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From page 36... ... C-1 APPENDIX C: RESULTS FROM STATEWIDE, METROPOLITAN, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AGENCIES Statewide Survey The statewide survey was sent out to 50 members – one from each U.S. state and the District of Columbia – of the American Society of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Read the entire page →
From page 37... ... C-2 have been considered in the statewide planning process. Figure C-2 summarizes the percentages of respondents using various methods and tools for considering environmental factors in the planning process. Read the entire page →
From page 38... ... C-3 • Governor's office • State environmental resource agency • Other state agencies • Environmental advocacy groups: National office • Environmental advocacy groups: State/Local office • MPOs • Public interest groups (other than environmental) Seventy-four percent (74%) Read the entire page →
From page 39... ... C-4 Incorporating Environmental Factors Earlier in Project Development Eighty-four percent (84%) of the respondents to the statewide survey indicated that they have taken action to promote the consideration of environmental factors earlier in the project development process of implementing agencies, while only three percent (3%) Read the entire page →
From page 40... ... C-5 • Helps develop a constituency for a project • Improves our agency image • Links planning better with project development • We do not consider early consideration of environmental factors to be important When asked which one reason they thought was the most important reason for incorporation environmental factors earlier in project development, thirty-nine percent (39%) of the respondents chose "results in better decisions". Read the entire page →
From page 41... ... C-6 overall, 10 years in the future, environmental factors will have more importance in the update of the metropolitan transportation plan. Twenty-five (25%) Read the entire page →
From page 42... ... C-7 The metropolitan survey respondents indicated that one hundred percent (100%) of the environmental data for climate, water quality, biological, historic properties, and community cohesion considerations is in existence as historical data or data from another group. Read the entire page →
From page 43... ... C-8 Obstacles in the Planning Process The MPOs were asked to identify the major obstacles they have experienced in incorporating environmental concerns into statewide transportation planning. The major obstacles they were given to choose from included: • Competing priorities that distract from environmental issues • No regulations requiring the consideration of environmental factors • Lack of data for considering environmental factors • Lack of appropriate analysis tools for considering environmental factors On average, the respondents identified two major obstacles that were faced by agencies in incorporating environmental consideration into metropolitan transportation planning. Read the entire page →
From page 44... ... C-9 • Implemented changes to the organization of my agency to better handle environmental issues • Developed new standard operating procedure that require earlier consideration • Implemented a fatal flaw assessment that identifies environmental problems early on • Used environmental experts to identify environmentally sensitive areas • Adopted the approach of developing a EIS/EA as part of earlier studies Sixty-eight percent (68%) of respondents who do consider environmental factors earlier in the project development process have defined the purpose and need earlier in the planning process. Read the entire page →
From page 45... ... C-10 Examples of Where Considering Environmental Factors Earlier Resulted in Benefits Only twenty-two percent (22%) of the respondents to the metropolitan survey could identify examples from their agency of where considering environmental factors earlier in project development resulted in benefits. Read the entire page →
From page 46... ... C-11 Important Factors in the Development of Transportation Plans Overall, air quality was ranked the most important environmental factor for consideration in transportation planning by the respondents to the environmental survey. Air quality was considered the most important factor in the update of the most recent statewide plan, as well as for the development of the statewide plan 10 years in the future (see Figure C-17) Read the entire page →
From page 47... ... C-12 • EPA Mobile model • Urban Air Shed Model • PART5 air quality model Current Status of Environmental Data The majority (57%) of environmental organizations believe that only some of the supporting environmental data currently exists for planning purposes. Read the entire page →
From page 48... ... C-13 • The Office of Air Resources has a consultative role along with the Department of Transportation, in designing the conformity analysis. • Participation in conformity process, participation in CMAQ project selection process • Support where possible and promote. Read the entire page →
From page 49... ... C-14 • The regional government (Metro) developed a 50-year plan for controlling growth in the Portland metropolitan area. Read the entire page →
From page 50... ... C-15 important reasons. The following is the list of reasons provided for incorporating environmental factors earlier: • Shortens time to project implementation • Reduces amount of resourced needed for project • Engages environmental resource agencies earlier • Reduces level of potential public controversy • Results in better decisions • Helps develop a constituency for a project • Improves our agency image • Links planning better with project development • We do not consider early consideration of environmental factors to be important When asked which one reason they thought was the most important reason for incorporation environmental factors earlier in project development, the majority, sixty-two percent (61.5%) Read the entire page →
