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Planning and Environment Linkages:Case Studies

Michael Culp and John Humeston

FHWA

November 2, 2006

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Presentation Topics Range of method, complexity Case studies we know of:

Pennsylvania Planning Partners Sacramento Area Council of Governments Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning

Commission Houston-Galveston Area Council

Case studies you know of! (audience participation solicited)

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Pennsylvania Planning Partners: Environmental Checklist Application: project and regional

transportation planning Products developed: tools to help with

planning processes (MS Word format) Checklist of natural, cultural considerations

to factor into planning process Supplemental ‘pop-up’ list of data sources

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Planning Partners Checklist Checklist of resources, topics to be considered

during project planning To identify

resources that could affect project planning, environmental documentation

other efforts in the region to promote coordination

Precursor to the formal scoping process under NEPA; information to serve as the basis for scoping document

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Checklist Details Guides planners to note if a resource is present,

and whether or not there might be an effect on it Sampling of considerations:

Aquatic: surface waters, public water supplies, wetlands, floodplains

Land: agricultural resources, geotechnical concerns, wilderness areas, conservation areas

Section 4(f): historic resources, public parks Socioeconomic: environmental justice populations,

cemeteries Coordination and Public Involvement: community

characteristics, existing and planned development

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‘Pop-Up’ Data Source List Provides information about where to obtain

data for each consideration on Checklist

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Sacramento Area Council of Governments:RTP Coordination

Application: regional transportation planning Products developed:

‘Blueprint’ to coordinate regional land use growth plans and transportation plans

‘Greenprint’ to coordinate conservation efforts (concept under discussion)

Program-level environmental analysis of RTP (as required by CA law), called MTP 2035, including mitigation opportunities

Purpose and Need for projects within MTP 2035

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Sacramento Region Blueprint Used public process to

developed map of regionally preferred land use

Results expected to drive MTP 2035 process

Will consider results of “Greenprint”

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Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission: LRTP Analysis Application: regional transportation

planning Product developed: evaluation and

comparison of alternative transportation system plans

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SEWRPC Comparison Details Among system plan alternatives, evaluation

compared acreage needed by planned projects that would affect: Residential and commercial dislocations Historic buildings and sites Park lands Environmental Corridors Other sensitive lands: wetlands, natural areas,

geological areas, archeological areas, Department of Natural Resources Legacy Locations, land trusts, prime agricultural lands

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Example of GIS output

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Houston-Galveston Area Council: Environmental Considerations Application: long-range transportation

planning Products developed:

Environmental Advisory Committee Environmental maps created by GIS-ST

screening, for identification of natural areas for conservation

Mitigation recommendations

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Environmental Mapping Uses TxDOT’s GIS-ST model, developed with

EPA, other agencies Environmental data on: wetlands, habitat,

endangered or threatened species, managed lands, floodplains

Flags regionally significant projects that intersect a GIS-ST grid, 1 mile sq.

Data will be incorporated into corridor level analyses for the 2040 RTP

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Mitigation Activities

Analysis uses mapping to illustrate which projects might require NEPA mitigation activities and/or are recommended for realignment Provides opportunity to examine cumulative

environmental impacts collectively within region Maps will be supplied to assist sponsors in

determining whether their projects may be affected

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Other Relevant Practices?

Audience participation requested! Please volunteer relevant practice – can be

oriented to Data and analysis tools Inter-agency coordination efforts Planning processes conducted with environmental

considerations