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As research on climate change progresses, there is growing realization that the transportation sector, a major contributor to climate change processes, must begin to respond to the anticipated impacts. Transportation agencies will play a major role in addressing climate change factors. At the same time, agencies face an uncertain regulatory environment and challenges to initiating technological or behavioral changes
This CTE teleconference will provide an overview of current practice and emerging issues for integrating climate change considerations into transportation planning at the state and regional levels. The panel will provide examples and insights into how agencies can approach mitigation of impacts, adaptation strategies, and policies and projects to address climate change through technological advances (e.g. alternative fuels, increased vehicle efficiency) and changes to travel behavior (e.g. VMT reduction). Issues related to the upcoming federal reauthorization of transportation funding and potential regulatory changes also will be discussed. The teleconference will be of interest to management and staff of state DOTS, MPOs and RPOs as well as to representatives from environmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and private-sector organizations.
The two-hour program will be Webcast in Windows Media format and also carried on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air Pollution Distance Learning Network (APDLN). The live broadcast also will provide a Q&A session with panelists. Participants viewing the teleconference will be invited to submit questions via phone, email, or fax for discussion. Prior to the broadcast, participants also may submit questions via the CTE Web Discussion Forum at http://itre.ncsu.edu/cte/techtransfer/teleconferences/forum/default.asp.
CTE recommends teleconference participants review the recent AASHTO report “Primer on Climate Change” in advance of the teleconference as background. This report is available for download at: http://downloads.transportation.org/ClimateChange.pdf (7.49MB).
NOTE: This NBS program will not be available on C-band satellite. If you have not yet registered to receive the teleconference webcast, visit http://cte.ncsu.edu/cte/TechTransfer/Teleconferences/web_register.asp. |
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Robert Ritter
Team Leader, Transportation Planning Capacity Building Team, Office of Planning
Federal Highway Administration Headquarters, US Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Southeast Federal Center Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-9898
Phone: 202-493-2139, Email: robert.ritter@dot.gov
The Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) program, a collaborative effort of FHWA and the Federal Transit Administration, is designed to help decision makers, transportation officials, and staff to resolve the increasingly complex issues they face when addressing transportation needs in their communities. This comprehensive program for information, training, technical assistance, and support is targeted to state, local, regional and tribal government, transit operators, and community leaders. As TPCB team leader, Rob leads community planners and transportation professionals in addressing diverse topics such as land use and transportation, climate change, travel modeling, public involvement, transportation safety, planning and environment linkages, community impact assessment, tribal planning, and many others. He also is responsible for the Office of Planning research program and the biennial Transportation Planning Excellence Awards. Prior to FHWA, Rob was director of policy activities at the Eno Transportation Foundation and responsible for identifying and highlighting leading transportation issues. By bringing together government, academic and industry representatives, Rob fostered dialogue that provided the transportation community with a better understanding of multifaceted topics such as intermodal freight issues, understanding global climate change and the question of induced demand. He has successfully managed diverse project teams addressing complex, high profile and sensitive multi-modal transportation projects requiring coordination with various state, federal and local agencies, elected officials, and the general public. Rob is a licensed professional engineer and certified planner with experience in both private and public transportation agencies.
John Zamurs
Air Quality/Asbestos/Energy Section, Office of Environment, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany, NY
50 Wolf Road, Albany, NY 12232-0002
Phone: 518-457-5646, Email: jzamurs@dot.state.ny.us
John’s career with the New York State Department of Transportation spans over 25 years, where he currently heads the Air Quality and Energy Section in the Environmental Science Bureau. John holds a B.A. in meteorology from New York University and a M.S. and Ph.D. in atmospheric science from the State University of New York at Albany. John is the chair of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Standing Committee on the Environment (SCOE) Air Quality, Climate Change and Energy Subcommittee, and represents NYSDOT on the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO) Air Quality Committee. He has been a member of the Transportation and Air Quality Committee of the Transportation Research Board, and has served on several National Cooperative Highway Research Project research panels, including some as chair. John is the DOT representative to Energy Coordinators Working Group, the staff level representative to New York’s Energy Planning Board, and has written numerous papers in the transportation air quality field.
Kelly J. McGourty
Principal Planner, Transportation Planning Department, Puget Sound Regional Council, Seattle, WA
1011 Western Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-971-3601, Email: kmcgourty@psrc.org
The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Seattle/Central Puget Sound region. As principal planner for PSRC, Kelly is the lead staff member on air quality and climate change issues, and works closely with the region’s federal, state and local air quality partner agencies. She also works on the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), including the project selection process for distributing PSRC’s federal funds. Prior to joining PSRC in 1999, Kelly worked with the MPO in Spokane, Washington, where she performed transportation and air quality modeling and analyses. Her background also includes performing environmental assessments and inspections for both a consulting firm and an urban renewal agency. Kelly has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Policy and Assessment from Western Washington University and a graduate degree in Environmental Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Harrison Rue
Principal, ICF International, Research Triangle Park, NC
2222 East NC-54, Beta Building Suite 480, Durham, NC 27713
Phone: 919-293-1647, Email: hrue@icfi.com
Harrison is a principal at ICF International with expertise in transportation policy, integrated transportation and land use planning, climate change, transit, TDM, and transit-oriented development, affordable housing and green building, and public participation and communications. Prior to joining ICF, he was executive director of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and MPO in Charlottesville, VA, a five-county agency focused on sustainable solutions to regional issues. As founding director of the Citizen Planner Institute, Harrison created inclusive planning processes and training in sustainability, Smart Growth, and New Urbanism, and led hundreds of workshops for staff and elected officials, communities, nonprofits, and activists throughout the US. He served as a long-time board member, VP, and technical committee chair of the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), and was appointed by the US EPA Administrator to three terms on the National Advisory Council on Environmental Policy and Technology. Harrison is a member of the Virginia Governor’s Commission on Climate Change, and a founding board member and technical committee chair of EarthCraft Virginia.
Jenny Noonan – Moderator
Acting Director, Policy Analysis and Communication, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
109 TW Alexander Drive, Durham, NC 27711
Phone: 919-541-0193, Email: noonan.jenny@epamail.epa.gov
CTE is pleased to have the support of EPA and Jenny’s assistance to moderate this teleconference on Transportation and Climate Change. Jenny has worked for EPA since 1997 on topics ranging from regional strategies to reduce air pollution in the Eastern US to community involvement in the PCB clean up of the Hudson River. In her current job, Jenny serves as a senior advisor to the Office director, prepares EPA witnesses for testimony before Congress, and communicates with the public about the voluntary programs and air pollution regulations that her office issues each year. Jenny recently hosted an EPA teleconference on Climate and Air Quality: Applications for Air Quality Professionals which is available online at CTE.
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