[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2212-2215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-771]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
Federal Transit Administration
[FRL-6218-8]
Transportation/Air Quality Public Information Initiative: ``It
All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' FY 99 Demonstration Communities; Request
for Proposals
AGENCIES: Office of Mobile Sources, Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA); Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit
Administration, Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: A few years ago, the EPA's Office of Mobile Sources (OMS) and
DOT's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) began a collaborative public education and
partnership building program to be implemented at the community level.
This effort, entitled ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air,'' is designed to
inform the public about the connections between their transportation
choices, traffic congestion, air pollution and public health. The
initiative emphasizes the ability of individuals to make a difference
when they are informed about the environmental consequences of their
daily travel choices. Through this document, OMS, FHWA, and FTA are
soliciting proposals from organizations and communities around the
country who would benefit from participation as Demonstration
Communities in the ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' initiative.
DATES: Deadline for Proposals is March 5, 1999.
ADDRESSES: This document can also be accessed at no cost by contacting:
Federal Register Web Page:
``http://www.access.gpo.gov/su__docs/aces/aces140.html''
DOT/Federal Highway Administration Web Page:
``www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/pubout.htm''
EPA's Office of Mobile Sources Web Page:
``www.epa.gov/oms'' click on ``What's New''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Bullard, Director of Outreach
and Communication; EPA Office of Mobile Sources; 401 M Street SW (Mail
code 6401); Washington, DC 20460; (Phone) 202/260-2614; (Fax) 202/260-
6011; bullard.susan@epa.gov''.
TO REQUEST COPIES OF TV AND PRINT MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS NOTICE
CONTACT: Kathy Daniel, Project Manager; US DOT Federal Highway
Administration; 400 7th Street SW (HEP-40); Washington, DC 20590;
(Phone) 202/366-6276; (Fax) 202/366-3409;
kathleen.daniel@fhwa.dot.gov''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Affected Entities: Communities and/or organizations interested in
participating as Demonstration Communities in a public education/
partnership building project addressing transportation choices and
their impact on traffic congestion, air quality, and public health.
Title: Transportation/Air Quality Public Information Initiative:
``It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air''--FY 99 Demonstration Communities--
Request For Proposals.
Abstract: At the request of state and local transportation and air
quality management agencies charged with implementing the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and the Clean Air Act,
DOT's Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit
Administration, and EPA's Office of Mobile Sources have been
collaborating on a public education and partnership building program to
be implemented at the community level. This effort is designed to
inform the public about the connection between transportation choices,
traffic congestion, air pollution, and public health. It stresses an
individual's ability to make a difference, once informed about the
environmental consequences of daily travel choices. This goal is being
accomplished by (1) providing national support for community-based
public education efforts on the impact of transportation choices on air
quality, traffic congestion, and public health, (2) encouraging and
facilitating the expansion of partnerships and collaborations, both
national and local, committed to raising awareness, understanding,
acceptance, and action related to transportation/air quality issues,
and (3) encouraging informed and responsible individual actions through
public information. The theme of the initiative is ``It All Adds Up to
Cleaner Air.''
The core messages of this initiative focus on actions that people
can take which are convenient and can make a difference in air quality
when they are practiced on a wide scale. The messages include: (1)
Trip-chaining, or linking trips in the car to accomplish a number of
trip purposes without letting the engine cool down completely, thus
cutting down on ``cold-starts'' that produce much greater exhaust
[[Page 2213]]
emissions; (2) maintaining the car in top running condition, which also
can have a large payoff, because out-of-tune vehicles account for a
disproportionately large share of auto emissions; and (3) choosing
alternate modes of transportation whenever possible. Sharing a ride
with a friend, car- or vanpooling to work, taking mass transit, biking,
walking--all of these options reduce congestion and transportation
emissions by eliminating auto trips. The common thread in all these
messages is that drastic changes in lifestyle aren't necessary in order
to make a difference. When enough people are motivated to make small
and manageable changes in their daily routines, the cumulative impact
is improved air quality. This starts with raising awareness about the
problems of transportation and air quality and then calling on
individuals to do their part, because it does add up to cleaner air.
