Announcements

The 2020 annual meeting of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Committee on Environment & Sustainability took place over five virtual sessions in October. To access the recorded meeting sessions please click here.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO held an Environmental Justice Virtual Peer Exchange on July 10, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The event included two panel discussions, one on integrating health into transportation planning, and another on EJ considerations for planning and environmental linkages (PEL)

This AASHTO-sponsored webinar included an overview of AASHTO's mission in resilience and presentations on international resilience approaches and projects.

A year-in-review report on federal court decisions issued in 2019 in cases involving environmental reviews for transportation projects is now available. The report is published as part of the Center for Environmental Excellence's Case Law Updates on the Environment (CLUE) database.  

The Center for Environmental Excellence is updating the frequently visited Programmatic Agreements Library (PAL) on the Center’s website, and seeks representation from all state departments of transportation. Please forward your best examples of programmatic agreements issued in the past five years to environment@aashto.org or suggest a Programmatic Agreement online.

Traffic impacts on wildlife behavior are largely unknown, but may be the primary determinant of wildlife distribution in response to fragmentation from roads. This webinar will present findings from 3 years of research by the Road Ecology Center at the University of California, Davis on the distribution of wildlife relative to highways and their behavior in response to instantaneous traffic disturbance.

During the month of April 2020, the AASHTO Committee on Transportation System Security & Resilience sponsored a series of weekly “virtual panels” focused on priority issues state DOTs are facing as they respond and recover from COVID-19 impacts. Virtual panel recordings and materials are now available and can be accessed here.

A year-in-review summary of federal court decisions issued in 2018 in cases involving environmental reviews for highway, transit, passenger rail, and airport projects is available on the Center website. Link here.

AASHTO is seeking poster presentations for the Committee on Environment and Sustainability meeting reception and poster session on August 6th, from 6 to 8 pm at the Radisson Blu in Minneapolis. Send a one page description to Oscar Bermudez (obermudez@aashto.org) by June 21st. If selected, you will be notified by July 12th.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO is soliciting proposals for a Task on Streamlining Resources. Deliverables may include an electronic toolkit, case studies, practitioner's handbook, and video interviews with practitioners. Offers are due Dec. 5. For more information, link to the RFP. 

A report on stormwater best management practices operations and maintenance has been issued by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO's Stormwater Community of Practice. Link here 

Materials from AASHTO’s 2018 Noise Practitioners Summit are now available on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO website. The event brought together noise practitioners from state transportation agencies, as well as staff from AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration, to discuss emerging topics of interest in the field and define a roadmap for the future of noise programs and research. Link here

The Resilience Innovations Summit and Exchange (RISE) will be held Oct. 8-9, in Denver.  The event is sponsored by AASHTO, in partnership with FHWA and the Transportation Research Board, and hosted by Colorado DOT.  It will provide a forum for sharing state-of-the-practice information about how to include resilience practices within transportation system performance activities.  Link here.

A recording and related materials are now available from the May 2 webinar on innovative best management practices for state DOT stormwater programs will be sponsored by the AASHTO Stormwater Community of Practice. For more information and registration, link here.

Research proposals are being accepted until June 8, 2018, for the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) Database. Due to a system failure, proposals entered before May 4, 2018, have been lost. This failure has been repaired and we ask that you resubmit any proposals submitted before May 4, 2018.  Or, if you have your research ideas in a word document or an easily shareable format you can send the information to Melissa Savage msavage@aashto.org) and we will arrange to have the information entered. TERI is a central storehouse for tracking and sharing new transportation and environmental research ideas.

Recordings of a series of webinars on transportation resilience are now available. The series was sponsored by AASHTO’s Resilient and Sustainable Transportation Systems technical assistance program. For more information, link here.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO sponsored an assembly of key DOT stakeholders Nov. 6-7 to contribute to an important dialogue on resiliency. This day-and-a-half conference hosted state-level professionals to discuss both strategies and challenges for building more resilient transportation systems. For more info, link here.

AASHTO's Environmental Justice Community of Practice held a conference call to provide a recap and follow up to the Environmental Justice sessions at AMPO’s Annual Meeting. for a summary of the call, link to the CoP web page here. 

