Skowhegan Transportation
Study: Glossary
Below is a list of environmental and transportation planning
terms and definitions related to the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA)
and the Skowhegan Transportation Study:
Affected Environment – The physical features, land, area,
or areas to be influenced, or impacted, by an alternative alignment
under consideration. This term also includes various social and environmental
factors and conditions pertinent to an area.
Agency Coordination – A general term referring to the process
whereby government agencies are afforded an opportunity to review and
comment upon transportation proposals.
Alignment Studies – A general term describing engineering work
involving the vertical and horizontal positioning, the adjusting and
refining, and the comprehensive evaluation of a trial line or lines through
a selected study corridor taking into account all relevant features,
controls, travel desires, impacts, benefits and costs. Alignment studies
are typically performed to assess the relative feasibility of a proposed
transportation facility.
Alternative – One of a number of specific transportation improvement
proposals, alignments, options, design choices, etc., in a defined study
area. For a transportation project, alternatives to be studied normally
include the no-action alternative, an upgrading of the existing roadway
alternative, new transportation routes and locations, transportation
systems management strategies, multi-modal alternatives, if warranted,
and any combinations of the above.
Archaeologically Sensitive Shorelines – Shores of water bodies
determined by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) to be
likely to yield prehistoric artifacts, based on a predictive model using
topography, hydrology, and surficial soil types to assess sensitivity.
Archaeologically Sensitive Surficial Deposits – Land forms that
are likely locations of prehistoric settlements or gathering places,
based on a MHPC predictive model that uses surficial geology (water bodies,
alluvium, lake bottom deposits, glacial outwash, and eskers) to assess
sensitivity.
Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) – A federal agency that administers
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors
Act; its regulatory programs address wetlands and waterways protection.
Arterials – Roads with high traffic volumes that provide linkage
between major cities and towns and developed areas, capable of attracting
travel over long distances. Basically, they provide service to interstate
and intercounty travel demand. The arterial system typically provides
for high travel speeds and the longest trip movements. The degree of
access control on an arterial may range from full control (freeways)
to entrance control on, for example, an urban arterial through a densely
developed commercial area.
Attainment Area – A geographic area in which levels of a criteria
air pollutant meet the health-based primary standard (National Ambient
Air Quality Standard) for the pollutant. Attainment areas are defined
using federal pollutant limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
At-grade –The intersection of two roads, or a road and a railway,
that cross at the same elevation.
At-Risk Watershed – Watersheds contributing to water bodies that
are at risk of eutrophication due to new development and phosphorus-laden
runoff. These water bodies include public drinking water supplies and
waters that currently exhibit algal blooms or other signs of eutrophication.
At-risk watersheds are defined according to criteria in Maine’s
Stormwater Law (5 M.R.S.A. § 3331).
Attainment Area – A geographic area in which levels of a criteria
air pollutant meet the health-based primary standard (National Ambient
Air Quality Standard) for the pollutant. Attainment areas are defined
using federal pollutant limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
Avoidance Alternative – A general term used to refer to any alignment
proposal which has been developed, modified, shifted, or downsized to
specifically avoid impacting one or more resources.
Best Management Practice (BMP) – A structural and/or management
practice employed before, during and after construction to protect receiving
water quality. These practices either provide techniques to reduce soil
erosion or remove sediment and pollutants from surface runoff.
Biodiversity – The diversity of genes, species, and ecosystems.
This term includes the entire hierarchy of ecological organization, and
encompasses regional ecosystem diversity (landscape diversity), local
ecosystem diversity (community diversity), species diversity, and genetic
diversity within populations of a species.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) – A colorless, odorless, tasteless gas formed
in large part by incomplete combustion of fuel. Full combustion activities
(i.e. transportation, industrial processes, space heating, etc.) are
the major sources of CO.
Categorical Exclusion – A classification given to federal aid
projects or actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a
significant impact on the environment. Categorical Exclusions do not
require extensive levels of environmental documentation.
CEQ Regulations – Directives issued by the Federal Council on
Environmental Quality, published in 40 CFR 1500-1508, which governs the
implementation of NEPA and the development and issuance of environmental
policy and procedure for federal actions by public agencies. The regulations
contain definitions, spell out applicability and responsibilities, and
mandate certain processes and procedures for state agencies with programs
which utilize federal aid funds.
Collector Roads – Roads characterized by a roughly even distribution
of their access and mobility functions. These routes gather traffic from
local roads and streets and deliver it to the arterial system. Traffic
volumes and speeds will typically be lower than those of arterials.
Comment Period – The duration of time during which written comments
or responses may be submitted to an agency which has distributed a document
for review and comment. It can be applicable to all types of documents
which are circulated, as well as to formal presentations such as those
which may be given by transportation department officials at a public
hearing.