Our two years of research and focus group testing indicate that, in
order for people to be willing to listen to these messages, the tone
must allow them to receive credit for actions they're already taking,
while encouraging them to do more. See public service announcement
scripts in Appendix 1.
Pilot Sites--Background
During 1998, the federal partners pilot-tested the program design
and products in three diverse communities--Dover, Delaware; Milwaukee,
Wisconsin; and San Francisco, California--in support of the long term
effort. Pilot communities were selected so the federal agencies could
learn from the experience of areas with diversity in size, existing
transportation infrastructure, air quality problems, and degrees of
public understanding of transportation and air quality issues. Because
the approach and results differed from community to community,
important and relevant lessons have been learned from each site. While
a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot sites is nearing completion,
dialogue with pilot site representatives will continue. Collaborations
of organizations with a vested interest in transportation/air quality
issues in each of the three pilot communities continue to be involved
in public education campaigns on transportation choices and their
effect on air quality, which will result in the sustainability of the
effort beyond federal support.
``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air''--Previous Public Notice
On October 26, 1998, the federal partners published a joint Federal
Register Notice (63 FR 5721; Oct. 26, 1998) soliciting ``Letters of
Interest'' from communities and organizations interested in becoming
Demonstration Communities. One purpose of requesting Letters of
Interest was to help the federal agencies prepare an efficient
evaluation/selection process. The October 26 document also served as an
opportunity for obtaining feedback and comments from stakeholders and
potential participants on the design of this phase of the initiative.
The federal partners received sixty-six (66) Letters of Interest from
across the country. Comments expressed and concepts presented in those
letters have been considered by the federal partners and are reflected
in this document. Potential participants in the initiative should note
that submitting a Letter of Interest did not commit an organization/
community to proceed with an application, and those who did not submit
a Letter of Interest may still apply by the March 5, 1999 deadline.
Selection of Demonstration Communities begins with the submission of
formal proposals based upon today's document. Any organization
interested in participating has until March 5, 1999 to submit a
proposal to the address found in the section, ``Submitting Proposals.''
Expansion of the ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' Initiative
Through this document, the federal partners are expanding the ``It
All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' effort to include as many as twelve (12)
Demonstration Communities to begin in April 1999 and continue through
October, 2000. FHWA, FTA and OMS are soliciting proposals from
organizations and communities around the country who believe that their
ongoing efforts would benefit from their participation as a
Demonstration Community in ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air.''
Demonstration Communities will enter into cooperative agreements with
the federal partners and will receive national support to further their
public education and partnership building efforts on transportation and
air quality. National support to be provided includes: (1) Market
research; (2) consistent national themes (text of the ``It All Adds Up
to Cleaner Air'' TV and radio announcements follows in Appendix 1); (3)
limited funds ($25,000 per site); (4) a comprehensive resource ``tool
kit,'' including promotional materials; high quality TV, radio, and
print advertisements and other public education tools; transportation
and air quality facts and figures; as well as ``how to'' information;
and (5) technical assistance to create, expand, and support community
partnerships committed to improving quality of life through reduction
of traffic congestion and air pollution.
Initiative Themes
The three message themes which serve as the cornerstone of the ``It
All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' initiative focus on combining trips (trip
chaining), car care (maintenance), and using alternative modes of
transportation. The specific text of the message themes (broadcast
public service announcements) to be used in the Demonstration
Communities follows in Appendix 1. In order for the federal partners to
expand our knowledge regarding the ability of these messages to
motivate the public to change their transportation behavior,
Demonstration Communities will be required to use all three message
themes and accompanying materials in their public education efforts, at
least for the duration of this demonstration period (Spring 1999--Fall
2000), as a condition of the agreement with the federal agencies.
