What is a Link?

Planning and Environmental Linkages for 2014 and Beyond

Carmen M. Stemen, MUPPlanning & Environment Specialist

FHWA Ohio Division

Carmen.Stemen@dot.gov(614) 280-6848

Planning and Environment Goals

We recommend that, in laying out new towns and villages, and in extending those already laid out, ample provision be made for a supply, in purity and abundance, of light, air, and water; for drainage and sewerage, for paving, and for cleanliness.

Report of the Sanitary Commission of Massachusetts, 1850

PEL Planning and Environment Linkages

An approach to transportation decision-making that considers:

Environmental Community

Economic

Benefits of Planning & Environment Linkages

Relationship-building benefits: Become an effective player in the decision-making process Build interagency relationships early in Planning Improve inter-agency relationships to resolve differences on key issues

Improved project delivery timeframes and efficiency by: Minimize duplication of planning and NEPA processes Create a cohesive flow of information Move from planning to design/implementation with less effort

On-the-ground outcome benefits: Design programs and projects to effectively serve the community's

transportation needs Provides tools to design better projects while avoiding/minimizing

impacts on natural resources

TOOLS to Strengthen PEL

Category 1: Institutional Changes

Champions and Exchanges

Training and Exchanges

Documenting new procedures/analysis

Organizational structuring

Executive-level commitment

Performance measures

Example for Category 1

NOACA (Cleveland) SHRP2, Organizing for Reliability (TSMO - Transportation Systems Management and Operations) Project

TOOLS to Strengthen PEL

Category 2: Planning and Environmental Process Enhancements

Develop long-range transportation plans in consultation with resource and regulatory agencies

Consider mitigation opportunities Corridor planning, sub area

planning, and tiering Carry planning decisions into and

through project development Consider Context Sensitive

Solutions (CSS)

Examples for Category 21) LACRPC (Lima-Allen County Regional Planning

Commission), Transportation Infrastructure Risk Assessment for Flooding

The extent of the Great Black Swamp prior to the 19th Century – Wikipedia.org

2) ODOT’s revision of its Project Development Process (PDP)

TOOLS to Strengthen PEL

Category 3: Coordination and Communication

Communicate with stakeholders Establish standing inter- and

intra-agency coordination groups

Develop Memoranda of Understanding/ Agreement

Fund staff positions at partner agencies

Planning and Environmental Process Enhancements

Example for Category 3

National Gateway Clearance Initiative (FRA, FHWA, ODOT, Penn DOT, WV DOT, Maryland DOT

TOOLS to Strengthen PEL

Example of Category 4FHWA – Solicitation of DOT/MPO Greenhouse Gas (GHG) or Energy Analysis of Transportation-related Emission or Energy-use Sources in the Planning Process

Category 4: Data and Analysis Tools

Document existing geographic data

Develop protocols and tools for sharing data and analysis among and within agencies

Improve access to and use of geographic resource data by transportation staff

Collect and maintain data regularly

Summary - Goals of PEL

Goals:- create a seamless decision-making process- minimize duplication of effort- promote environmental stewardship- reduce delay from planning to project implementation

Lays the foundation for broad consensus on goals and priorities in transportation

Resources

FHWA’s website on Planning and Environment Linkageshttp://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/index.asp

SHRP2 Solutions – tools for the Road Ahead websitehttp://www.fhwa.dot.gov/goshrp2/

NOACA’s (Cleveland) website ODOT’s PDPhttp://www.noaca.org/ http://www.dot.state.oh.us/projects/pdp/Pages/default.aspx

LACRPC ‘s (Lima) website The President’s Plan to Fight Climate Changehttp://lacrpc.com/ http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/climate-action-plan

FHWA websitehttp://dotnet.dot.gov/