Updated August 30, 2017 | complete program
| Tuesday, September 12 | |
|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | REGISTRATION DESK OPEN |
| 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST (Exhibit Area) |
| 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | EXHIBITS OPEN (Foyer) |
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. | GENERAL SESSION (Omni Ballroom) Moderator: Carlos Swonke, Division Director, TxDOT ENV Welcome Remarks Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) and the Texas Automated Vehicle Proving Ground Partnership Texas was recently designated by the USDOT as a national automated vehicle proving ground. Dr. Poe will discuss the current connected and automated transportation sector. He will also describe the winning Texas proposal that consists of Texas A&M University, the University of Texas, the Southwest Research Institute and a network of five urban test bed sites supported by 32 public agencies. Autonomous Vehicles: Implications for Environmental Planning Self-driving cars and trucks will make motorized travel easier, further congesting our roadways and adding to Texas emissions inventories. But car-sharing systems, electric vehicles, ride-sharing en route, and other opportunities exist for moderating those impacts. Dr. Kockelman will discuss her research team’s results in these CAV areas. Implementation of the FAST Act Environmental Provisions Changes affecting Section 106 and Section 4(f), linking planning and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), categorical exclusions (CEs), and EIS projects that trigger the environmental review process. |
| 10:20 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. | BREAK (Exhibit Area) |
| 10:35 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | GENERAL SESSION (Omni Ballroom) 85th (2017) State Legislature — Changes Affecting TxDOT’s Environmental Program A short presentation about two changes made by the Texas Legislature in 2017. The changes affect which types of projects will require a public hearing, and the advance acquisition of right of way prior to environmental clearance. SH 45SW/Mopac Intersections Lawsuit — Panel Discussion
This presentation will discuss the impetus for and implications of recently issued TxDOT guidance regarding when a previously cleared project may be re-evaluated, versus when a new environmental review should be conducted. |
| 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | LUNCH (On Your Own) |
| 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | GENERAL SESSION (Omni Ballroom) Beyond the Road: TxDOT’s Environmental Outreach Campaign Since 1917, the highway department has built roads shaped around the state’s scenic splendor and cultural heritage. Today, the Environmental Affairs Division helps care for the state’s natural and cultural resources in tandem with this vision. Thanks to TxDOT’s archeologists, historians and environmental scientists, there may be a hidden story about Texas beyond the road that is ripe for discovery. Go beyond the road with TxDOT to see how its outreach efforts tell a unique story about the state to engage people in the transportation planning process. Heritage Preservation and Innovative Outreach in Downtown Houston: Archeological Studies Along the Elysian Project Corridor Learn how TxDOT is working with the Houston Archeological Society to discover and record Houston’s 19th century heritage. Environmental Achievement Award Finalists |
| 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | BREAK (Exhibit Area) |
| 3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m. | GENERAL SESSION (Omni Ballroom) Navigating Section 106 and Section 4(f) Compliance: Rough Waters Ahead? Working on the front line of national efforts to respond to increased pressures to speed up project delivery and reduce project costs, Terry Klein is nationally recognized as an expert in DOT project planning for cultural resource issues. He will report on strategies at the state DOT level to address these goals while continuing good stewardship for of cultural heritage using better project planning tools, early engagement of stakeholders, and programmatic approaches to problematic cultural resources. Re-evaluations: How Old Is Too Old? This presentation will discuss recently issued TxDOT guidance regarding when a previously cleared project may be re-evaluated, versus when a new environmental review should be conducted. NEPA Assignment: What Have We Learned? A brief update on NEPA assignment and our progress over the last year. |
| 4:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | TXDOT ONLY/TOWN HALL MEETING (Omni Ballroom) |
| 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | EXHIBITS/RECEPTION (Exhibit Area) |
| Wednesday, September 13 | |
| 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | REGISTRATION DESK OPEN |
| 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST (Exhibit Area) |
| 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | EXHIBITS OPEN (Foyer) |
| 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ROOM (The Oaks) |
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS: 1–4
