Training - Environmental Justice - Environment - Environment & Planning - FHWA

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TRAINING
Environmental justice is more than a set of legal and regulatory
obligations. Properly implemented, environmental justice principles and
procedures improve all levels of transportation decisionmaking. The
FHWA and FTA engage in several types of technical assistance and
training to promote the integration of environmental justice principles into
all programs, plans and activities. Activities include:

Conducting training courses

Participation in national, regional or local conferences and workshops
Provision of technical assistance at field conferences and meetings
Sponsoring and monitoring research activities
Preparing presentations for use in EJ training
Maintaining a list of contacts for EJ matters

Training Courses
FHWA provides formal training on the application of environmental justice in the transportation decision-making process through the
National Highway Institute and smaller workshops with the FHWA Resource Center Technical Service Teams. Example courses
include:

Course -- Fundamentals of Environmental Justice/Title VI

National Highway Institute

DESCRIPTION: Environmental justice and Title VI apply to every stage of a transportation program. The U.S. Department of
Transportation (USDOT) and its partners are committed to integrating the nondiscrimination principles of environmental justice and
Title VI into all Federal-aid programs. Through these and other transportation programs, many opportunities exist to establish
partnerships with other public and private organizations to create more livable communities that meet environmental justice
standards. This course presents participants with a framework for using a variety of approaches and tools for accomplishing
environmental justice goals in Federal-aid programs and other transportation projects.

OUTCOMES: Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to:

Define environmental justice and describe its relationship to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Explain the fundamental principles of environmental justice
Apply the principles of environmental justice to transportation decisions
Identify how environmental justice applies to every stage of transportation decision making
Describe the benefits of environmental justice in transportation decision making
Develop proactive strategies, methods, and techniques to implement environmental justice in transportation programs and
projects

TARGET AUDIENCE: Federal, State, and local transportation agency transit or planning personnel (including consultants acting on
their behalf) who interact with minority and low-income communities. State and local agency personnel providing community services.
Elected officials and their representatives.

Course - Public Involvement in NEPA and the Transportation Decision-Making Process

National Highway Institute

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DESCRIPTION: This workshop provides information on and practical application of required and public involvement processes and
techniques. With the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as a backdrop-- in addition to related laws, regulations and policies--
classroom exercises provide participants opportunities to design public education, public involvement, advisory and joint planning
activities. In addition, there is a focus on interagency coordination and decision-making forums, as well as implementation and
evaluation plans. The tools used include consensus building, conflict resolution, problem solving and process improvement, among
others.

OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course, participants will be able to: 1. Identify key points where public involvement is required
by law, regulation or policy, as well as other opportunities to solicit and incorporate public input. 2. Select appropriate strategies or
techniques for interagency and community participation. 3. Create a public involvement plan for a model project and apply some of
the involvement techniques in a laboratory setting.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Project development and design staff who will participate in any phase of the public involvement process.
Follow this link for more information on the course.

Course - Preventing Discrimination in the Federal-aid Program: A Systematic Interdisciplinary

Approach

FHWA Civil Rights Technical Service Team

Description: This training emphasizes the utilization of an interdisciplinary approach for the early recognition of potential adverse
impacts that might be discriminatory so as to avoid these impacts and work for alternative solutions in all phases of the Federal-aid
Highway Program, e.g. planning, project development, construction and research . It also stresses the need for interdisciplinary staff
to be involved in the development and implementation of Title 6 plans that recipients are required to meet their nondiscrimination
obligations.

Objective: Upon completion of course, participants will be able to: 1) Identify nondiscrimination laws, Executive Orders, and
regulations and their application to the Federal-aid program. 2) Identify a methodology for developing and implementing a Title VI
Plan using an interdisciplinary approach.

Target Audience: This 2 ½ day course is intended for Federal, State, and local transportation staff to explain the implications of Title
6 and related statutes in all aspects of planning, project development, construction, and research in the federal-aid program.

Conferences and Workshops

FHWA and FTA staff are also sponsors of conferences and workshops. In July 2000, the FHWA and the FTA held the Environmental
Justice/Title VI Summit in Arlington, Virginia. The event brought together State Departments of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning
Organizations, transit providers and members of local, community-based and national advocacy organizations to discuss
Environmental Justice and Title VI and the importance of full participation of the community in the transportation decision making
process. Follow this link to download the minutes of the Summit (PDF file 38K).

To view PDF files, you need the Acrobat® Reader®.

Technical Assistance

The FHWA and FTA are currently preparing additional training materials including a brochure, effective practices, case studies,
training course and workshop materials, and other tools for use in providing technical assistance, in a national training course, and in
planned workshops. These products are being coordinated with FTA field offices and with the FHWA Resource Centers for future
implementation.

FHWA will continue to work with our field offices, the State DOTs, and local government units to make available technical assistance
on how environmental justice can improve all levels of transportation decisionmaking. The Resource section of this web contains
several references and links to important technical assistance materials.

Research Activities

FHWA widely distributed its Community Impacts Assessment Guidebook. FHWA's Environmental Justice, Community Impact and
Public Involvement team, provides technical assistance in the areas of community impact assessment, Title VI (including
Environmental Justice), and public involvement.

FHWA staff also participate in relevant Transportation Research Board Committees. Several of these committees are:

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Training - Environmental Justice - Environment - Environment & Planning - FHWA

Environmental Justice in Transportation Committee (ADD 50)

Public Involvement in Transportation Committee (ADA 60)

Section 5207 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) established
the Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP). The general objective of the STEP is
to improve understanding of the complex relationship between surface transportation, planning and the environment.

Presentations

FHWA has prepared, or is in the process of preparing, a series of EJ presentations. Follow this link for a list of presentations
available for download.

Contacts

Follow this link for a list of Contacts for Environmental Justice.

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