TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT: SYNTHESIS FOR ACTION - IMPACT OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OF 1969 ON THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (SUMMARY VOLUME)

A STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF POLICY, PROGRAMS, LEGISLATION, AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES ON THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WITH RESPECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. THE PRINCIPAL EXTERNAL LEVER ON THE DEPARTMENT IS SECTION 102 (2) (C) OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, WHICH REQUIRES THAT A PUBLICLY SCRUTINIZED IMPACT STATEMENT BE FILED WITH THE SECRETARY FOR ALL PROPOSED PROJECTS HAVING FEDERAL FUNDING OVER A CERTAIN DOLLAR LEVEL. THE PRINCIPAL INTERNAL RESPONSES OF THE DEPARTMENT OCCUR AT THREE LEVELS: FIRST, THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION POLICY STATEMENT /SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS IN MID-SEPTEMBER 1971/; THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS STUDY OF 1972 AND ITS FOLLOW-ONS; AND THIRD, THE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES. THE PRESENT REPORT IS CONCERNED CHIEFLY WITH THE THIRD AND ADDRESSES ITSELF TO IDENTIFICATION OF IMPACTS IN PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION; TO SELECTION OF A TRADE-OFF EVALUATION SYSTEM COMPATIBLE WITH THE STATE-OF-THE-ART IN QUANTIFYING ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES; TO INCORPORATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS INTO THE OVERALL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS; AND TO POLICY OPTIONS FOR NEAR-TERM AND FAR-TERM ADMINISTRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS NATIONAL AND NONNATIONAL; A RELATED RECOMMENDATION IS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING BE DECENTRALIZED TO STATE, REGIONAL, AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THAT THE QUANTIFIABLE AND NONQUANTIFIABLE ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BE DELINEATED AS CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE AND BE EVALUATED AS TO THEIR AMOUNT, EFFECT, AND VALUE. IT IS NOTED THAT A VARIETY OF NEW LEGISLATION AND PROGRAMS OFFERS DOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO FORMULATE A COORDINATED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR FEDERALLY-SUPPORTED ELEMENTS OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 1, 63 PP, 1 FIG, 6 TAB
• Corporate Authors:

  Little (Arthur D), Incorporated

  Acorn Park
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02140
• Publication Date: 1971-4

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Administration; Benefit cost analysis; Cities; Environmental impacts; Quantitative analysis; Regions; States; Transportation planning; Urban transportation
• Identifier Terms: National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
• Uncontrolled Terms: Quantifying
• Old TRIS Terms: Environmental policy act
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00200493
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 25 1982 12:00AM