Surface Transportation Environmental Research A Long-Term Strategy -- Special Report 268 (2002) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-12
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 1... ...
As driving levels increase, roads are becoming more congested, and valu 1The National Environmental Policy Act was passed in 1969. Its purpose was "to declare a national policy which will encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environment; to promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and biosphere and stimulate the health and welfare of man; to enrich the understanding of the eco logical systems and natural resources important to the Nation; and to establish a Council on Environmental Quality." 2The term "environmental" as used here encompasses energy conservation.
|
From page 2... ...
Americans will expect policymakers and transportation professionals to provide the transportation facilities and services needed to accommodate this growth efficiently, at low cost, and in a socially and envi ronmentally responsible manner. The nation must find ways to deliver a trans portation system that simultaneously promotes economic growth, adds to the health of communities and individuals, uses energy efficiently, is inclusive, and enhances the natural and built environments.
|
From page 3... ...
The costs of owning and operating personal vehicles rep resent 19 percent of the average American household's income -- equal to the share of food and clothing combined, triple that of medical care, and second only to housing. Roads and traffic in the United States are estimated to affect
|
From page 4... ...
The National Environ mental Policy Act of 1969, the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act (as amended) , Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, and a number of other federal and state environmental laws and requirements have been put in place to help deal with the known and suspected impacts of surface trans portation.
|
From page 5... ...
But massive growth in the ownership of vans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles, now representing about half of the private vehicles sold in the United States each year, has led to a decline in fuel economy. In fact, the average fuel economy of new light-duty vehicles sold is at its lowest level in 20 years.
|
From page 6... ...
Better information and improved methods are needed to support pol icy and investment decisions in the near term, as well as in the long-term future. RECOMMENDATIONS National Research Agenda in Surface Transportation and Environment The Advisory Board has identified six critical research areas for research in transportation and the environment: 1.
|
From page 7... ...
One function of the proposed research program would be to enable cooperative research among these groups, to support par allel investigations and shared efforts, and to aid in the effective dissemination of research findings from all sources. Second, a new research program could focus resources on critical issues that cannot be resolved effectively by parties whose interests are at stake.
|
From page 8... ...
It is for all these reasons that the Advisory Board recommends the estab lishment of a surface transportation environmental cooperative research program, as originally called for in TEA-21. This program would be respon sible for ensuring that the national transportationenvironment research agenda was implemented, in certain cases by sponsoring the research and in other cases by serving as the coordinating body.
|
From page 9... ...
On the basis of this review, the Board identified a number of specific program elements that appear to be most important for success: Core partners -- entities that should contribute to the overall governance of the program, the primary customers and recipients of the research products.5 Three categories of core partners should be considered when forming a surface transportation environmental cooperative research pro gram: public entities, the private sector, and nongovernmental/nonprofit organizations. Institutional arrangement -- establishment of the research program in a setting that provides for independence and credibility.
|
From page 10... ...
Establishing clear criteria aids in the selection of the most appro priate research projects, thereby ensuring a selection process that is trans parent, fair, and subject to open competition. The Health Effects Institute, STAR, NCHRP, and TCRP all use clear selection criteria in addition to insisting that the selected research projects undergo external merit review.
|
From page 11... ...
Stakeholder involvement/communication -- mechanisms for providing for meaningful stakeholder involvement in the selection, evaluation, and co ordination of the research.7 To maintain stakeholder confidence, the process for determining research priorities, selecting and structuring stud ies, and reviewing the final research products must be clearly understood and readily transparent. All four of the research programs reviewed share common features for actively soliciting stakeholder involvement.
|
From page 12... ...
A national commitment of this scale would not pose a significant financial challenge to the federal transportation program, and given the importance of the environmental issues at stake in the proposed research program, could be expected to produce ben efits many times as large.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.