NAWTEC 16-1906 DRAFT SOLID WASTE CARBON PLANNING TOOL

ABSTRACT The EPA has developed the Waste Reduction Model (WARM) to help solid waste managers estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions from several different waste management practices. This model is useful for high level analysis but breaks down when applied to specific local systems. This paper will discuss new work currently being done by HDR to provide more reliable analysis of local conditions. This capability is of growing importance given the emergence of national carbon regulations which will require solid waste managers to develop greenhouse gas reduction strategies for their local systems

NAWTEC16-1923 UNIQUE ELEMENTS OF THE OLMSTED COUNTY FACILITY EXPANSION

ABSTRACT Olmsted County is currently expanding their existing waste-toenergy facility in Rochester, Minnesota to add a third mass burn waste combustor. The new unit will have a capacity of 200 TPD, effectively doubling the size of the existing capacity. This paper will discuss some of the unique aspects of this project and review the current status. Some of the interesting and unique features to be discussed include

Curved Steel Bridge Research Project, Interim Report I: Synthesis

DTFH61-93-C-00136The objectives of the FHWA Curved Steel Bridge Program are (1) to conduct fundamental research into the structural behavior of curved steel flexural members and bridges, and (2) to address construction issues, in order to provide adequate information to develop and clarify design specifications. The work under this program is a coordinated effort between the Transportation Research Board (TRB), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and participating States under a Highway Planning and Research (HP&R) Pooled Fund Study. This program focuses on four areas: (1) synthesis of work that has been done since the Consortium of University Research Teams (CURT) Project; (2) update of the current specification in a load factor design format; (3) conduct of research recommended by Structural Stability Research Council's (SSRC's) Task Group 14 at the April 14-15, 1991 workshop; and (4) development of a load and resistance factor design specification based on research conducted area 3. Areas 1 and 3 are conducted by FHWA as a pooled fund study with an administrative contract. Area 2 is conducted by TRB under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 12-38. Area 4 is proposed to be addressed by NCHRP at a future date. This report summarizes the results of a comprehensive literature search under the FHWA research program

Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Phase I Evaluation: Road Usage Charge Enhancement to Improve Functionality, Public Acceptance, and Interoperability by the Oregon Department of Transportation

DTFH61-16-D-00053, T-0015This report presents the independent evaluation results of the Road Usage Charge Enhancement to Improve Functionality, Public Acceptance, and Interoperability by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), which received fiscal year (FY) 2016 funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Program. ODOT is one of eight entities to engage in pilots or pre-pilot planning and development activities to explore a variety of options to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. The U.S. Congress and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) seek to understand whether a user-based alternative revenue mechanism that utilizes a user-fee structure can help maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund and can be implemented nationally at some time in the future. As part of this endeavor, the FHWA is evaluating seven of the eight grantee sites that received funding in Federal FY2016. The evaluation reports resulting from this process will make the Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Congress aware of the progress that has been made, lessons learned from initial pilot and planning efforts, the role of education and outreach, the potential for any negative impacts on constituents, and initial findings on administrative fees, among other issues

Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Phase I Evaluation: Regional Road Usage Charge System Definition and Pilot Planning Project by RUC West

DTFH61-16-D-00053, T-0015This report presents the independent evaluation results of the Regional Road Usage Charge (RUC) System Definition and Pilot Planning Project by the Western Road Usage Charge Consortium (RUC West), which received fiscal year (FY) 2016 funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Program. RUC West is a voluntary coalition of 17 western State departments of transportation (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming) that are committed to collaborative research and development of a new funding method for transportation infrastructure based on drivers\u2019 actual road usage. It is one of eight entities to engage in pilots or pre-pilot planning and development activities to explore a variety of options to demonstrate user based alternative revenue mechanisms. The United States Congress and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)seek to understand whether a user-based alternative revenue mechanism that utilizes a user fee structure can help maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund and can be implemented nationally at some time in the future. As part of this endeavor, FHWA is evaluating seven of the eight grantee sites that received funding in Federal fiscal year 2016.The evaluation reports resulting from this process will allow the Secretary of Transportation and Congress to be aware of progress that has been made, lessons learned from initial pilot and planning efforts, the role of education and outreach, and the potential for any negative impacts on constituents and initial findings on administrative fees, among others

Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Phase I Evaluation: Pre-Deployment of Innovative Revenue Strategies and Public Outreach by Missouri Department of Transportation

DTFH61-16-D-00053, T-0015This report presents the independent evaluation results of pre-deployment activities for a user-based fee demonstration by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). MoDOT received Federal fiscal year 2016 funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Program. MoDOT is one of eight entities to engage in pilots or pre-pilot planning and development activities to explore a variety of options to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. The U.S. Congress and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) seek to understand whether a user-based alternative revenue mechanism that utilizes a user-fee structure can help maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund and can be implemented nationally at some time in the future. As part of this endeavor, the FHWA is evaluating seven of the eight grantee sites that received funding in Federal FY2016.The evaluation reports resulting from this process will make the Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Congress aware of the progress that has been made, lessons learned from initial pilot and planning efforts, the role of education and outreach, the potential for any negative impacts on constituents, and initial findings on administrative fees, among other issues

Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Phase I Evaluation: Exploring a Mileage-Based User Fee in a Multi-State Region \u2013 Delaware Department of Transportation on Behalf of the Eastern Transportation Coalition

DTFH61-16-D-00053, T-0015This report presents the independent evaluation results of Exploring a Mileage-Based User Fee in a Multi-State Region \u2013 an Eastern Transportation Corridor Coalition (TETC) initiative, which was funded through Phase I of the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Program. Delaware is one of eight entities to engage in pilots or pre-pilot planning and development activities to explore a variety of options to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms. The U.S. Congress and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) seek to understand whether a user-fee structure, such as a road usage charge, is a viable substitute for the fuel tax and if such a structure can be implemented nationally at some time in the future. As part of this endeavor, FHWA is conducting evaluations of the eight grantee sites that received funding in Federal fiscal year 2016.The evaluation reports resulting from this process will allow the Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Congress to be aware of progress that has been made, lessons learned from initial pilot and planning efforts, the role of education and outreach, and the potential for any negative impacts on constituents and initial findings on administrative fees, among others

Global Assemblages, Resilience, and Earth Stewardship in the Anthropocene

In this paper, we argue that the Anthropocene is an epoch characterized not only by the anthropogenic dominance of the Earth\u27s ecosystems but also by new forms of environmental governance and institutions. Echoing the literature in political ecology, we call these new forms of environmental governance “global assemblages”. Socioecological changes associated with global assemblages disproportionately impact poorer nations and communities along the development continuum, or the “Global South”, and others who depend on natural resources for subsistence. Although global assemblages are powerful mechanisms of socioecological change, we show how transnational networks of grassroots organizations are able to resist their negative social and environmental impacts, and thus foster socioecological resilience

High-tension Cable Median Barrier Safety Effectiveness Evaluation

(c) 1030652The objective of this study was to evaluate the change in crash frequency or severity of varying lateral offset distances of high-tension cable median barriers in Minnesota. Crash and traffic data from 2016 to present were conjoined with roadway cross-sectional data and high-tension cable barrier locations to perform cross-sectional analyses for interstate segments equal to or greater than 0.05-miles long. Negative binomial regression models were estimated and used to develop crash modification factors (CMFs) for the following crash types: total crashes, target crashes, and barrier crashes. In addition to evaluating the impact of lateral offset, a na\uefve before-after evaluation was completed to quantify the impact of installing high-tension cable barrier