/Training/NEPA_index.asp

  9. Inter-Agency Coordination • Involve resource agencies early in transportation planning • Sample Actions: • Establish interagency work groups or committees • Host workshops (e.g., Linking Conservation and Transportation Planning) • Establish MOUs/MOAs

  10. Inter-Agency Coordination Example • Southeast Michigan Council of Governments’ (SEMCOG) Long-Range Transportation Planning • Analyzed potential impacts of planned transportation projects on environmentally sensitive resources • Consulted with multiple agencies to determine significant resources and appropriate buffer sizes

  11. Data Sharing and Analysis • Share data/analyses among agencies • Overlay proposed transportation projects on identified sensitive resources • Meet planning requirement for comparison of metropolitan plans to State conservation plans/maps; inventories of natural or historic resources • Data and Analysis Tools: • Geographic Information Systems • Project Screening Tools

  12. Data Sharing and Analysis Example • Florida’s Environmental Screening Tool (EST) • Identifies and maps environmental concerns • Screens potential projects • Resource agencies analyze their own data • Secure website for project reviews

  13. Lessons Learned • Implementation of PEL approach is an ongoing, long-term process • Determining and agreeing on the appropriate level of environmental detail is key • Decisions along the way need to have good documentation behind them • Communication/coordination, both internally and externally, is a major challenge • There is a need to demonstrate the benefits of PEL

  14. FHWA’s FY 2008-2009 PEL Priorities • Technical Assistance • State-specific technical assistance • Peer Exchange on GIS in PEL • Linking Conservation and Transportation Planning Workshops • Integration with FHWA Initiatives • (Eco-Logical, Integrated Planning, etc.)

  15. FHWA’s FY 2008-2009 PEL Priorities • Targeted Expansion of PEL Areas • Capturing best practices in State DOTs • Exploring links between PEL and other planning and environment areas

  16. FHWA’s FY 2008-2009 PEL Priorities • Outreach/Communication • PEL website http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp • Publications and reports on new PEL resources and analysis • Conferences, workshops to enhance awareness of PEL

  17. U.S. DOT/ Volpe Center: Gina Barberio Gina.Barberio@volpe.dot.gov Rachael Barolsky Rachael.Barolsky@volpe.dot.gov Federal Highway Administration: Robert Ritter Robert.Ritter@dot.gov Mike Culp Michael.Culp@dot.gov Questions? http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp

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