Partnerships
Also critical to the overall initiative is building long-term
partnerships among community members who will work together to
integrate air quality and transportation decision-making into community
planning and education. Successful partnerships will ensure that public
education and investment in transportation and air quality will
continue beyond the initial federal support of the Demonstration
Communities. Partners could include (but certainly not be limited to)
employers, non-profit organizations, health providers, public interest
and business groups, youth, public utilities, consumers, and all levels
of government. Based on the experience of the pilot communities, it is
expected that local partners will be involved in information-sharing;
program support through human, creative and financial resources;
increasing message consistency; providing broad-based support for the
initiative; decreasing duplication of effort; and developing new and
effective approaches to working with the public on these issues.
Expectations for the 1999 Demonstration Communities
(1) Demonstration Communities will be required to use all three
message themes of the ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' public service
announcements and other materials developed and refined through the
pilot sites. Demonstration Communities are encouraged to customize
those materials
[[Page 2214]]
(e.g., adding their logo and specific ``calls to action'' for
individuals and organizations) as appropriate to meet community needs.
(2) If Demonstration Communities develop new materials based on the
``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' themes and products, they will be
required to share those products for replication and use in other
community-based efforts nationwide.
(3) Demonstration Communities will be expected to work closely with
the federal partners as we track outreach activities, successes and
challenges, market research, etc. to further our knowledge of public
education methods that work to motivate the public to change their
transportation behavior and those that don't.
(4) Demonstration Communities will be required to provide quarterly
progress reports and a summary report including information and lessons
learned about organizations and perspectives that must be involved in a
collaborative effort, as well as resources required to ensure long-term
success in addressing transportation choices and their impact on air
quality.
Time Line
Request for Proposals Published--January 1999
Proposals Due--March 5, 1999
Evaluation/Selection Completed--March 1999
Agreements Awarded--April-May 1999
Demonstration Communities' Workshop--May 1999
Eligible Organizations
While cooperative agreements with federal agencies are available to
a range of governmental and non-profit organizations, the ``It All Adds
Up to Cleaner Air'' effort is primarily designed for public agencies
with responsibility for planning and/or implementing transportation/air
quality projects and programs (e.g., metropolitan planning
organizations; state departments of transportation; state, local, and
regional air management agencies; councils of government; and public
transit agencies). These are in large part the organizations and
agencies which requested the federal partners provide assistance that
resulted in the ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' Initiative. All
selected organizations will be expected to be working in partnership
with other organizations actively involved in congestion mitigation and
air quality improvement.
Priority consideration will be given to communities and
organizations that can demonstrate a perceived air quality and traffic
congestion problem, ongoing involvement of a wide range of
organizations, a level of public understanding of transportation
choices as solutions to traffic congestion and air quality problems,
and the commitment to conduct public education linking transportation,
air quality, public health and individual choices using the ``It All
Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' themes and messages.
Content of Proposals
Proposals should be 7-10 pages long and must address the following:
(1) The community's commitment to raising public awareness about
transportation/air quality issues;
(2) Project objectives, including the community's strategy for
integrating ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' into existing public
education efforts on transportation and air quality
--Please provide information on the transportation/air-quality-related
messages currently being disseminated in the community
--Briefly describe activities that have been successful in reaching
targeted audiences through media, community outreach and collaborative
efforts;
(3) The community's perceived air quality and congestion problems;
(4) The existing transportation infrastructure which provides
options for individuals in their daily travel choices;
(5) Commitment of resources, both personnel and funding, to
implement ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'';
(6) Existing partnerships addressing transportation and air quality
issues
--List the partners involved in the community's collaboration (If the
partnerships in the community are just being formed, please provide a
brief note of commitment from prospective partners)
--Describe activities currently being undertaken by the partners;
(7) Use of the $25,000. The federal partners request that this
funding be used for one or more of the following activities:
(a) Purchasing media time or space for the ``It All Adds Up to
Cleaner Air'' public service announcements,
(b) Duplicating and distributing the ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner
Air'' public information materials,
(c) Funding strategic planning for partnership building,
(d) Conducting supplemental market research which will be
beneficial to the community and consistent with the national initiative
goals, and/or
(e) Hiring a project manager to coordinate this effort; and
(8) Expectation for activities to continue beyond the period when
federal support is being provided to the community.
