Background: In section 5107 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), Congress called upon the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to create an "Advisory Board" to recommend environmental and energy conservation research, technology development and technology transfer activities related to surface transportation. This Advisory Board/Committee will recommend specific research and technology development topics and technology transfer strategies and provide guidance on proposed research collaborations both internal and external to the USDOT.

Statement of Task: Specific tasks of the Advisory Board/Committee will be to:

1. Recommend a national agenda of environmental and planning research priorities and technology transfer strategies to be conducted by the transportation community;
   
   
2. Support outreach and collaboration on research by:
   
   
   • Identifying and recommending opportunities for partnerships and collaboration on outreach, research and development, and technology transfer and dissemination, both among USDOT offices and with other federal agencies, research organizations, and partners;
     
     
   • Identifying and recommending potential opportunities for pool-funded research and opportunities to leverage research funding;
     
     
   • Supporting the coordination of environmental and planning research conducted through programs such as NCHRP, TCRP, and university research centers with that conducted through USDOT offices; and
     
     
   • Supporting the increased visibility of research programs on transportation and environment.
     
     
3. Support research evaluation by directly participating in the design of research program evaluation, products, and technology dissemination activities, including the assessment of customer satisfaction.
   
   

1. To develop more accurate models for evaluating transportation control measures and transportation system designs that are appropriate for use by State and local governments, including metropolitan planning organizations, in designing and implementation plans to meet Federal, State, and local environmental requirements;
   
   
2. To improve understanding of the factors that contribute to the demand for transportation, including transportation system design, demographic change, land use planning, and communications and other information technologies;
   
   
3. To develop indicators of economic, social and environmental performance of transportation systems to facilitate analysis of potential alternatives;
   
   
4. To study the relationship between highway density and ecosystem integrity, including the impacts of highway density on habitat integrity and overall ecosystem health, and develop a rapid assessment methodology for use by transportation and regulatory agencies in determining the relationship between highway density and ecosystem integrity;
   
   
5. To meet additional priorities as determined by the advisory board…including recommendations of the National Research Council report entitled, Environmental Research Needs in Transportation.