From page 51... ... C-16 Figure C-1: Importance of Environmental Factors in Statewide Transportation Planning (as Ranked by state DOTs) Read the entire page →
From page 52... ... C-17 Figure C-2: Percentage of Statewide Respondents Using Specific Methods/Tools for Considering Environmental Factors in the Planning Process Read the entire page →
From page 53... ... C-18 Figure C-3: Current Status of Environmental Data (According to State DOTs) Read the entire page →
From page 54... ... C-19 Figure C-4: Sources of Data when Environmental Factors are Considered in the Statewide Transportation Planning Process Read the entire page →
From page 55... ... C-20 Figure C-5: Level of Interaction with Various Individuals/Groups during the Planning Process (according to the Statewide Respondents) Read the entire page →
From page 56... ... C-21 Figure C-6: Major Obstacles Faced by State DOTs when Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Transportation Planning Read the entire page →
From page 57... ... C-22 Figure C-7: Actions to Promote the Consideration of Environmental Factors Earlier Read the entire page →
From page 58... ... C-23 Figure C-8: Reasons to Consider Environmental Factors Earlier in Project Development (according to the Statewide Respondents) Read the entire page →
From page 59... ... C-24 Figure C-9: Importance of Environmental Factors in Metropolitan Transportation Planning (as Ranked by MPOs) Read the entire page →
From page 60... ... C-25 Figure C-10: Percentage of Metropolitan Respondents Using Specific Methods/Tools for Considering Environmental Factors in the Planning Process Read the entire page →
From page 61... ... C-26 Figure C-11: Current Status of Environmental Data (according to MPOs) Read the entire page →
From page 62... ... C-27 Figure C-12: Sources of Data when Environmental Factors are Considered in the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Process Read the entire page →
From page 63... ... C-28 Figure C-13: Level of Interaction with Various Individuals/Groups during the Planning Process (according to the Statewide Respondents) Read the entire page →
From page 64... ... C-29 Figure C-14: Major Obstacles Faced by MPOs when Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Transportation Planning Read the entire page →
From page 65... ... C-30 Figure C-15: Actions to Promote the Consideration of Environmental Factors Earlier (according to the Metropolitan Survey Respondents who indicated that they have promoted the consideration of environmental factors earlier) Read the entire page →
From page 66... ... C-31 Figure C-16: Reasons to Consider Environmental Factors Earlier in Project Development (according to MPO Respondents) Read the entire page →
From page 67... ... C-32 Figure C-17: Importance of Environmental Factors in Statewide Transportation Planning (as ranked by Environmental Organizations) Read the entire page →
From page 68... ... C-33 Figure C-18: Importance of Environmental Factors in Metropolitan Transportation Planning (as ranked by Environmental Organizations) Read the entire page →
From page 69... ... C-34 Figure C-19: Percentage of Environmental Respondents Using Specific Methods/Tools for Considering Environmental Factors in the Planning Process Read the entire page →
From page 70... ... C-35 Figure 20: Current Status of Environmental Data (according to Environmental Organizations) Read the entire page →
From page 71... ... C-36 Figure 21: Level of Interaction with Various Individuals/Groups during the Planning Process (according to the Environmental Respondents) Read the entire page →
From page 72... ... C-37 Figure C-22: Major Obstacles thought to be Faced by Agencies when Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Transportation Planning (according to Environmental Organizations) Read the entire page →
From page 73... ... C-38 Figure C-23: Reasons to Consider Environmental Factors Earlier in Project Development (according to the Environmental Respondents) Read the entire page →
From page 74... ... C-39 Table C.1: Overall Importance of Environmental Factors (as Ranked by State DOTs) Statewide Plan Most Recent 10 Year 5 (Very Important) Read the entire page →
From page 75... ... C-40 Table C.3: Percent of Respondents to the Environmental Survey Regarding the Current Status of Data Data Source Percent of Data Historical – Our Agency 16.2% Historical – Another Agency 25.8% Another Group 36.1% New Data Collection 21.9% Table C.4: Overall Importance of Environmental Factors (as Ranked by MPOs) Metropolitan Plan Most Recent 10 Year 5 (Very Important) Read the entire page →
From page 76... ... C-41 Table C.5: Percent of Respondents to the Environmental Survey Regarding the Current Status of Data Current Status of Data Percent of Respondents: Most Data Exists 28.9% Some Data Exists 51.1% No Data Exists 13.5% No Response 6.5% Table C.6: Percent of Respondents to the Environmental Survey Regarding the Current Status of Data Data Source Percent of Data: Historical – Our Agency 12.9% Historical – Another Agency 24.9% Another Group 41.5% New Data Collection 20.7 % Read the entire page →
From page 77... ... C-42 Table C.7: Overall Importance of Environmental Factors (as Ranked by Environmental Organizations) Statewide Plan Metropolitan Plan Most Recent 10 Year Most Recent 10 Year 5 (Very Important) Read the entire page →

From page 36...

... C-1 APPENDIX C: RESULTS FROM STATEWIDE, METROPOLITAN, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE AGENCIES Statewide Survey The statewide survey was sent out to 50 members – one from each U.S. state and the District of Columbia – of the American Society of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)