Other Information Sought
Note: Information gathered under this section will be considered
as research only and will not be included in the evaluation process.
(1) The federal partners are interested in the extent to which the
community's public education and partnership building efforts regarding
transportation and air quality are being funded through a combination
of funding sources, including the DOT Congestion Mitigation and Air
Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), the Transportation and Community
and Systems Preservation Pilot Program (TCSP) under the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century, and the EPA's section 105 Mobile
Source Outreach Assistance Competition.
--Please provide information on the funding sources being used or
sought to support public education and partnership building on
transportation and air quality
(2) Ozone Action Days have typically been employed as one of the
major public education methods to link transportation and air quality.
The federal partners are interested in efforts to expand those public
education activities beyond Ozone Action Days into a year-round
program.
--If applicable, please describe plans to expand your community's
program beyond Ozone Action Days
Additional Items of Interest
(1) In several instances, Letters of Interest were received from
more than one organization in a community. Where appropriate, the
federal partners encourage those organizations to join in the
development of a single, potentially stronger, proposal. The list of
organizations that submitted Letters of Interest follows in Appendix 2.
(2) The limited funding available is clearly insufficient to
accomplish the goals of the overall initiative. In the final selection
process, priority will be given to those who indicate a clear ability
to undertake the initiative and commit resources beyond those provided
by the federal partners. Participation as a Demonstration Community
will clearly require a commitment of human as well as financial
resources.
(3) Representatives from all selected Demonstration Communities
will be required to attend an orientation workshop in Washington, DC as
soon as possible after final selection. The workshop will be designed
to provide
[[Page 2215]]
context for the effort, identify and open effective lines of
communication between the Demonstration Communities and the federal
partners, discuss reporting requirements, and provide valuable
information on working with the media, measuring community awareness
and strengthening local partnerships. Unfortunately, as of this time,
it will not be possible for the federal agencies to provide financial
assistance for travel to that workshop.
Future Availability of ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' Materials
The Federal Highway Administration, EPA's Office of Mobile Sources,
and the Federal Transit Administration are eager to share materials
developed through the ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' Transportation/
Air Quality Initiative with as many communities as possible as quickly
as possible. In that spirit, the federal partners intend to make the
``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' toolkit available to communities not
selected as Demonstration Communities. Information on obtaining the
toolkit will be made available at a later date.
For General Information About ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air''
Contact
Joann Jackson-Stephens, Project Manager; EPA Office of Mobile Sources;
2000 Traverwood Drive; Ann Arbor, MI 48105; (Phone) 734/214-4276 (Fax)
734/214-4906; jackson-stephens.joann@epa.gov''
Abbe Marner; Federal Transit Administration; 400 7th Street SW (TPL-
12); Washington, DC 20590; (Phone) 202/366-4317 (Fax) 202/493-2478;
abbe.marner@fta.dot.gov''
Kathy Daniel, Project Manager; US DOT Federal Highway Administration;
400 7th Street SW (HEP-40); Washington, DC 20590; (Phone) 202/366-6276
(Fax) 202/366-3409; kathleen.daniel@fhwa.dot.gov''
Submitting Proposals
Proposals must be postmarked or received by Friday, March 5, 1999.
Please mail an original + 5 copies (no binders please) to: Kathy
Daniel; ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' Demonstration Communities; US
DOT Federal Highway Administration; 400 7th Street SW (HEP-40);
Washington, DC 20590.
APPENDIX 1: ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air''--Text of TV/Radio Public
Service Announcements
A. Trip Chaining
``The air * * * You breathe it * * * Feel it * * * And continue
to protect it * * * Simply by doing what you're already doing.
Combining your daily errands into one sensible trip. Trip chaining.
It means more time in your life * * * Less traffic congestion * * *
And less pollution * * * So keep it up because it all adds up to
cleaner air.''
B. Maintaining Your Car
``It's within us * * * It's all around us * * * The air * * *
You can protect it simply by doing what you're already doing.
