State departments of transportation are managing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects in long range planning, project development, environmental reviews, and operations. While some are in the early phases of this work, others have emerging programs.
To synthesize the best practices across the country, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Federal Highways, and US Department of Energy have developed a guide for state departments of transportation to understand requirements, practices, and available tools, in addition to equity and environmental justice considerations.
Parametrix’s Josh Proudfoot co-authored Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change in Environmental Reviews, focusing on low carbon construction and practices. The primary author was Christopher Porter of Cambridge Systematics, Inc., with other co-authors from Georgetown Climate Center, Inch and Meter, and Zamurs and Associates, LLC.
The guidebook examines current practices addressing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects in federal and state environmental reviews. It also shares examples of the full range of analysis across the country and projects that have been the subject of legal action.
The goal of the guide is to ultimately support state departments of transportation and partner agencies with resources and approaches for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change effects. Practices for addressing climate change are rapidly evolving. While the guide provides examples, it does not give a single recommended approach. Guide users should consider their own state’s requirements and needs when developing an approach.
Additional Climate Change & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Guidance
Parametrix’s Climate Change and Resiliency team (formerly Good Company, which merged with Parametrix in 2022) has contributed to several other major research projects related to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions guidance, including:
- Guidebook for Designing and managing Rights -of Way for Carbon Sequestration and Biomass generation
- Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Guide for State DOTs With Cambridge Systematics
- Feasibility and Implications of Electric Vehicle (EV) Deployment and Infrastructure Development with Cadmus
- A Guidebook for Departments of Transportation to Develop Solar Photovoltaic Systems in the Highway Right-Of-Way With Oregon DOT
- Vermont Agency of Transportation Solar Plan with Cambridge Systematics
- Free Energy Solar Highway Program with TerraLogic LLC