Trisha White, Director Habitat and Highways Campaign Defenders of Wildlife

1. Have you ever worked with a transportation agency? 2. If so, have you ever received land or funding from a transportation agency?

 Expectations and assets  Transportation planning  Transportation mitigation  Transportation enhancements  Assignments

What are your special powers? What are your responsibilities?

Expectations and Assets SPECIAL POWERS 1. Passion 2. Knowledge 3. Skills RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Protect 2. Enhance 3. Support

Villain 1. Direct impacts 2. Indirect impacts Sidekick 1. Money 2. Land Why Transportation?

Know thy frenemy! Transportation agencies want:  to build roads  to keep people safe  to provide mobility  predictability  no delays  good public relations Why Transportation?

Write this down! 3 most important things for Friends to know Transportation planning process Compensatory mitigation for transportation projects Transportation Enhancements program

Transportation Planning PROCESS The basic steps in the transportation planning process are: 1. Define the problem, scope, area, issues 2. Set goals, objectives and criteria 3. Collect data 4. Develop alternatives and scenarios 5. Model—forecast future travel behavior 6. Evaluate alternatives 7. Select a preferred plan 8. Implement the plan through projects

Transportation Planning PRODUCTS What do planners create?  Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)  Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)

Transportation Planning PRODUCTS What do planners create?  Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)  Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING SAFETEA-LU Section Consultation with resource agencies 2. Comparison with conservation plans, maps 3. Discussion of mitigation activities, areas

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING SAFETEA-LU Section 6001 “The long-range transportation plan shall be developed in consultation with State, tribal, and local agencies responsible for land use management, natural resources, environmental protection, conservation and historic preservation.”

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING SAFETEA-LU Section 6001 “Consultation under clause (i) shall involve comparison of transportation plans to State and tribal conservation plans or maps, if available, and comparison of transportation plans to inventories of natural or historic resources, if available.”

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING SAFETEA-LU Section 6001 “A long-range transportation plan shall include a discussion of potential environmental mitigation activities and potential areas to carry out these activities, including activities that may have the greatest potential to restore and maintain the environmental functions affected by the plan.”

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING Public Lands USFWS / Refuges US Forest Service National Park Service

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING State Wildlife Action Plans

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING Habitat Connectivity Plans

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Transportation Planning INTEGRATING CONSERVATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

Compensatory Mitigation National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 1970 Requires that federal agencies study and disclose the environmental impacts of their actions and include the public in decision making Mitigation: Compensating for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environments

Compensatory Mitigation Clean Water Act 1972 Primary federal law governing water pollution Prohibits destroying wetlands Avoid, minimize, mitigate Compensatory mitigation is required to replace the loss of wetlands…restoration, establishment, enhancement or preservation of wetlands

Compensatory Mitigation Endangered Species Act (ESA) 1973 To protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend “Take” of listed species is prohibited “Incidental take” may be permitted if the landowner submits a habitat conservation plan including proposed mitigation measures Where several projects with impacts are anticipated, banking of compensatory mitigation for impacts may be an effective approach

Program for federally funded, community-based projects that expand travel choices and enhance the transportation experience 10% setaside $500 million/year Transportation Enhancements Program

ELIGIBILITY Transportation Enhancements Program 1.Must qualify as one of the 12 eligible activities 2.Must be transportation related 3.Must be accessible to the public 4.Can be stand-alone or part of statewide effort 5.Application must have government partner May not be used for routine maintenance May not be used for standard mitigation

APPLICATION Transportation Enhancements Program Governments, communities, or non-profit organizations can apply Every state is responsible for developing and administering its own program Applicant must furnish at least 20%* Federal agencies may provide the match Application must demonstrate how the project will be financed TE is a Federal-aid reimbursement program, not an advanced grant program

12 categories of eligible activities Transportation Enhancements Program 1.Pedestrian and bicycle facilities 2.Pedestrian and bicycle safety and educational activities 3.Acquisition of scenic or historic easements and sites 4.Scenic or historic highway programs including tourist and welcome centers 5.Landscaping and scenic beautification 6.Historic preservation 7.Rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation buildings, structures or facilities 8.Conversion of abandoned railway corridors to trails 9.Inventory, control, and removal of outdoor advertising 10.Archaeological planning & research 11.Environmental mitigation of runoff pollution and provision of wildlife connectivity 12.Establishment of transportation museums YES YOU CAN use more than one category!