A recording of AASHTO's Nov. 17 webinar, Environmental Justice Community of Practice, Meaningful Community Engagement, is now available here.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO, in partnership with the National Conference of State Legislators, has launched a series of six webinars on environmental justice in transportation. The Sept. 14 webinar recording and presentations are available for viewing here. (9-22-17)

The AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment and the Subcommittee on Design met in Des Moines, Iowa, to discuss environmental and design issues of national importance. The meeting was held July16-22. ​ For meeting materials, please click here. 

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO is accepting submissions to the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) database. Suggestions for new ideas are welcome from practitioners across the transportation and environmental community.  Proposals are due June 2, 2017. For more information, link to the call for research ideas. To submit ideas visit the TERI database.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO is seeking proposals for consultant support for a Community of Practice on Stormwater. To access the Request for Proposals, link here. 

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO is seeking proposals for consultant support for a Community of Practice on Environmental Justice. To access the Request for Proposals, link here.   

A webinar held March 23 addressed activities agencies can consider to streamline decision making and expedite project delivery. Presenters included officials from Ohio DOT; Maricopa Association of Governments, Arizona;  AASHTO; and FHWA. Link to the Webinar and presentation slides.

A recording is now available of the Jan. 31 to describe a new Practitioner’s Handbook, Complying with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act for Transportation Projects. This webinar featured a series of panelists who presented the Handbook and provided examples of ESA compliance. The Handbook was developed by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO, in coordination with FHWA. For registration information, link here.

AASHTO is seeking nominees from the AASHTO member transportation departments for the 2017 AASHTO Transportation Management Fellowship to work on engineering and transportation policy issues in AASHTO's Washington, DC, office during calendar year 2017. This one-year fellowship provides the successful candidate(s) with the opportunity to interact with engineers, transportation professionals, and policy-makers from across the country. For more information, link here.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO held a webinar on Nov. 10 to present Practitioner’s Handbook 16,  Implementing Eco-Logical: Integrating Transportation Planning and Ecological Decision Making. The webinar explained the Practitioner’s Handbook format, discuss the benefits of the Eco-Logical approach, and highlight three agency examples of implementation. To access the webinar recording and handbook, link here. 

The Center for Environmental Exellence by AASHTO's has lanched the Roadmap and Tracking Tool for Programmatic Agreements, including a May 23, 2016, introductory webinar by the Center and the Federal Highway Administration. The Roadmap is a user-friendly web-based tool that will guide practitioners through the process to develop and implement a programmatic agreement. The Tracking Tool provides a web-based template for state DOTs to track the benefits of programmatic agreements. For more information and webinar recording, link here.

A May 18, 2016, webinar highlighted the findings of a recent peer exchange on environmental justice sponsored by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration. The webinar  highlighted the EJ Road Map, what FHWA is doing to advance the integration of EJ, effective practices from practitioners, and emerging issues. For the webinar recording and peer exchange information, link here.

Research proposals are being accepted until May 30, 2016, for the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) Database. TERI is a central storehouse for tracking and sharing new transportation and environmental research ideas. The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO maintains TERI and keeps all content current. Suggestions for new ideas are welcome from practitioners across the transportation and environmental community. 

AASHTO held a webinar on March 1 to explore the results of NCHRP 25-43, Navigating Multi-Agency NEPA Processes to Advance Multimodal Transportation Projects. This recently completed research identifies challenges that transportation agencies typically face when carrying out a NEPA process involving more than one U.S. DOT agency. For more information including the webinar recording and presentations, link here.

Presentations from a February 2016 Environmental Justice Peer Exchange hosted by AASHTO are now available on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO website. The outcome of the peer exchange was a roadmap that documents strategies and highlights MPO and State DOT Environmental Justice/Title VI efforts, to guide the state of the practice over the next two to three years. For more information, link to the peer exchange materials.

A webinar on stormwater program organizational structure for state DOTs was held on March 17, 2016, sponsored by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration. The webinar addressed organizational attributes that are key to an ideal organization structure that promotes surface water quality protection.  For more details and to view the recording, link here.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO (CEE) held webinar on March 22, 2016, highlighting key court decisions in 2015 involving the NEPA process for transportation projects. The webinar discussed 18 case summaries highlighted in the 2015 Year in Review report. The summaries and "Year in Review Reports" are featured on the Case Law Updates on the Environment (CLUE) Database on the CEE website. To view the webinar recording, link here. 

