Freight and Freight and Climate ChangeClimate Change

Robert RitterRobert RitterFederal Highway AdministrationFederal Highway Administration

Office of Planning, Environment and RealtyOffice of Planning, Environment and Realty

Prepared forPrepared for

Talking FreightTalking Freight June 17, 2009June 17, 2009

Why is FHWA Concerned Why is FHWA Concerned about Climate Change?about Climate Change?

• Transportation contribution to Transportation contribution to greenhouse gas emissionsgreenhouse gas emissions– Transportation is the second-largest Transportation is the second-largest

source of greenhouse gases in the US; source of greenhouse gases in the US; the US highway system produces 1/20the US highway system produces 1/20thth of the of the world’sworld’s CO CO22 emissions emissions

• Impacts on transportation Impacts on transportation infrastructureinfrastructure

US Greenhouse Gas Emissions US Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Freight Transportation Mode by Freight Transportation Mode

- 2006- 2006

Passenger Modes72.6%

Freight Rail2.6%

Ships and Other Boats – Domestic

1.5%

Pipelines1.6%

Commercial Aircraft – Domestic

1.1%

Freight Modes27.4%

Trucking20.5%

PassengPassenger Modes er Modes 72.6% 72.6%

FreighFreight t

Modes Modes 27.4%27.4%

Trucking Trucking 20.5%20.5%

Freight Rail 2.6%

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What can be done to reduce What can be done to reduce Greenhouse Gases? Greenhouse Gases? Multiple Transportation StrategiesMultiple Transportation Strategies

• Raise vehicle energy Raise vehicle energy efficiencyefficiency

• Reduce carbon content Reduce carbon content of fuelsof fuels

• Reduce VMTReduce VMT– Land useLand use

• Improve vehicle and Improve vehicle and system operations system operations

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Source: Source: APTAAPTA

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Another Reason We Care?Another Reason We Care?The Potential for Costly ImpactsThe Potential for Costly Impacts

Mitigation vs. AdaptationMitigation vs. Adaptation

• MitigationMitigation: reduction of GHG emissions: reduction of GHG emissions– EffectsEffects

• higher sea levelshigher sea levels

• higher temperatureshigher temperatures

– Climate ImpactsClimate Impacts• flooding (of roads)flooding (of roads)

• more rapid pavement deteriorationmore rapid pavement deterioration

Mitigation vs. AdaptationMitigation vs. Adaptation

• AdaptationAdaptation– ““Actions by individuals or systems to avoid, Actions by individuals or systems to avoid,

withstand, or take advantage of current and withstand, or take advantage of current and projected climate changes and impacts. projected climate changes and impacts. Adaptation decreases a system’s vulnerability, Adaptation decreases a system’s vulnerability, or increases its resilience to impacts.” (Pew or increases its resilience to impacts.” (Pew Center on GCC)Center on GCC)

What is Adaptation?What is Adaptation?

• Actions to avoid, withstand, or take Actions to avoid, withstand, or take advantage of climate changes and advantage of climate changes and impactsimpacts– Adapting transportation assets to the new Adapting transportation assets to the new

and emerging effects of climate changeand emerging effects of climate change– Magnitude difficult to assessMagnitude difficult to assess– Potential implications for where we locate Potential implications for where we locate

and how we buildand how we build

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Climate Climate effectseffects vary by region, vary by region, and could include:and could include:• Higher sea levels due to sea level rise, and in Higher sea levels due to sea level rise, and in

some areas sinking of the landsome areas sinking of the land• Increased hurricane storm surge as hurricanes Increased hurricane storm surge as hurricanes

become more intensebecome more intense• More intense precipitation More intense precipitation • Changes in temperature: increases in average Changes in temperature: increases in average

and daily high temperatures, number of hot daysand daily high temperatures, number of hot days• Stronger winds associated with hurricanesStronger winds associated with hurricanes• Changes in freeze/thaw cyclesChanges in freeze/thaw cycles

Potential Potential impactsimpacts on new and on new and existing transportation existing transportation infrastructureinfrastructure• Permanent inundation of roads, bridge approaches Permanent inundation of roads, bridge approaches (sea (sea

level rise)level rise)

• Weakening of land, substructure supporting roads, Weakening of land, substructure supporting roads, bridges bridges (surge, precip)(surge, precip)

• Temporary flooding of roads Temporary flooding of roads – Coastal Coastal (storm surge, precip)(storm surge, precip)– Interior Interior (precip)(precip)

• Increased stream flow, erosion and bridge scour Increased stream flow, erosion and bridge scour (precip)(precip)

• Pavement cracking, deformation; sun kinks Pavement cracking, deformation; sun kinks (temp)(temp)

Rail Volume and Rail Volume and Capacity in 2035Capacity in 2035

State of the PracticeState of the Practice• Significant inconsistencies across states Significant inconsistencies across states

and regions in goals and action plansand regions in goals and action plans

• Action plans generally stop at state or Action plans generally stop at state or MPO boundariesMPO boundaries

• DOTs sometimes not part of state-level DOTs sometimes not part of state-level action plans/strategy developmentaction plans/strategy development

• Most focus has been on GHG Most focus has been on GHG mitigationmitigation, with little comprehensive , with little comprehensive assessment or action on assessment or action on adaptationadaptation

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ResponseResponse No. of No. of StatesStates

• Activities/action taking Activities/action taking place place

• Activities/actions under Activities/actions under discussiondiscussion

• No activities underway No activities underway

AdaptationAdaptation to Climate Change - to Climate Change - 20082008

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1515

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Adaptation OptionsAdaptation Options

• Maintain and manageMaintain and manage– Higher maintenance costsHigher maintenance costs

• Protect, strengthenProtect, strengthen– Sea walls, buffers, design changesSea walls, buffers, design changes

• RelocateRelocate– Move key facilities, instead of rebuildingMove key facilities, instead of rebuilding

• Promote redundancyPromote redundancy– Emergency managementEmergency management

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Adaptation Activities - Adaptation Activities - AlaskaAlaska

• Loss of shore-fast sea ice & Loss of shore-fast sea ice & melting permafrost pose major melting permafrost pose major threats to infrastructurethreats to infrastructure

• Governor established state-Governor established state-level Adaptation Advisory level Adaptation Advisory Group, including Public Group, including Public Infrastructure Technical Working Infrastructure Technical Working GroupGroup

•Examples of state & DOT adaptation activities:Examples of state & DOT adaptation activities:–Shoreline protection programsShoreline protection programs–Evacuation route planningEvacuation route planning–Relocation of at-risk infrastructure & communitiesRelocation of at-risk infrastructure & communities–Permafrost protectionPermafrost protection–Enhanced/expanded data collection & collaboration across Enhanced/expanded data collection & collaboration across agenciesagencies

Adaptation Activities - Adaptation Activities - CaliforniaCalifornia

•National leader in addressing National leader in addressing mitigation mitigation

•Since 2008, Governor seeking to Since 2008, Governor seeking to establish climate change adaptation establish climate change adaptation strategystrategy

– Plan for sea level rise, shifting precipitation & