# Presentation: 525696

## 	Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP)

**July 2006**

## Agenda	

- Background
- References, legislative guidance, funding
- Implementation
- Emphasis areas, stakeholder outreach activities
- Next Steps
- Resources and contact persons

## References

- SAFETEA-LU - Title V- Research
- 	-	Section: 5207 – Surface Transportation Environment and 	Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP)
- 	-	Section: 5208 – Transportation Research and Development 	(R&D) Strategic Planning

## Background

- STEP Objective:
- Improve understanding of the complex relationship between surface transportation, planning, and the environment
- Follow research and technology (R&T) priorities to be established in the DOT R&D Strategic Plan
- DOT R&D Strategic Plan
- Secretary shall develop a 5-year R&D Strategic Plan to guide Federal Transportation R&D
- Must include and integrate R&D of all DOT operating administrations
- Must undergo National Research Council Review
- Due August 2006

**Notes:**
Per C. Burbank, draft plan is currently at National Academy of Sciences for review and should be released by end of August 2006.

## STEP Legislative Guidance 

- SAFETEA-LU requires, to the maximum extent practicable, that:
- best projects and researchers based on merit, open
-    	solicitations, and selection by a panel of appropriate experts;
- DOT has a qualified, permanent core staff;
- stakeholders are involved in program governance; and
- no duplication with the Future Strategic Highway Research Program (Section 5210 of SAFETEA-LU).

**Notes:**
In discussing the agency’s role in R&T and the tools we need to do our jobs, the staff who participated in the Title V discussion group meetings, identified these major issues which need to be addressed in reauthorization.

## Funding

- $16.875 M/year from FY 2006 – FY 2009 authorized
- Part of Title V Research – funds authorized in 5101(a)(1)
- Title V Research – over designated (i.e. funds designated exceed funds authorized)
- Approx. $11.7 M/year available for STEP from
- 	FY 2006 – FY 2009 due to over designation, obligation limitations and rescissions

## STEP Challenges

- Source of funding for all FHWA Planning and Environment research
- FY2006 funding is approx. 39.2% less than average of Planning and Environment R&T funding FY 2003 – FY 2005
- 50% match required for grants/cooperative agreements
- Must encompass existing national mandates, mandated studies and projects
- Supports research that impacts a broad array of stakeholders

**Notes:**
50% match must be non-Federal.  See example from guidance document:

Example:  If $50 of HEP STEP funds go into a $500 project and the rest of the funds come from other Federal agencies that have no match requirement, the total needed to meet the STEP match requirement is $50 of non-federal funds and the total value of the project effort would be $550.

## STEP Implementation Activities

- FHWA is administering the STEP, within framework of DOT R&D Strategic Plan
- Implementation Strategy
- Federal Register Notice to solicit comments
- Meetings with major stakeholder groups and Federal agency partners
- STEP Website:
- 	www.fhwa.dot.gov/HEP/STEP

**Notes:**
Federal agency partners that have participated thus far include EPA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Centers for Disease Control, and others.

## Stakeholder Outreach		

- March 2006 Federal Register notice requested public comment on STEP Implementation Strategy, announced STEP Website
- Comments were received from national associations, State DOTs, a consulting firm, and a private citizen
- Comments supported STEP principles
- Suggestions were made regarding emphasis areas, funding, stakeholder involvement, and other issues

**Notes:**
As of June 19, 2006, the FHWA received ten comments in the docket.  Most of the respondents supported the principles outlined in Section 5207 of SAFETEA-LU (Pub L. 109-59),  which established the STEP. 

Respondents indicated the following:
additional emphasis areas should be added to the 22 proposed STEP emphasis areas.
reduce the number of emphasis areas.  
clarify the activities eligible for STEP funding under the proposed emphasis areas.  
activities such as outreach, peer exchanges, symposia, public involvement and other activities associated with the deployment and sharing of information among stakeholders should be eligible for STEP funding.  
support for multiple stakeholder involvement throughout the STEP implementation process.  
governance should be modeled after TRB’s NCHRP.

One respondent said at least 50 percent of  STEP funding should be dedicated to State DOT-led research and a recommendation that the STEP research focus on “projects that can add the best value across the nation rather than specific States or regions.” 

Respondents also acknowledged the STEP’s funding limitations and recommended that limited funding be spent effectively.  Another respondent recommended that funding focus on high priority research that advances the goals of the Federal-aid highway program.

## Stakeholder Outreach

- In response to public comments, FHWA revised STEP Implementation Strategy by:
- grouping the STEP emphasis areas into four major categories;
- identifying potential funding ranges within the four major categories;
- providing information regarding the goals and potential activities to be implemented within each of these emphasis areas; and
- adding contact persons for each of these emphasis areas.

**Notes:**
Major change to emphasis area categories is the addition of “Tools to Support Environment and Planning,” such as GiS and Travel Models

Funding ranges are based on current and past research projects, and are subject to change.

## Potential STEP Emphasis Areas

**Environment**: Natural Environment; Human Environment; Environmental Process Improvement
**Planning:** National/International Planning; Planning Focus Areas; State/Local Tribal Planning Capacity Building
**Tools to Support Planning and Environment**
**STEP Program Management and Outreach**

## Environment

- Natural Environment (Estimated FY07 Funding: $2,320,000)
- Air Quality and  Global Climate Change
- Water/Wetlands/Vegetation/Wildlife/Habitat/Brownfields
- Human Environment (Estimated FY07 Funding: $640,000)
- Historic Preservation
- Bicycle, Pedestrian and Health
- Noise
- Outdoor Advertising Control/Realty Program Management
- Environmental Process Improvement (Estimated FY07 Funding: $2,600,000)
- Environmental Streamlining/Stewardship
- Context Sensitive Solutions

## Planning

- National/International Planning (Estimated FY07 Funding: $700,000)
- US/Canada and US/Mexico Border Planning
- National Security, Defense, and Interstate Planning
- Planning Focus Areas (Estimated FY07 Funding: $830,000)
- Congestion
- Safety Planning
- Freight Planning
- State/Local/Tribal Planning Capacity Building (Estimated FY07 Funding: $3,060,000)
- Public Involvement, Environmental Justice, Visualization in Planning
- Other activities that support state/local/tribal planning capacity building, including land use planning, and travel surveys and data.