Community Water Supply – A public water system that serves at
least 25 residents throughout the year, comprised of one or multiple
wells or reservoirs.
Conceptual Mitigation – The early, generalized identification
of design, operational, or construction measures considered to avoid,
minimize or compensate for anticipated environmental consequences. Typically,
conceptual mitigation represents ideas talked about prior to the concluding
stages of an environmental study.
Concurrence – Determination by the agency that information to
date is adequate and the project can advance to the next stage of project
development.
Construction Phase – The phase of the transportation project development
process which involves in the physical act of building by a contractor
the proposed project to all plans and specifications developed during
final design.
Controlled-Access Highway – A highway that provides limited points
of access and egress. Freeways, such as I-95, are controlled access highways
in which access points occur only at interchanges. These highways serve
mobility needs, and are designed to accommodate higher travel speeds.
Cooperating Agency – Any organization, other than the lead agency,
which has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any
environmental impact involved in a proposed action.
Cost Effectiveness – In the context of this study, cost effectiveness
is an economic measure used to evaluate and compare the corridors in
this study. Cost effectiveness is defined as the present value of the
2030 gross regional product (GRP) growth per dollar of construction cost.
In this way, cost effectiveness compares the relative future economic
benefits against the size of the investment required to generate those
benefits.
Cumulative Impacts – The impacts on the environment that result
from the incremental impact of a project when added to other past, present,
and reasonable foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency or
person undertakes such other actions.
Daily Traffic Volume – The number of vehicles that use a given
roadway over a 24-hour period in both directions.
dB – Unit of measurement of sound level. A unit used to express
relative difference in power or intensity, usually between two acoustic
or electric signals, equal to ten times the common logarithm of the ratio
of the two levels.
dBA –An abbreviation for A-weighted decibel. The decibel is a
unit used to describe sound pressure levels on a logarithmic scale. For
community noise impact assessment, an A-weighted frequency filter is
used to approximate the way humans hear sound.
Deciduous – Refers to woody vegetation, such as oak or maple trees,
that shed their leaves after the growing season.
Deer Wintering Yard – Areas of softwood-dominated forest that
provide food resources and shelter for deer during severe winter conditions.
Demand – Vehicular traffic demand (volume) on a given highway
segment, expressed in vehicles per day (vpd).
Demand Shift – The change in demand (volume) on a given highway
segment, expressed in vehicles per day (vpd). Demand shifts can be caused
by new corridors that provide a faster and/or shorter travel route.
Design Hour Volume (DHV) – The hour used for geometric design
of highways, typically the 30th highest traffic volume of the year.
Direct Effects - Effects caused by a given action and occurring at the
same time and place. Changes in noise levels, fill discharges in wetlands,
and changes in visual conditions are some examples of direct effects.
Disadvantaged Population – A group of people, living in one area,
who have a median income below the federal poverty level, or who exhibit
other indicators of economic disadvantage.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) – The document prepared
by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in accordance with FHWA
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations (23 CFR Part 771).
These regulations require that the EIS evaluate all reasonable alternatives
considered, discuss the reasons that alternatives have been eliminated
from detailed study, summarize the studies, reviews, consultations, and
coordination required by environmental laws and Executive Orders.
Early Coordination – Communication undertaken near the beginning
of the transportation study development process to exchange information
and work cooperatively with agencies and the public in an effort to determine
the type and scope of studies, the level of analysis, and related study
requirements.
Edge Habitat – An area along a transitional zone between two or
more vegetation cover types that provide feeding, breeding, nesting,
or cover habitat for wildlife.
Endangered Species – Any species which is in danger of extinction
throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
Engineering – A general term which refers to the systematic analysis
and development of measurable physical data, using applied mathematical,
scientific, and technical principles, to yield tangible end products
which can be made, produced, and constructed.
Environment – The complex of social, natural, and cultural conditions
which are present in the physical surroundings.
Environmental Assessment – A document prepared for federal actions
which are not categorical exclusions and which do not clearly require
an EIS. An environmental assessment provides the analysis and documentation
to determine if an EIS or a Finding of No Significant Impact should be
prepared.
Environmental Baseline – An inventory or summary assessment of
environmental features present within a study area, usually performed
during systems planning or early project development. This activity is
used to provide environmental impact information as a basis for developing
alternatives.
Environmental Feature – A general term to denote resources or
objects, located in or adjacent to an existing or proposed transportation
corridor. Features may include natural or physical resources, important
structures, communities’ facilities, topographic features, and
certain other land uses.
Environmental Justice – Executive Order 12898 requires each federal
agency to “make achieving environmental justice part of its mission
by identifying and addressing… disproportionately high and adverse
human health or environmental impacts on minority populations and low-income
populations.”
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) – Those waters and substrate necessary
to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity, as defined
by the regional Fishery Management Council.
Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) – A statute enacted in 1981
by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure that
significant agricultural lands be protected from conversion to non-agricultural
uses. For highway projects receiving federal aid, the regulations promulgated
under the FPPA (7 CFR Part 658, 1984) require a state highway authority
(MaineDOT) to coordinate with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service. The FPPA regulates four types of farmland soils; prime farmland,
unique farmland, farmland of state-wide importance, and farmland of local
importance.
Farmland Soils – Soils suited to producing crops; those with soil
quality, growing season and moisture supply needed to produce a sustainable
yield when treated and managed using acceptable methods. Specifically,
farmland soils are those soil types designated by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) in accordance with the Farmland Protection
Policy Act (FPPA) of 1981 by the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
Farmland Soils of Statewide Importance – Soils that are nearly
Prime Farmland and that produce high yields of crops when treated and
managed according to acceptable farming methods (see definition of “Prime
Farmlands” below).
Feasibility Study – A general term that refers to various types
of systematic evaluations carried out to better assess the desirability
or practicality of further developing a proposed action. Such studies
are typically performed during the planning stages.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – A former independent
agency that became part of the new Department of Homeland Security in
March 2003 – is tasked with responding to, planning for, recovering
from and mitigating against disasters.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) – The branch of the U.S.
Department of Transportation responsible for administering the funding
of federal-aid highway projects.
Federal-Aid System – The federal-aid system consists of those
routes within Maine that are eligible for the categorical federal highway
funds.
Federal Register – A daily publication of the U.S. Government
Printing Office which contains notices, announcements, rulemaking and
other official pronouncements of the administrative agencies of the U.S.
Government. Various announcements and findings related to specific environmental
matters and transportation projects and activities appear in this publication.
Final Design Phase – The phase of the transportation project development
process which involves the preparation of detailed working drawings as
well as specifications and estimates for approved transportation projects.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) – The document prepared
after circulation of a DEIS (or SDEIS) and consideration of comments
received. FHWA NEPA regulations (23 CFR Part 771.125) require that the
FEIS identify a preferred alternative, evaluate all reasonable alternatives
considered, discuss and respond to substantive comments on the EIS, summarize
public involvement, and describe the mitigation measures that will be
incorporated into the proposed action.
Floodplain – The level area adjoining a river channel inundated
during periods of high flow.
Floodway – The channel of a stream, plus any adjacent floodplain
areas, that must be kept free of encroachment in order that the 100-year
flood be carried without substantial increases in flood heights.
FONSI – A Finding of No Significant Impact is a document by a
federal agency that briefly presents the reasons why an action, not otherwise
excluded (§ 1508.4), will not have a significant effect on the human
environment and for which an environmental impact statement therefore
will not be prepared. It shall include the environmental assessment or
a summary of it and shall note any other environmental documents related
to it (§ 1501.7(a)(5)). If the assessment is included, the finding
need not repeat any of the discussion in the assessment but may incorporate
it by reference.
Forest Block – Units of forest uninterrupted by roadways or other
disturbance.
Fragmentation – Subdivision of a forest or other habitat into
isolated patches by roads, land clearing, or other human or natural alterations
of the landscape, accompanied by the loss of a certain portion of the
original habitat.
Functional Conflict – Highways provide a balance between providing
access (with multiple access points) and mobility (with limited access
points). Freeways are designed to maximize mobility and serve regional
traffic demands as opposed to local roads (or collectors) that provide
multiple access points to adjacent land uses (residences or businesses).
Functional conflicts arise when regional traffic that would be better
served on a freeway, uses local roads.
Geographic Information System (GIS) – A computer-based application
used to perform spatial analysis.
Geometric Deficiency – A deficiency that occurs when a highway’s
geometric characteristics (lane width, shoulder width, horizontal curvature,
vertical grade, etc.) do not meet prevailing design standards.
Geometric Design – Those engineering activities involving standards
and procedures for establishing the horizontal and vertical alignment
and dimensions of a highway.
Glacial Outwash – Surficial sand and gravel sediments deposited
ahead of a glacier by glacial meltwater.
Grade – The slope of a road along the direction of travel, normally
characterized by the vertical rise per unit of longitudinal distance.
Grade Separation – The intersection of two roads, or a road and
a railway, that cross at different elevations. One roadway overpasses
or underpasses the other roadway with a structure(s).
Gross Regional Product (GRP) – Gross Regional Product is one of
the major economic indices of the socio-economic development of a region.
GRP is equal to the total of added values in the regional economic industries,
estimated as a difference between production and intermediate consumption.
Groundwater Recharge Protection Areas – Areas of land designated
by water resource agencies through that rainwater or snowmelt percolate
and replenish the underlying aquifer in the area of a public well. These
areas require special protection because they directly affect the quality
and safety of the public drinking water supply.
High Crash Location (HCL) – A High Crash Location is an intersection
or highway segment that experiences an abnormally high number of accidents
relative to the traffic demands that are served. For the State of Maine,
the Maine Department of Transportation identifies HCLs.
Highway Reconstruction/Rehabilitation – Reconstruction of an existing
highway is undertaken when the pavement structure or alignment of the
existing facility is deficient. Reconstruction includes removal and replacement
of the entire pavement structure, significant changes in the vertical
or horizontal alignment, or addition of lanes. Rehabilitation includes
resurfacing and other minor repairs intended to extend the service life
of the existing facility and enhance highway safety.
Historic Resources – Properties, structures and districts that
are listed in or have been determined to be eligible for listing in the
National Register of Historic Places.
Hourly Traffic Volume – The number of vehicles that use a given
road over a 1-hour period.
Hydric Soils – Soils that are saturated, flooded, or ponded long
enough during the growing season to develop at least temporary conditions
where there is no free oxygen in the soil around the roots. Hydric soils
correspond to federally and state regulated wetlands in many circumstances.
Hydrologic Regime – The frequency and duration of inundation or
soil saturation of a given area.
Impacts – A term to describe the positive or negative effects
upon the natural or human environment as a result of a specific project
or projects.
Impervious Surface – Relating to hydrology. A surface through
which precipitation cannot penetrate, causing direct runoff or perching
(examples include asphalt paving roofs, and densely compacted gravel).
Independent Utility – The ability of a transportation improvement
to be usable and be a reasonable expenditure even if no additional transportation
improvements in the area are made.
Indirect Effects – Effects caused by a given action, occurring
later in time or farther removed in distance but which are reasonably
foreseeable. Induced changes to land use patterns, population density
or growth rate are examples.
Interagency Meeting – One of several scheduled gatherings held
during the transportation project development process to present project
studies and data to government agencies and to receive comments and responses
to assist in further project development. Typically, these meetings are
held to discuss such data as plans of study, project need analyses, alternatives
analysis information, elimination of and selection of alternates, and
environmental documents.
Interstate – A freeway-type highway that is part of the National
Highway System.
Interstate Highway System – The network of Interstate Highways
established by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The statute established
a 41,000-mile network of controlled-access highways (expanded to 42,000
miles by legislation in 1968) intended to connect all metropolitan areas
with populations greater than 50,000 and all state capitals.
Integrated Transportation Decision-making (ITD) Process – The
requirements of Maine's Sensible Transportation Policy Act (STPA) and
the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) have been integrated
within a single integrated transportation decision-making (ITD) process
to guide the planning of new transportation construction projects in
Maine.
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) – The application of
technology to goods and people movement in order to reduce delay and
improve safety. The main applications of ITS in place today involve the
monitoring of real time traffic flows and weather conditions and transmitting
this information to the appropriate authorities and the motoring public.
The authorities use this information to send the response teams to the
scene of an accident, whether it be emergency medical teams or a hazardous
material team. The motoring public is alerted to potential hazards or
delays on roadways through the use of highway advisory radio (HAR), variable
message signs (VMS), or broadcast radio traffic reports.
Labor Market Area (LMA) – Labor market areas are regional areas
with a high concentration of employment opportunities. These are economically
integrated units within which workers may readily change jobs without
changing their place of residence.
Lacustrine – Of and related to lakes.
Land and Water Conservation Fund – A system for funding Federal,
State and local parks and conservation areas, created by the Land and
Water Conservation Fund Act of 1964.
Lead Agency – The federal project proponent taking primary responsibility
for preparing an environmental document.
Legal Notice – A formal announcement or finding published in a
periodical or newspaper to provide official public notice of an action
or approval which is of public interest.
Level of Detail – A general term referring to the amount of data
collected, and the scale, scope, extent, and degree to which item-by-item
particulars and refinements of specific points are necessary or desirable
in carrying out a study. Level of detail is an important factor in the
quality of a study, the overall study costs, and the length of time needed
to perform study work.
Limited-Access Facility – A highway where access to abutting properties
is restricted or limited by control of the right-of-way.
Link – A new or existing highway segment between two defined end-points.
Local Roads and Streets – All public roads and streets not classified
as arterials or collectors will have a local classification. Local roads
and streets are characterized by many points of direct access to adjacent
properties and have relatively minor role in accommodating mobility.
Speeds and traffic volumes are usually low.
Logical Termini – Features such as cross route locations that
are considered rational end points for a transportation improvement and
which serve to make it useable.
Magnuson - Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act – Legislation
(16 U.S.C. 1855(b)) governing all fisheries resources within 320 kilometers
(200 miles) of the U.S. coast that established regional Fishery Management
Councils and required the preparation of Fisheries Management Plans.