BREAKOUT 1: Public Involvement: Updates and Additional Statutory Requirements The latest public involvement updates and additional state statutory requirements will be discussed. BREAKOUT 2: Birds of a Feather: Migratory Bird Lessons Learned Natural resources staff will provide a brief overview of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and district staff will share case studies and lessons learned across the state related to managing bird issues for transportation projects. BREAKOUT 3: Public Writing for Cultural Resources, Part 1 Designed for historical and archeological consultants, this two-part training session will give the basics of writing for the public. TxDOT plans multiple public-facing history and archeology projects in the future. Learn how to tell stories based on historic places, how to develop an interpretive theme, and picture-taking tips and tricks. The session will incorporate exercises and examples based on historic places and transportation history. Note that only a 10-minute break will be provided between sessions in order to keep the workshop on track. BREAKOUT 4: Everything Is Awesome! Tips for Improving Human Environment (HE) Work Products HE staff will present self-assessment findings, tips to reduce findings, and planned updates to air, noise, community impacts, indirect and cumulative impacts, and climate change tools. A Q&A follows the presentation. The audience is encouraged to ask questions or provide suggestions for HE tools to further expedite project development. |
| 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | BREAK (Exhibit Area) |
| 10:45 a.m. – Noon | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS: 5–8
BREAKOUT 5: Water, Water, Everywhere… The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer will present on transportation project considerations for Real Estate Actions and Section 408. TxDOT will present a GIS exercise that evaluated stream and wetland mitigation options and where mitigation banks are available or if there is a lack of options raising critical challenges. Additionally, two web applications will be shown to help with identifying mitigation banks and other resources. Also, if time permits, a streamlined Natural Diversity Database tool will be demonstrated. BREAKOUT 6: Public Writing for Cultural Resources, Part 2 Designed for historical and archeological consultants, this two-part training session will give the basics of writing for the public. TxDOT plans multiple public-facing history and archeology projects in the future. Learn how to tell stories based on historic places, how to develop an interpretive theme, and picture-taking tips and tricks. The session will incorporate exercises and examples based on historic places and transportation history. Note that only a 10-minute break will be provided between sessions in order to keep the workshop on track. BREAKOUT 7: Developing a Good Purpose and Need/Independent Utility and Segmentation, and Connected Actions This session will explain how to draft a concise purpose and need statement, which is an essential component of environmental documentation. Also covered is how to explain a transportation project’s logical termini and independent utility, to demonstrate that a project is not improperly segmented. BREAKOUT 8: Section 4(f) and Chapter 26 A review of the Section 4(f) and Chapter 26 procedures for historic resources, publicly owned parks, recreational areas, wildlife or waterfowl refuges. Information and tips on determining the appropriate 4(f) documentation and coordination requirements. |
| Noon – 1:30 p.m. | LUNCH (On Your Own) |
| 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS: 9–12
BREAKOUT 9: Progress and Preservation: Working with Native American Tribes on Federal Projects, Part 1 This session will focus on government-to-government consultation and tribal perspectives on natural and cultural resources. This session will offer a unique opportunity to discuss the principles of consultation, when to consult, and how it can impact project delivery. BREAKOUT 10: Consultants, Districts and ENV: Document Production for Complex Projects This session will cover best management practices for complex/high-profile projects (D-list CEs, EAs, and EISs), current guidance, mandatory and supplementary documentation, and how to file pertinent documentation. BREAKOUT 11: Effective Public Involvement Through Collaboration with Consultants True collaboration among the district, consultant and Transportation Planning and Programming Division’s Public Involvement Section can make a dramatic difference in the effectiveness of a project’s public involvement effort. A strategy for innovation plus the supporting tactics and techniques make up the roadmap to implementing TxDOT’s public involvement policy “…to encourage broad participation reflective of the needs of the state’s population.” BREAKOUT 12: Maintaining Project Consistency, Part 1 A discussion of the importance of consistent plans, programs and investment decisions related to performance-based planning and programming under the FAST Act. |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. | BREAK (Exhibit Area) |
| 3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS: 13–16