3. Acquisition of scenic or historic easements and sites—Acquisition of scenic lands or easements, vistas and landscapes; purchase of historic properties or buildings in historic districts, including historic battlefields, preservation of farmland. Transportation Enhancements Program

MHCP Core And Linkage Area Habitat Acquisition$1,880,000 Cuyamaca Ranch Phase I Acquisition $1,000,000 Rutherford Ranch Acquisition $1,800,000 El Moro Elfin Forest Acquisition $500,000 Hollister Peak Viewshed $1,000,000 Purisima Farms Conservation Trail Easement $2,000,000 Acquisition Of Carpinteria Bluffs $300,000 Buena Vista Viewshed Acquisition $1,000,000 Petaluma River Vistas $410,000 Dry Creek Flood Plain Scenic Acquisition $750,000 Andrew Creek / Table Mountain Scenic Viewshed$244,000 Windy Gap Watchable Wildlife $256, Acquisition of scenic or historic easements and sites—Acquisition of scenic lands or easements, vistas and landscapes; purchase of historic properties or buildings in historic districts, including historic battlefields, preservation of farmland.

11. Environmental mitigation of runoff pollution and provision of wildlife connectivity— Runoff pollution studies; soil erosion controls; detention and sediment basins; river clean-ups; reduce wildlife- vehicle collisions, restore habitat connectivity, provide wildlife passages Transportation Enhancements Program

Construction of Osprey nesting platforms$16,000 Preacher Canyon Wildlife Fencing$613,450 Harbor Blvd Wildlife underpass$337,000 Clear Creek clean-up$77,000 Wildlife collision reduction on US550$108,090 Monte Vista Watchable Wildlife$180,480 Sybil Creek wetland restoration$512,936 Weems Creek Restoration$170,000 I-95 invasive and exotic vegetation removal$297,500 Beaver Creek erosion control$83,164 US-31 turtle fence$435,200 Statewide wildlife passage study$120, Environmental mitigation of runoff pollution and provision of wildlife connectivity— Runoff pollution studies; soil erosion controls; detention and sediment basins; river clean-ups; reduce wildlife- vehicle collisions, restore habitat connectivity, provide wildlife passages

What can I do with TE funds? Transportation Enhancements Program Scenic, historic, farm or habitat acquisition Habitat restoration Monitoring and data collection Research and mapping habitat Evaluating roadside vegetation Training Public outreach and education MUST BE TRANSPORTATION RELATED!

DO THE MATH Transportation Enhancements Program $8.1 billion authorized for TE since 1998 ÷ 11 years = $734 million per year ÷ 12 categories = $61 million per year possible for scenic + $61 million per year possible for wildlife = $122 million /year possible for conservation

GET YOUR PIECE OF THE PIE! Transportation Enhancements Program Distribution of Federal Funds by TE Activity FY 1992 through FY 2007 (Federal funds in millions)

RECAP 3 most important things for Friends to know Transportation planning process Compensatory mitigation for transportation projects Transportation Enhancements program

Transportation Planning HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS 1.Check out your state transportation agency’s web sites. Bookmark them. 2.Request copies of your state transportation plans. Read them. 3.Sign up for transportation planning mailing lists and listservs. 4.Get involved in Section 6001 consultations. Provide your plans, data and maps. 5.Check out Enhancements.org. Bookmark it. 6.Find the application and next call for projects. 7.Contact your enhancements coordinator.

Trisha White, Director Habitat and Highways Campaign Defenders of Wildlife