MaineDOT Highway Design Guide – A tool developed by the Maine
Department of Transportation that provides guidance for the design of
roads and highways in the State of Maine in addition to the Federal Highway
Administration design criteria.
Maine’s Sensible Transportation Policy Act (STPA) – Maine’s
Sensible Transportation Policy Act is a state law enacted in 1991 by
the citizens of Maine that provides a decision making framework for examining
a range of alternatives. The STPA is applicable to transportation planning
decisions, capital investment decisions, and project selection decisions
made by the Maine Department of Transportation.
Major Collector Road – Collector Roads that tend to serve higher
traffic volumes than other Collector Roads. Major collector roads typically
link arterials. Traffic volumes and speeds will typically be lower than
those of Principal Arterials.
Mesoscale Air Quality Analysis – A regional-level analysis of
air for chemical constituents.
Microscale Air Quality Analysis – An analysis of air for chemical
constituents, typically conducted for a small study area such as an intersection.
Minor Arterial – Minor arterials are highways that tend to link
Collector Roads to Principal Arterials and serve lower traffic volumes
than typical arterials. Minor Arterials are also typically designed at
lower travel speeds than Principal Arterials.
Mitigation – Actions that avoid, minimize, or compensate for potential
adverse impacts.
Mitigation Measures – Specific design commitments made during
the environmental evaluation and study process which serve to moderate
or lessen impacts deriving from the proposed action. In accordance with
CEQ, mitigation includes avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction
and compensation.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) – The prescribed
level of pollutants in the outside air that cannot be exceeded during
a specified time in a specified geographic area.
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) – The
federal legislation that requires an interdisciplinary approach in planning
and decision-making for federal-aid actions. The Act includes requirements
for the contents of environmental impact statements that are to accompany
every recommendation for major federal actions significantly affecting
the quality of the human environment. The interdisciplinary study approach
includes the analysis of potential impacts to the natural, social and
economic environment.
National Highway System (NHS) – The National Highway System is
a system of those highways determined to have the greatest national importance
to transportation, commerce and defense in the United States. It consists
of the Interstate highway system, logical additions to the Interstate
system, selected other principal arterials, and other facilities that
meet the requirements of one of the subsystems within the NHS.
National Historic District – An area, comprising numerous buildings
and their setting, identified as historic in the National Register of
Historic Places.
National Priority List (NPL) – The “Superfund” statute
(42 U.S.C. Sect. 9601) requires the EPA to establish a National Priorities
List of sites which are to be given top priority consideration for removal
of hazardous substances and remedial action.
National Register of Historic Places (National Register) – A list
of structures, sites and districts of national historical significance
as determined by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation under
the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended.
National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) – A program administered by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for mapping and classifying wetland
resources in the United States.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – Formerly the Soil
Conservation Service, NRCS is a department within the United State Department
of Agriculture that is responsible for administering the Farmland Protection
Policy Act.
Needs Analysis – Data collection and analysis to document the
purpose and need for the project. This document may draw on any number
of transportation, master planning, socioeconomic, traffic, safety, system
linkage, growth management or other community or regional issues of importance.
New Location Highway – A highway proposed to be constructed on
land not currently used for transportation facilities.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) – Nitric oxide (NO) and Nitrogen dioxide
(NO2) are collectively referred to as oxides of nitrogen (NOx). NO forms
during high temperature combustion process. NO2 forms when NO further
reacts in the atmosphere. NOx reacts with the sunlight to form ozone,
a colorless gas associated with smog or haze conditions. Ozone is a pollutant
regulated by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.
No-Build Alternative – Normally includes short-term, minor restoration
types of activities (e.g. safety and maintenance improvements) that maintain
continuing operation of an existing facility. The no-build alternative
serves as a baseline for the comparison of other alternatives.
Noise Abatement Criteria (NAC) – Noise levels measured in decibels
that are used as a basis of comparison for evaluating the impact from
predicted design year noise and for determining whether noise abatement
measures should be considered.
Noise Abatement Measures – Actions that reduce traffic noise impacts.
Noise abatement measures can be traffic management measures, alteration
of horizontal and vertical alignments, acquisition of property rights
for construction of noise barrier, construction of noise barriers, acquisition
of real property or interest for buffer zones, or noise insulation of
public use or nonprofit institutional structures.
Noise Receptor – Locations that may be affected by noise. Sensitive
receptors include residences, parks, schools, churches, libraries, hotels,
and other public buildings.
Non-Community Drinking Water System – A public water system that
serves at least 25 persons at least 60 days out of the year and is not
a community or a seasonal water system.
Non-Point Source Pollution (NPS) – Pollution of water bodies that
does not originate at a single specific source such as an industrial
discharge or discharge from a wastewater treatment plant. Sources of
non-point pollution include runoff from highways, agricultural fields,
golf courses, and lawns.
