 Wilbur Smith Associates
Telephone: 859-254-5759 ext. 236
E-Mail: jmettille@wilbursmith.com
Years experience in current field: 29
Position/Title: Senior Environmental Project Manager
EDUCATION: Kansas State University, Master of Arts in Urban and Transportation Geography, 1975-1977; University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Bachelor of Science in Geography and Political Science, 1971-1975
EXPERTISE: Community Impacts, Context Sensitive Solutions and NEPA/Environmental Process Generalist
RELATED TOPICS/EXPERIENCES:
NEPA/Environmental Process Generalist: John was employed over 28 years in the following positions with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC): Chief Environmental Program Administrator (CEPA) while Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Project Development within the State Highway Engineer’s Office; Planner, Senior Environmentalist, Environmentalist Supervisor, Branch Manager, and Director, in the Division of Environmental Analysis. While in the above positions, John served as lead preparer and reviewer for KYTC environmental documents and socio-economic assessments. He also served as KYTC’s NEPA process technical expert. John also has extensive knowledge of the Section 106 process in action, through his experience managing the Cabinet’s archaeological and historic program for over 13 years. With Wilbur Smith Associates (WSA), John has continued to serve the industry with his extensive knowledge and experience in NEPA, CIA, Section 106 and CSS. John served on: the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment (SCOE), the SCOE steering group, the TRB Community Impact Assessment Joint Subcommittee, the Kentucky Biodiversity Council, the Kentucky Historic Preservation Task Force, the NCHRP Project 25-25 Research Panel for SCOE, the FHWA Domestic Scan on Environmental Commitment Implementation Innovative and Successful Approaches, the review panel for the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO’s 2005 and 2006 National Context Sensitive Solutions Competitions, and the Education Task Team of the AASHTO/ACEC/FHWA Task Force on Improving the Quality of Environmental Documents. John was primarily involved in the development of the training curriculums for CSS, CIA and public involvement. He has served as a resource for various DOTs’ ongoing implementation and training development efforts in NEPA, CSS and CIA.
As CEPA for KYTC, John assisted in the development and implementation of the Department’s streamlined project development procedures. This included: the development of a comprehensive set of policy and guidance papers and training materials covering: KYTC’s first comprehensive environmental policy; the composition and function of project teams; base study and document processing guidance; the “CAP”,“Communicating All Promises”’ , KYTC’s commitment tracking program; the shared transportation decision-making process; Public Involvement Policy/Training, and purpose and need procedures/training; the development and implementation of programmatic agreements for Categorical Exclusion Evaluations, and Section 106 Consultation; the development and implementation of a statewide wetland mitigation banking program; and the development of a Categorical Exclusion guidance manual.
In his environmental leadership capacity at KYTC, John assisted in the organization and mentoring of KYTC environmental staffing plans to meet environmental needs in planning, project development, construction, maintenance, and operations in each district office. In the area of professional development, he led or assisted in the development and implementation of: department-wide environmental training plans; CSS workshops for design and construction; Cabinet Culture talks that stressed strategic planning, environmental responsibility and customer satisfaction; and Environmental Leadership workshops. Also, he developed interagency personnel agreements with KYSHPO and US Forest Service.
Context Sensitive Solutions: For many years he was the “voice in the wilderness.” He educated his colleagues on the genesis of stewardship and CSS culture change efforts, designed initial training programs, and oversaw their evolution and refinement as increasing numbers of DOT staff became involved and shared how CSS interfaces with their work.
He made sure this knowledge came back to the community of DOTs at every opportunity. John’s accomplishments include multiple DOT cultural and process change initiatives and pioneering accountability mechanisms associated with those: redefined the project delivery process; environmental and public involvement policy development; assisting in the development and presentation of Context-Sensitive Solutions for Design and Construction workshops; development and DOT-wide implementation of commitment tracking tools; and, developing purpose and need guidance and training. He was recognized nationally as a change agent for transportation agencies and champion for environmental leadership/stewardship, creative public outreach, and context sensitive solutions. His leadership is reflected in his numerous invitations to speak and the presentations he has given at major national and regional conferences.
With WSA, John serves as the national practice leader in the area of CSS. In this role he has developed and presented internal CSS training for WSA project managers and provides technical assistance to WSA project teams. He continues to be involved in CSS at national CSS conferences and workshops.
Community Impacts: John has also been actively involved locally and nationally in the evolution of Community Impact Assessment and incorporation of that into the transportation project development process, presenting at successive national conferences on CIA. He has also been an invited speaker at multiple regional CIA conferences.
John was the Cabinet’s champion for Community Impact Assessment and guided the Cabinet’s first efforts in developing Community Impact Assessments on projects like the KY 114-Mountain Parkway Extension, Newtown Pike Extension and US 119 Crossing of Pine Mountain. These assessments begin in planning and continue throughout the project development process. These organizational changes have persisted across administrations.
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