BREAKOUT 13: Developing a Good Purpose and Need/Independent Utility and Segmentation, and Connected Actions, (Repeat) This session will explain how to draft a concise purpose and need statement, which is an essential component of environmental documentation. Also covered is how to explain a transportation project’s logical termini and independent utility, to demonstrate that a project is not improperly segmented. BREAKOUT 14: Progress and Preservation: Working with Native American Tribes on Federal Projects, Part 2 This session will cover the topic of historic properties, traditional cultural properties (TCPs) and cultural landscapes/viewscapes. Offers a better understanding of what TCPs are and the importance of integrating tribes as stakeholders early in the planning process to reduce impacts to project delivery. BREAKOUT 15: Maintaining Project Consistency, Part 2 This session will cover how ENV determines that a project meets the planning consistency requirements. This session will define the methods ENV uses to indicate that a project is planning consistent and ready to receive environmental clearance. BREAKOUT 16: SM Wright Project: Translating Hazmat Impacts into Construction Solutions This session will review a construction project in the Dallas District with multiple complex contamination issues that were successfully mitigated during construction as a result of early planning and coordination. |
| Thursday, September 14 | |
| 8:00 a.m. – Noon | REGISTRATION DESK OPEN |
| 8:00 a.m. – Noon | EXHIBITS OPEN (Foyer) |
| 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST (Exhibit Area) |
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | WORKSHOP/TRAINING SESSIONS: 1–4
WORKSHOP/TRAINING 1: Successfully Navigating Section 106 and Section 4(f) for Local Project Sponsors This updated version of FHWA’s introductory course (ENV 117) targets the basics of avoiding pitfalls in completing cultural resource coordination. The training is highly interactive, built on actual TxDOT case studies, and pays special attention to the challenges of local government sponsored projects. Instructor Terry Klein is nationally recognized as an expert in DOT project planning for cultural resource issues. The intended audience includes new district environmental staff, local government project managers and the consultants who work for them. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 2: MS4 Coordinators — Preparing the MS4 Annual Report and Program Updates and Announcements This training session will include an introduction to the MS4 permit reporting requirements, discussion of the annual report, and discussion of how each district’s MS4 coordinator can complete the annual report template. MS4 program updates and upcoming plans will also be included in this training. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 3: Hazardous Materials Initial Site Assessment Training This workshop will review the Hazardous Materials Management (HMM) process as it relates to NEPA and will cover the recent changes to the Initial Site Assessment (ISA) document. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 4: ENV 125: Traffic Noise Basics This course is tailored to district staff with no noise experience to enable them to have a basic understanding of acoustics and the noise analysis process. |
| 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. | BREAK (Exhibit Area) |
| 10:45 a.m. – Noon | WORKSHOP/TRAINING SESSIONS: 1–4 (Continued)
WORKSHOP/TRAINING 1: Successfully Navigating Section 106 and Section 4(f) for Local Project Sponsors Workshop/Training 1 Continued from this morning. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 2: MS4 Coordinators — Preparing the MS4 Annual Report and Program Updates and Announcements Workshop/Training 2 Continued from this morning. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 3: Hazardous Materials Initial Site Assessment Training Workshop/Training 3 Continued from this morning. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 4: ENV 125: Traffic Noise Basics |
| Noon – 1:30 p.m. | LUNCH (On Your Own) |
| 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | WORKSHOP/TRAINING SESSIONS: 1 (Continued) and 5
WORKSHOP/TRAINING 1: Successfully Navigating Section 106 and Section 4(f) for Local Project Sponsors Workshop/Training 1 Continued from this morning. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 5: Indirect and Cumulative Impacts (ICI) Workshop The Subject Matter Experts will address some common issues with indirect and cumulative impacts analysis such as encroachment alteration effects, changes to access and travel patterns, and more. The SMEs will also introduce an upcoming resource to assist with ICI analysis in the Edwards Aquifer area. |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. | BREAK (Exhibit Area) |
| 3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | WORKSHOP/TRAINING SESSIONS: 1 and 5 (Continued)
WORKSHOP/TRAINING 1: Successfully Navigating Section 106 and Section 4(f) for Local Project Sponsors Workshop/Training 1 Continued from this afternoon. WORKSHOP/TRAINING 5: Indirect and Cumulative Impacts (ICI) Workshop Stump the experts! Come ready with your questions on indirect and cumulative analysis. |