Other Principal Arterial – Highways that provide access between
arterials and a major port, airport, public transportation facility or
other intermodal transportation facility. Other Principal Arterials tend
to serve lower traffic demands than Principal Arterials.
Outstanding River Segment (ORS) – A section of a river or stream
designated by the Maine Natural Resources Protection Act (12 M.R.S.A. § 403)
for protection because of the special resource values of its flowing
waters and shorelines.
Ozone – A gas which is a variety of oxygen. Ozone is a pollutant
regulated by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Ground-level ozone
is the main component of smog. Ozone is not directly emitted by motor
vehicles, but is formed when oxides of nitrogen react with sunlight.
Palustrine – The group of vegetated wetlands traditionally called
by such names as marsh, swamp, bog, fen, and prairie. Palustrine wetlands
may be situated shoreward of lakes, river channels, or estuaries; on
river floodplains; in isolated catchments; or on slopes.
Palustrine Forested Wetland (PFO) – A palustrine wetland dominated
by trees, commonly referred to as a swamp.
Palustrine Emergent Wetland (PEM) – A palustrine wetland dominated
by herbaceous species, typically cattails, sedges and grasses, commonly
referred to as a marsh.
Palustrine Scrub-Shrub Wetland (PSS) – A palustrine wetland dominated
by shrubs.
Peak Hour – The hour of the day when traffic volume on a given
roadway is highest. A separate peak hour can be defined for morning and
evening periods.
Peak Hour Volume – The traffic volume that occurs during the peak
hour, expressed in vehicles per hour (vph). Peak hour volumes are typically
10 to 15 percent of daily volumes.
Peak Hour Leq – Represents the noisiest hour of the day/night
and usually occurs during peak periods of motor vehicle traffic. The
Leq is the equivalent sound level measurement, which means it averages
background sound levels with short-term transient sound levels and provides
a uniform method for comparing sound levels that vary over time.
Permit - Written permission given by a governmental agency to take certain
action during specific steps of the transportation project development
process. Permits may include permission for any construction, excavation,
depositing of material, or other work in navigable waters (Corps of Engineers),
permission required for the discharge of dredged or fill material into
waters of the United States (Corps of Engineers), and permission to construct
bridges, causeways, and drawbridges in navigable waters (U.S. Coast Guard).
A permit may also refer certain other clearances or certifications such
as a clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration for proposed
highway construction in the vicinity of public use and military airports,
and water quality certifications for the licensing of an action that
would result in a discharge into regulated waters. These approvals, plus
certain others relating to solid waste management, underground storage
tanks, coastal zone areas, etc., involve approvals and documentation
commonly referred to as permits.
Plan of Study – A detailed, item-by-item outline of the objectives,
scope, methodology and schedules for the analysis and development of
a particular transportation project.
Posted Speed Limit – The speed posted for a facility based on
engineering and traffic investigation.
Preliminary Engineering - A general term to describe early phases of
technical studies undertaken to determine all relevant aspects of transportation
location, to identify feasible route alternatives or design options,
and to assess various cost and benefit parameters before advancing the
project into more detailed final design.
Primary/Direct Impacts – The immediate effects on the social,
economic, and physical environment caused by the construction and operation
of a highway; these impacts are usually experienced within the right-of-way
or in the immediate vicinity of the highway or other element of the proposed
action.
Prime Farmland Soil – Soil map units that are designated by the
Natural Resources Conservation Service as having the properties needed
to produce sustained high yield crops when managed with modern farming
techniques.
Principal Arterials – Highways in rural and urban areas that connect
urban areas, international border crossings, major ports, airports, public
transportation facilities or other intermodal transportation facilities.
Project Development – The overall process of advancing a transportation
project from concept to implementation. Project development typically
encompasses environmental and engineering tasks including planning, location,
preliminary design, final design, and construction.
Public Hearing – A meeting designed to afford the public the fullest
opportunity to express opinions on a transportation project. A verbatim
record (transcript) of the proceedings is made part of the project record.
Public Involvement – These activities which present information
to the public, seek public comments, and which serve to ensure consideration
of public opinion.
Public Meeting – An announced meeting conducted by transportation
officials designed to facilitate participation in the decision-making
process and to assist the public in gaining an informed view of a proposed
project at any level of the transportation project development process.
Also, such a gathering may be referred to as a public information meeting.
Rare and Exemplary Natural Community – An assemblage of interacting
plants and animals and their common environment, recurring across the
landscape, in which the effects of recent human interference are minimal.
Rare natural communities are those which occur infrequently. Exemplary
natural communities are exceptional representatives of more common natural
communities.
RCRA Generator – An entity that produces hazardous waste regulated
under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. sect.
6901), which mandates the appropriate identification, tracking, and disposal
of hazardous waste.