## Tools to Support Planning and Environment

- Geographic Information Systems/Spatial Information for Improved Decision Making (Estimated FY07 Funding: $350,000)
- Travel Modeling (Estimated FY07 Funding: $250,000)

## Program Management and Outreach ($1,000,000)

- Program Support
- Outreach
- Publications

## Next Steps

- Ensure STEP will support DOT R&D Strategic Plan
- Issue Federal Register Notice to announce revised implementation strategy and to request comments on proposed STEP research activities
- Provide updates on STEP implementation via STEP Website and other mechanisms

**Notes:**
Federal Register notice should be issued in July 2007

Feedback mechanism will be available in early July

## Stakeholder Outreach

- FHWA also developed a Web-based feedback mechanism
- Stakeholders submit targeted comments on emphasis areas
- FHWA emphasis area contacts receive daily summary of comments and contact information for follow-up
- STEP Staff provide guidance on stakeholder follow up and email communications
- STEP Staff provide weekly reports on comments

## Stakeholder Outreach

- STEP Web-based feedback mechanism – introductory page

## Stakeholder Outreach

- STEP Web-based feedback mechanism – feedback form

**Notes:**
Stakeholders indicate their affiliation – government, association, private citizen, etc.

Stakeholders provide targeted feedback about:
Lines of research in emphasis areas
Current and planned research in the emphasis area
Potential partners or funding sources
Other general comments

Stakeholders choose to remain informed through future emails

## STEP 2006 Timeline

**July**
- Issue Federal Register Notice to acknowledge comments on STEP Implementation Strategy
- Solicit suggestions for the lines of research that should be pursued within each emphasis area
**July/August**
- Continue Outreach
**September/October**
- Announce FY06/07 STEP Research Plan
- Post on STEP Website
**Fall**
- Implement STEP FY06/07 Research Plan

## Contact Persons

- Natural Environment
- Air Quality and Global Climate Change Michael.Savonis@dot.gov; _[Cecilia.Ho@dot.gov](mailto:Cecilia.Ho@dot.gov)_
- Water/Wetlands/Vegetation/Wildlife/Habitat/Brownfields Carol.Adkins@dot.gov
- Human Environment
- Historic Preservation _[MaryAnn.Naber@dot.gov](mailto:MaryAnn.Nnaber@dot.gov)_
- Bicycle/Pedestrian and Health _[John.Fegan@dot.gov](mailto:John.Fegan@dot.gov)__ _
- Noise _[Mark.Ferroni@dot.gov](mailto:Mark.Ferroni@dot.gov)__ _
- Outdoor Advertising Control/Realty Program Management Arnold.Feldman@dot.gov

## Contact Persons (Continued)

- Environmental Process Improvement
- Environmental Streamlining/Stewardship _[Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov](mailto:Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov)_
- Context Sensitive Solutions _[Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov](mailto:Shari.Schaftlein@dot.gov)__ _
- National/International Planning
- U.S. Canada and U.S. Mexico Border Planning _[Roger.Petzold@dot.gov](mailto:Roger.Petzold@dot.gov)__ _
- National Security, Defense and Interstate Planning Mark.Neathery@dot.gov
- Planning Focus Areas
- Congestion _[Harlan.Miller@dot.gov](mailto:Harlan.Miller@dot.gov)_
- Safety Planning Laurie.Lau@dot.gov
- Freight Planning _[Spencer.Stevens@dot.gov](mailto:Spencer.Stevens@dot.gov)__ _

## Contact Persons (Continued)

- State/Local/Tribal Planning Capacity Building
- Public Involvement, EJ, Visualization in Planning Brenda.Kragh@dot.gov
- Other Activities that Support State/Local/Tribal Planning Capacity Building (including Land Use Planning and Travel Surveys and Data)  _[Robert.Ritter@dot.gov](mailto:Robert.Ritter@dot.gov)__ _
- Tools to Support Planning and Environment
- GIS/Spatial Information for Improved Decision Making _[Roger.Petzold@dot.gov](mailto:Roger.Petzold@dot.gov)__ _
- Travel Modeling   Fred.Ducca@dot.gov
- STEP Program Management and Outreach _[Felicia.Young@dot.gov](mailto:Felicia.Young@dot.gov)_

## Contact Information

- Felicia Young
- FHWA
- Office of Planning, Environment and Realty
- Felicia.Young@dot.gov
- STEP Website:
- www.FHWA.DOT.gov/HEP/STEP

**Notes:**
FHWA’s Role in R&T is actually multiple roles—these include
Conducting research—
By taking on research which cannot be addressed by the States,including high-risk/high-payoff studies, and research on national level problems related to FHWA's mission

We also play an important role in supporting and facilitating research conducted by our partners—and encouraging them to share research results and best practices.

We coordinate multi-discipline and 
Multi-organizational projects to raise the state of the art in highway construction, operations and related areas. 

We have the unique ability to interact with other disciplines to uncover breakthrough solutions to problems

We also play an important role in technology transfer.  We facilitate sharing of share technology and innovation . . . bring breakthroughs from the lab to the marketplace and raise the state of the practice.