A webinar to discuss the results of the Oct. 2015 Noise Practitioners Summit and resultant roadmap was held Feb. 23, sponsored by AASHTO in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration. The webinar discussed regulation, traffic noise modeling and abatement, construction noise and vibration, design/build projects, and technology transfer. For more information, including a summary white paper, link here.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO announces updated website content, including more than 20 new case studies, new topics, and revised content on 21 separate topic areas. For more information, link to the announcement and the Center Website Home Page.

A webinar to discuss the latest developments in stormwater tools, administration, and enforcement programs for transportation project construction was held on Jan. 28, sponsored by AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration. For more information, link to webinar recording and presentations.

Information from an October 2015 Traffic Noise Practitioners Summit is available on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO website. For more information, including agenda, introduction and presentations, link to the summit overview.

Information from a Nov. 2015 peer exchange on state transportation agencies’ assumption of responsibility for Federal Highway Administration environmental review authority under the National Environmental Policy Act is available on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO website. For more information, link to the peer exchange overview

Eighteen new case law summaries have been posted on the Case Law Updates on the Environment (CLUE) Database on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO website. Updates include cases decided through the end of October 2015. To access the latest summaries, link to "All Legal Issues" in the CLUE database.

A webinar on water quality post-construction best management practices (BMPs) for transportation agencies will be held Dec. 8 by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO and the Federal Highway Administration.  The webinar will be held from 11am -12:30 pm Eastern Time. For more information, link here.

In July 2015, AASHTO’s Standing Committees on Environment, Planning, Public Transportation, and the Subcommittee on Highway Transport held a joint meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, to capitalize on the overlapping focus areas between environmental, planning, public transportation, and freight professionals at the state departments of transportation (DOTs). Link to presentations and Summary White Paper.

A report analyzing how state transportation agencies communicate the environmental benefits of transportation and how those communications could be improved has been issued by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO.

Twenty one new case law summaries related to environmental issues in transportation are now available on the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO Website. The newly added case summaries the in Case Law Updates on the Environment (CLUE) database include 16 cases involving highway projects, four involving transit projects, and one involving a multimodal project.

Materials available on the recently released Practitioner's Handbook on Preparing High Quality Environmental Documents for Transportation Projects. 

Techniques for preparing high quality environmental documents for transportation projects and real-world examples of those techniques are provided in a report produced by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. Link to the report.

Materials are available from the July 28-31, 2014, National Stormwater Practitioners Meeting, sponsored by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. The event brought together department of transportation stormwater experts from more than 35 states to exchange ideas, best practices, and lessons learned related to improving DOT stormwater programs. 

A briefing paper to assist state departments of transportation in preparing for potential compliance audits of their stormwater management programs has been developed by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. The paper provides DOTs with information about the U.S. EPA audit process for municipal separate storm sewer systems.

Materials are now available from the May 6-7 Air Quality Peer Exchange sponsored by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. The event brought together more than 40 air quality practitioners from around the country to exchange ideas, best practices, and lessons learned related to air quality issues facing State Departments of Transportation. Materials include a summary white paper and presentations. 

AASHTO is seeking contractor assistance with developing sessions about extreme weather and climate resiliency at key AASHTO summer meetings and regional meetings. AASHTO would like the contractor to attend and give presentations, as needed, during these sessions. Proposals are due March 18. For more information, link to the RFP and associated Amendment.

AASHTO's Air Quality Community of Practice has posted a report on minimizing short term emissions impacts from construction activities and equipment.  The report discusses how road construction activities can result in fugitive dust emissions from various types of activities, as well as exhaust emissions from heavy duty construction equipment. To access the report, link here.

AASHTO’s Center for Environmental Excellence is seeking proposals for consultant support for a two-day peer exchange focusing on air quality issues, for approximately 15-20 state DOT air quality experts in Spring 2014. The peer exchange will provide a forum for participants to discuss air quality challenges, research gaps, and technical assistance needs.  Proposals are due Oct. 25. To access the RFP, link here.

An updated chapter on winter operations and salt, sand and chemical management has been added to the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO's Compendium of Environmental Stewardship Practices for Highway Construction & Maintenance. Link here to access the updated Chapter.

The Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO has launched a new topic covering the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). The section includes the following sections: an overview of the law's provisions; recent developments; case studies; research, documents and reports; and organizations and training. Link to the MAP-21 topic.

A summary document describing AASHTO’s May 2013 National Symposium on Extreme Weather Events is available from AASHTO. To access the White Paper, link here.