Record of Decision (ROD) – The document, prepared by the Federal
Highway Administration, that presents the basis for the Federal agency
action, summarizes any mitigation measures to be incorporated, and documents
any required Section 4(f) approvals. No Federal agency action may be
undertaken until a Record of Decision has been signed. A Record of Decision
is prepared no sooner than 30 days after the
public release of the FEIS.
Relocations – The displacement of a residence, business or other
structure from a property owner, for public use, that requires the residents
or business to be moved to an alternate location.
REMI Model – The REMI Model (Regional Economic Models Inc.) is
a widely used and accepted econometric model maintained and updated by
the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Southern
Maine.
Riparian – An area of land that encompasses and is contiguous
to a stream or other water body.
Riverine – Of and relating to rivers.
Rural – A rural community is defined as an area with: a population
less than 2,500 persons or; a population between 2,500 and 6,000 persons
and a worker-to resident worker ratio less than 1.0.
Safety Deficiency – In the context of this study, a safety deficiency
is a highway segment or intersection that contains a high crash location
(HCL).
Secondary Impacts – Impacts that are caused by the proposed action
and are later in time or farther removed in distance, but are still reasonably
foreseeable; secondary impacts may include induced changes to land use
patterns, population density or growth rate, and related effects on natural
systems, including ecosystems.
Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (Section 10) – Legislation
(33 U.S.C. Section 403) that resulted in a permit being required from
the Army Corps of Engineers for projects requiring construction in or
over navigable waters, the excavation from or dredging or disposal of
materials in such waters, or any obstruction or alteration in a navigable
water (e.g., stream channelization).
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section
106) – The
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470f), Section
106, requires Federal agencies to take into account the effect of their
undertakings on properties included in or eligible for inclusion in the
National Register of Historic Places and to afford the Advisory Council
on Historic Preservation the opportunity to comment on such undertakings.
Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966
(49 U.S.C., Section 303) (Section 4(f)) – Legislation protecting publicly owned
parks, public recreation areas, historic properties or wildlife and waterfowl
refuges. The statute states that no Department of Transportation project
may use land from these areas unless there is demonstrated to be no prudent
and feasible alternative to using the land, and the project includes
all possible planning to minimize harm resulting from the use.
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (Section 404) – The Federal
Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 401 et seq.)
is the enabling legislation for protection of waters of the United States
by the Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Funds Act of
1963 (Section 6(f)) – Legislation that provides for the public purchase and preservation
of tracts of land.
Sight Distance – The distance that a driver can see along the
roadway before curvature or obstructions block the view.
Significant Impacts – Any number of social, environmental, or
economic effects or influences which may be brought about as a result
of the implementation of a transportation improvement. "Significant
impacts" may include effects which are direct, secondary, or cumulative.
The term "significant" is used and interpreted by the FHWA
in determining which type of NEPA document is appropriate. Categorical
exclusions are those actions which do not involve significant effects.
Environmental Impact Statement projects in most cases can and do involve
significant impacts.
Significant Wildlife Habitat – Wildlife habitats, including deer
wintering yards, waterfowl and wading bird habitat, seabird nesting habitat,
and significant vernal pools, that are protected under 38 M.R.S.A. § 480-B.
State Implementation Plan (SIP) – A plan created under The 1990
Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) that establishes emission reduction requirements
for ozone and carbon monoxide non-attainment areas. Proposed projects
must demonstrate that the impacts of their emissions are consistent with
the appropriate SIP.
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) – A plan required
for major construction projects under the EPA’s National Pollutant
Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) general permit for construction
activities. The SWPPP is required to address measures to prevent erosion,
sedimentation, and other potential discharges of pollutants to water
bodies and wetlands.
Stormwater Runoff – The portion of precipitation that flows toward
stream channels, lakes, or other water bodies as surface flow.
Study Area – An identified amount of land or topography selected
and defined at the outset of engineering or environmental evaluations,
which are sufficiently adequate in size to fully identify, analyze and
document impacts and effects for proposed projects within its boundaries.
Study Need – A detailed explanation of the specific transportation
problems or deficiencies which have generated the search for improvements.
It should refer to technical information, as necessary, such as measures
of traffic efficiency or demand (origin-destination patterns, modal links,
queue lengths, motorist delays, level of service, etc.) and other goals
(economic development, safety improvement, legislative directives, etc.).
Much of this information should be generated by the transportation planning
process at a very early stage. The explanation of need should be a problem
statement discussion, not a solution oriented discussion.
Study Purpose – A broad statement of the overall intended objective
to be achieved by a proposed transportation facility. Normally, the purpose
can be defined in just a few sentences. For instance, it may address
expanded capacity in a given transportation corridor to facilitate the
safe and efficient movement of people and goods, or improved access to
a given area or community.