Maintaining your car and keeping it in top running condition. It
saves money and means less traffic congestion due to breakdowns. And
it means less pollution. So keep it up because it all adds up to
cleaner air.''
C. Choosing Alternate Forms of Transportation
``All across the nation * * * People just like you are
protecting the air * * * Simply by doing what they're already doing
* * * Sharing rides, biking, walking, riding the bus, taking the
train * * * It costs less and means less traffic congestion. And it
means less pollution. So keep it up because it all adds up to
cleaner air.''
APPENDIX 2
Letters of Interest for ``It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air'' were
received from:
Greater Boston Urban Resources Partnership (MA)
Connecticut Clean Cities Coalition (CT)
New York City DOT (NY)
Clean Communities of Western New York (NY)
RideWise (Raritan Valley, NJ)
The Partnership TMA (Northern PA region)
Allegheny County Health Department (Pittsburgh, PA)
Clean Air Council (Philadelphia, PA)
Airport Corridor Transportation Association (Pittsburgh, PA)
Dover/Kent County MPO (DE)
RideFinders (Richmond, VA)
ALA of Virginia (VA)
DC Department of Health (DC)
ENDZONE Partners (Washington/Baltimore)
Baltimore Metropolitan Council (MD)
Hattiesburg-Petal-Forrest-Lamar Metropolitan Planning Organization
(MS)
Jefferson County Department of Health (AL)
North Carolina Division of Air Quality (NC)
Mecklenburg County DEP (NC)
Land-of-Sky Regional Council (NC)
Baton Rouge Clean Air Coalition (LA)
Jefferson County Air Pollution Control District (KY)
Lexington Area MPO (KY)
Pensacola Urbanized Area MPO (FL)
Manatee County Government (FL)
Georgia DOT (GA)
State of Tennessee (TN)
Green Hills Regional Activity Center (TN)
Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (IN)
State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI)
TMACOG (Toledo Council of Governments) (OH)
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (OH)
Greater Cleveland Safety Council (OH)
State of Illinois EPA (IL)
Laredo Clean Cities Coalition (TX)
VIA Metropolitan Transit (San Antonio, TX)
City of San Antonio (Alamo Area Council of Governments) (TX)
Houston/Galveston Area Council (TX)
North Central Texas Council of Governments (Dallas-Forth Worth, TX)
City of Corpus Christi (TX)
City of Santa Fe (NM)
INCOG (Tulsa association of local governments) (OK)
Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) (OK)
Metroplan (Central Arkansas Council of Local Governments) (AR)
Bi-State Development Agency (St. Louis, MO)
Mid America Regional Council (MARC) (Greater Kansas City, MO)
East-West Gateway Coordinating Council (MO)
Utah Safety Council (UT)
Utah Division of Air Quality (UT)
Colorado Springs Transit and the Clean Air Campaign (CO)
Regional Air Quality Council (Denver, CO)
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (AZ)
Maricopa Association of Governments (Phoenix, AZ)
City of Phoenix (AZ)
Pima Association of Governments (AZ)
Tucson Solar Alliance (AZ)
Cleaner Air Partnership (Sacramento, CA)
San Diego Air Pollution Control District (CA)
City of Portland--Office of Transportation (OR)
Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAPA) (OR)
Northwest Air Pollution Authority (Island, Skagit and Whatcom
Counties, WA)
Discovery Institute (public policy center) (Seattle, WA)
Olympic Air Pollution Control Authority (OAPCA) (Thurston County,
WA)
Spokane Air Pollution Control Authority (Clean the Air Spokane) (WA)
Washington State Department of Ecology (WA)
Bannock Planning Organization (Southeast Idaho COG)
Dated: January 6, 1999.
Margo T. Oge,
Director, Office of Mobile Sources, Environmental Protection Agency.
Dated: January 6, 1999.
James M. Shrouds,
Chief Environmental Analysis Division, Office of Environment and
Planning Federal Highway Administration.
Dated: January 5, 1999.
Charlotte M. Adams,
Associate Administrator for Planning, Federal Transit Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-771 Filed 1-12-99; 8:45 am]
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