Considering Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change in Environmental Reviews
Appendix C: State DOT Interview Questions
Interviewee:
State DOT:
Date:
The following questions seek further information beyond the responses to the brief NCHRP 25-64 survey submitted to all 52 State DOTs. These questions are generally separated by environmental reviews for greenhouse gas emissions and environmental reviews for climate change effects.
Does your agency (i.e., the state DOT) have an established set of procedures or guidance for considering GHG emissions and/or climate change effects as part of environmental review conducted under NEPA and/or per state environmental review requirements?
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| If yes, how were they developed | ||
| If yes, did you have input from other Bureaus/Divisions? From other state agencies? From academia/outside groups? | ||
| If yes, how long have they been in place? | ||
| If yes, do you expect any updates? | ||
| If yes, what were the information sources? | ||
| If yes, any barriers to their development and/or use? | ||
| If no, how will this issue be institutionalized within your agency for future work? |
Does your state have any state-specific environmental review requirements?
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| If yes and includes requirements for considering GHG emissions and/or climate change effects, how have they been worked into your agency’s guidance? |
Has your agency developed any environmental documentation (e.g., Environmental Assessment, Environmental Impact Statement, Community Impact Assessment) for any project(s) in the past 10 years that quantifies GHG emissions?
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| If yes, please estimate the number the number of projects | ||
| If yes, how were the results used (e.g., alternative selection, project scope, project design, public information)? |
Has your agency developed any project environmental documentation in the past 10 years that qualitatively addresses GHG emissions and/or climate change effects?
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| If yes, please estimate the number the number of projects | ||
| If yes, how were the results used (e.g., alternative selection, project scope, project design, public information)? |
Has your agency developed any planning-level assessments of GHG emissions and/or climate change effects?
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| If yes, how were they developed? | ||
| If yes, did you have input from other Bureaus/Divisions? From other state agencies? From academia/outside groups? | ||
| If yes, how long have they been in place? | ||
| If yes, do you expect any updates? | ||
| If yes, what were the information sources? | ||
| If yes, any barriers to their development and/or use? | ||
| If no, how will this issue be institutionalized within your agency for future work? |
Has your agency developed any planning-level or project-level equity assessments that consider GHG emissions and/or climate change effects?
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| If yes, how were they developed | ||
| If yes, did you have input from other Bureaus/Divisions? From other state agencies? From academia/outside groups? | ||
| If yes, how long have they been in place? | ||
| If yes, do you expect any updates? | ||
| If yes, what were the information sources? | ||
| If yes, any barriers to their development and/or use? | ||
| If no, how will this issue be institutionalized within your agency for future work? |
Has any transportation project in your state received public comment or legal challenges based on GHG emissions and/or climate change effects?
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| If yes, please estimate the number of projects that have received comment or challenge | ||
| If yes, please estimate the breakdown of favorable/unfavorable comments regarding the project | ||
| If yes, have the comments/challenges resulted in any impact upon the project(s) (e.g., design or scope changes)? |
Other questions
| Greenhouse gas emissions | Climate change effects | |
| Are the tools adequate for the work needed to address these issues in environmental reviews? | ||
| If no, what else is needed? | ||
| Any lessons learned/advice for other State DOTs? | ||
| Other comments/thoughts? |
The scope for this project calls for:
1)Two peer exchanges with State DOT staff, one focusing on GHG emissions and the other on climate change effects. Would your agency be interested in participating in one or both peer exchanges?
2) A deliverable for this project is a handbook for considering greenhouse gas emissions and climate change in environmental reviews. The handbook will be piloted with at least one, possibly three state DOTs. Would your agency be interested in being considered for hosting a pilot?