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) – The
document prepared by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in accordance
with FHWA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations (23 CFR
Part 771.130). An EIS shall be supplemented when the Administration (FHWA)
determines that: 1) Changes to the proposed action would result in significant
impacts not evaluated in the DEIS; or 2) New information or circumstances
relevant to environmental concerns and bearings on the proposed action
or its impacts would result in significant environmental impacts not
evaluated in the DEIS. An SDEIS
document generally presents new and updated information with regard to
changes in the study and environment that have occurred since the publication
of a DEIS.
Surface Water Supply Watershed – The watershed that contributes
to a public drinking water supply.
System Compatibility – System compatibility describes how well
alternatives, either new highways or upgrades, fit into the existing
highway network and the planned transportation improvement plan.
System Continuity – System continuity is defined by how often
highways transition between wide, higher speed segments to narrow, low
speed segments.
System Linkage – A planning concept referring to the interconnecting
of roadways which comprise an overall transportation network. A discussion
as to how a proposed project fits into the existing and future transportation
system (network), and how it contributes to developing a sound transportation
network in an area or region is termed "system linkage". In
describing the above concept, the terms connector road, missing link,
gap completion, circumferential link, etc., are sometimes used.
System Planning – A methodical approach to the formulation of
plans and programs for safe, efficient, and balanced transportation networks.
The process involved with system planning includes the setting of goals
and objectives, the collection of data of existing conditions, the simulation
of future activities, the formulation of alternative planned changes,
the evaluation of the changes against the desired goals and objectives,
and decisions as to recommendations that are feasible, desirable, and
appropriate.
Threatened Species – Any species which is likely to become an
endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a
significant portion of its range.
Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) – A property or site that
is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places
because of its association with cultural practices or beliefs of a living
community that are rooted in that community’s history and are important
to maintaining the continuing cultural identity of the community.
Transportation Deficiencies – A highway related
facility that is unable to safely and efficiently satisfy travel demands
because of
the intensity of traffic volumes, capacity, and/or safety.
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) – A system of actions whose
purpose is to alleviate traffic problems through improved management
of vehicle trip demand as opposed to adding new highway segments.
Transportation Project Development Process – An interactive, multi-phase
series of activities typically spanning a period of years which involve
comprehensive planning, prioritization, detailed engineering and environmental
studies, and agency and public involvement which lead to the selection,
design, and construction of identified transportation improvements.
Transportation Systems Management (TSM) – Relatively low cost
measures to increase capacity and/or provide safety improvements on the
existing transportation system. These measures typically include traffic
signal timing or phasing adjustments, designation of turning lanes at
specific intersection or driveways, access management improvements, and
enhanced signage or markings.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – A federal agency responsible
for administering programs that address farming issues.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – A federal agency
responsible for administering programs that address environmental issues.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – A federal agency responsible
for addressing the protection of fish and wildlife including rare, threatened,
or endangered species. The USFWS plays an advisory role in the Section
404 regulatory program administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Upgrade – A geometric improvement to an existing highway segment.
Urban – An urban community is defined as an area with: a population
greater than 7,500 persons or; a population between 2,500 and 7,500 persons
and a worker-to resident worker ratio greater than 1.0.
Vegetation Cover Type – A biological community characterized by
certain vegetation characteristics, such as hardwood forest, mixed forest,
shrub, herbaceous, and urban or residential managed vegetation.
Vehicle-Hours Traveled (VHT) – VHT is a measure of automobile
use and trip time. One vehicle traveling one hour constitutes one vehicle-hour.
Vehicle-Miles Traveled (VMT) – VMT is a measure of automobile
use and trip length. One vehicle traveling one mile constitutes one vehicle-mile.
Vernal Pool – A temporary pool of surface water that provides
breeding habitat for certain amphibian and invertebrate species.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – Colorless gaseous compounds
originating, in part, from the evaporation and incomplete combustion
of fuels. In the presence of sunlight VOCs react to form ozone, a pollutant
regulated by the Clean Air Act amendments.
Waterfowl and Wading Bird Habitat (WWH) – Wetlands that provide
habitat for waterfowl (geese, brant, ducks) and wading birds (heron,
egrets, bittern, rails), and that meet certain criteria for size, quality,
and percent open water as established by Department of Inland Fish and
Wildlife regulations.
Watershed – A region or area that contains all land ultimately
draining to a water course, body of water, or aquifer.
Wellhead Protection Area (WPA) – Areas of land where human activities
are regulated to protect the quality of ground water that supplies public
drinking water wells.
Wetland – Areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that
under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically
adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.
Wild and Scenic River – A river or river segment, designated by
the National Park Service, because of the outstandingly remarkable scenic,
recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other
similar values (16 U.S.C. 1271-1287).
This page last updated on
August 8, 2008
