Transportation accounts for 25 percent to as much as 77 percent of the different air-polluting emissions in this country. There are many ways Americans can reduce these hazardous emissions, such as limiting trips, sharing rides, or using mass transit. FHWA seeks to promote these efforts and innovative approaches such as public information initiatives to reduce congestion and air pollution emissions. Our efforts, and those of all Americans, appear to be paying off. Replace at least an average of 1.5 acres of wetlands for every 1 acre directly affected by federal-aid highway projects where impacts are unavoidable.
Wetlands are an important asset to our nation.
They reduce flood damage, improve water quality, and support life in its myriad forms. Under the plan, FHWA has committed to increase net wetland acreage resulting from federal-aid highway projects by 50 percent in 10 years. The millions of Americans who use highway and transit systems every day stand to benefit from a new streamlined process, formalized by those federal agencies that have primary responsibility for protecting the environment. The concept has already helped an economically depressed area of northeastern Kentucky, where 34 different organizations worked together to plan and design a badly needed industrial parkway. The environmental review process was completed in record time, with no duplication of effort or compromising of environmental safeguards.