AASHTO has issued a call for transportation and environmental research ideas to the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO via the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) Database. The Center will accept new TERI research ideas through Tuesday, June 18th. If you are unable to make the deadline, you may still submit your ideas, but they will not be considered for recommendation to NCHRP in this cycle.

AASHTO has issued a request for proposals for support in management of environmental research tasks, including the TERI research database, implementation of research topics, and services associated with SHRP 2 products, including C06 Implementing Ecological and C19 Expedited Planning and Environmental Review. More info.

A White Paper issued by AASHTO examines how elements of transportation asset management provide a mechanism for integrating consideration of extreme weather risk into transportation agency decision making (12-4-12).

The Leaner and Greener report and related video issued by AASHTO showcases some of the many ways transportation agencies are simultaneously cutting costs, helping the environment, and strengthening communities.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) invites offerors (bidders) to submit offers (proposals) for a Request for Proposal for the AASHTO Extreme Weather Impacts Conference. Offers in PDF are due to the attention of Strat Cavros no later than 4PM EDT October 26, 2012. For more information, link to the RFP and the RFP Amendment.

Information presented at AASHTO’s 2012 Stormwater Practitioners Meeting was be described in an Oct. 23 webinar sponsored by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. The webinar discussed highlights from the practitioners meeting, DOT challenges with stormwater requirements, and peer to peer exchange of information. In addition, it will provide an update on stormwater regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency and will discuss best practices from state DOTs. For more information link here.

A webinar, Post Construction BMP Selection – Runoff Management to Meet Quantitative Pollution Limits, was held by AASHTO on June 7. For more information, link to the Stormwater Webinar page.

A plan for coordinating public and private sector action to accelerate the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles nationwide is presented in a report produced by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions with support from the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. For more information, link here.

Case studies of best practices for historic bridge rehabilitation from across the country are detailed in a report produced by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO’s Historic Bridges Community of Practice. Link to Case Studies on Rehabilitation of Historic Bridges.

Guidance on complying with Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) guidelines in the environmental review process for surface transportation projects is provided in a Practitioner’s Handbook published by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. For more information, link here.

AASHTO’s stormwater webinar series continued on June 28 with a review of strategies that transportation agencies are undertaking in Maryland, Colorado, and Oregon. To access a recording of the webinar, link here.

This April 28 AASHTO webinar provides an overview of the emerging requirements and highlights the current state of practice in controlling transportation construction runoff and strategies for meeting permitting requirements as well as how effluent guidelines may be implemented in state construction permit renewals. Link here.

Tips and guidance on assessing indirect effects and cumulative impacts under NEPA for transportation projects are provided in a new handbook issued by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO. Link to Practitioner’s Handbook 12, Assessing Indirect Effects and Cumulative Impacts Under NEPA as well as the recorded webinar on the Handbook.

The AASHTO Air Quality Community of Practice has issued a new report, Use of Transportation Control Measures and Reasonably Available Control Measures in Approved or Submitted State Implementation Plans. To access the report, link here. (4-22-11)

AASHTO's Standing Committee on Environment and Standing Committee on Planning, in conjunction with the Center for Environmental Excellence, will sponsor the National Planning and Environmental Practitioners Meeting in Boston, MA, on June 20-23, 2011. For more information, link to the event website.

The AASHTO Stormwater Management Community of Practice (COP) has issued a new state-of-the-practice report on EPA's post-construction stormwater control rulemaking. To access the report, link here. (2-16-11)

Practitioners are invited to submit transportation and environmental research ideas to the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO via the Transportation and Environmental Research Ideas (TERI) Database through Friday April 22nd for the current cycle of NCHRP projects. To submit ideas, link here.

The AASHTO Air Quality Community of Practice (COP) has issued the following report, Establishing Air Quality Background Concentration Levels for Projects, State-of-the-Practice, Dec. 2010.

A compilation of select programmatic agreements from state transportation agencies is provided in a report produced by the Center for Environmental Excellence by AASHTO and in an updated online database as a part of a strategy for expediting project delivery, in support of FHWA's Every Day Counts Initiative. For more information, link to Programmatic Agreements Update 2010 and to the Programmatic Agreements Library.

AASHTO's series of climate change webinars continues through June 2011. These webinars, sponsored by AASHTO and FHWA, are intended to assist state DOTs and other transportation agencies in planning and implementing actions to respond to climate change. For more information, link to the Climate Change Webinar Series page.