The document summarizes environmental research and development (R&D) funding and activities at the Department of Transportation (DOT) and its subagencies for fiscal years 2011-2013. It details R&D budgets and focuses for the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Key areas of focus across the agencies include air quality, climate change, sustainability, hazard detection, damage prevention, and developing new fuels and technologies to reduce environmental impacts of transportation systems.

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An Exclusive service for Affiliates of the National Council For Science and the Environment
6. Department ofTransportation ($59 million)
he formal mission of the Department of Transportation (DOT) is to ensure a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and
convenient transportation system that meets vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American
people, today and into the future. The DOT has eleven individual operating administrations; those administrations
with notable environmental R&D are included below.
Source:OMBR&Ddata,Budgetof
theUnitedStatesGovernment,
agencybudgetjustification,
agencybudgetdocuments,and
historicaldata. *ARRAadds$5.7
billioninEnvironmentalR&DinFY
2009. Yearlyvaluesareadjusted
forinflationusingOMB’sGDP
deflators.Nominalvaluesare
unadjusted
Environmental
R&D at the
Department of
Transportation
(budget authority
in millions of
dollars)
FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 Change FY 12-13
Actual Actual Estimate Percent
Federal Highway Administration 19 16 16 -2.7%
Planning, Environment, and Realty
2
19 16 16 -2.7%
Federal Aviation Administration 31 31 30 -5.0%
Environment and Energy 15 15 14 -5.0%
Weather Program Safety 16 16 15 -5.0%
Pipeline and Haz Mats Safety Admin
3
10 10 9 -5.0%
Hazardous Materials 2 2 2 -5.0%
Pipeline Safety 7 8 7 -5.0%
____ ____ ____
TOTAL 60 57 55 -4.4%
Source: AAAS estimates of R&D from OMB R&D data, Budget of the U.S. Government, and agency budget documents. Figures are rounded to the
nearest million. Changes calculated from unrounded figures. FY 2013 are estimates adjusted for the full-year continuing resolution and sequestration.
Federal Highway Administration ($16 million)
The Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty (HEP) serves as FHWA's advocate and national leader for
environment protection and enhancement, comprehensive intermodal and multi-modal transportation planning, and for fair
and prudent acquisition and management of real property. HEP provides policy and direction in several areas: (1)
transportation planning; (2) natural and human environment; (3) project development and environmental review; and (4) real

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estate. Its closest partners are the FHWA Divisions and Resource Center, the Federal Transit Administration, other
components of the DOT, the EPA and other Federal resource agencies.
Three offices within the Federal Highway Administration focus on environmental protection and enhancement. The offices
of Natural Environment and Human Environment primarily focus on environmental programs associated with air quality,
climate change, sustainability, noise, and on programs associated with the built environment, including transportation
enhancements, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The Office of Project Development and Environmental Review focuses on
NEPA project development process as a balanced and streamlined approach to transportation decisionmaking that takes into
account the potential impacts on both human and natural resources and the public's need for safe and efficient transportation
improvements. Information regarding the full range of FHWA environmental programs can be found on this website.
HEP creates policy and administers programs in the following topics:
• Air Quality
• Bicycle and Pedestrian
• Brownfields
• Climate Change
• Community Impact Assessment
• Environmental Excellence Awards
• Environmental Justice
• Exemplary Human Environment Initiatives
• Livability Initiatives
• Noise
• Recreational Trails Program
• Safe Routes to School
• Smart Growth
• Traffic Calming
• Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
• Transportation Enhancements
The Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP) aims to
improve understanding of the complex relationship between surface transportation, planning and the environment. STEP
includes research to:
• Develop more accurate models for evaluating transportation control measures and system designs for use by
State and local governments to meet environmental requirements;
• Improve understanding of transportation demand factors;
• Develop indicators of economic, social, and environmental performance of transportation systems to facilitate
alternatives analysis;
• Meet additional priorities determined through the transportation research and development strategic planning
process identified in section 5208 of SAFETEA-LU;
• Refine the scope and research emphases through outreach and in consultation with stakeholders.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) administers nationwide safety programs
designed to protect the public and the environment from the risks in the commercial transportation of hazardous materials by
air, rail, vessel, highway, and pipeline.
PHMSA conducts and supports research to support regulatory and enforcement activities and to provide the technical
and analytical foundation necessary for planning, evaluating, and implementing the pipeline safety program. PHMSA is
sponsoring research and development projects focused on providing near-term solutions that will increase the safety,
cleanliness, and reliability of the Nation’s pipeline system.
Recent R&D projects are focused on: leak detection; detection of mechanical damage; damage prevention; improved pipeline
system controls, monitoring, and operations; and, improvements in pipeline materials. These projects are addressing
technological solutions that can quickly be implemented to improve pipeline safety.
Federal Aviation Administration ($16 million)

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The Office of Environment and Energy’s Research and Development (R&D) Program provides scientific
understanding, development of new technologies, fuels and operations, and analyses to support achieving the Next Generation
Air Transportation System (NextGen), and its goals of environmental protection that allow for sustained growth. In
particular, the program helps achieve the NextGen goals to:
• Reduce significant community noise and air quality emissions impacts in absolute terms;
• Limit or reduce the impact of aviation greenhouse gas emissions on global climate (including the rate of fuel burn);
• Improve energy efficiency (including air traffic operations and alternative fuels development); and
• Proactively address other environmental issues.
These complement activities in technology, operations, policy, science and metrics, and tools being developed under
NextGen. The program is also designed to better quantify aircraft noise and emissions and their environmental impacts,
develop cost-beneficial impact mitigation options, and to develop ways for improving energy efficiency and alternate fuel
sources.
FAA partners with:
• National Center for Atmospheric Research
• NOAA laboratories addressing Forecast Systems and Severe Storms
• NOAA’s National Weather Service’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction Environ- mental Modeling
Center and The Aviation Weather Center
• MIT for the Integrated Terminal Weather System
• The Naval Research Lab
FurtherReading
 United States Department of Transportation Annual Budget and Performance Archive -
http://www.dot.gov/mission/budget/dot-annual-budget-and-performance-archive