The Federal Transit Administration has posted information on training and assistance in Environmental Management Systems for state and local transit agencies. For more information, link to Environmental Management Systems Training and Assistance on the FTA website. (February 2008)

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The Transportation Research Board has published 22 peer-reviewed papers that address various environmental issues in its Transportation Research Record Journal, Issue No. 2011. The papers cover diverse subjects including efforts by departments of transportation to develop environmental management systems, vehicle emissions modeling, air quality benefits of freeway high-occupancy vehicle lanes in southern California, use of highway underpasses for large mammals and other wildlife, and others. For more information, link to TRB’s Environmental Issues 2007. (1-18-08)

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A new handbook produced by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO provides advice on the development and implementation of environmental management systems (EMSs) for state transportation agencies. The handbook introduces EMS concepts; describes basic EMS components that can be applied to any DOT activity or facility; and includes suggestions on how to consider, develop, and implement an EMS. The handbook updates and expands on information included in the AASHTO EMS Implementation Guide, originally issued in August 2003. For more information, link AASHTO Practitioner’s Handbook No. 8: Developing and Implementing an Environmental Management System in a State Department of Transportation (DOT). (September 2007)

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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of New York has signed an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to perform self-audits of compliance with federal environmental regulations at its bus and truck maintenance facilities systemwide. After performing self-audits, which MTA intends to complete within two and a half years and which cover all major federal environmental programs, the agency will report violations to EPA and take corrective action. In return EPA will provide MTA with relief from monetary penalties. For more information, link to the press release and the EPA Region 2 Fleet Initiative website. (6-20-07)

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The National Cooperative Highway Research Program has released a prototype software program to support environmental information management for transportation and planning agencies. The software is the result of research conducted under NCHRP Project 25-23(2), intended to design, test, and demonstrate a prototype software program for an environmental information management and decision support system. The effort to design the software is described in NCHRP Research Results Digest 317: Prototype Software for an Environmental Information Management and Decision Support System. The final report for NCHRP Project 25-23(2) and a user’s guide for the prototype software is available as NCHRP Web-Only Document 103. A link and instructions for downloading the software are available on the TRB website. (4-25-07)

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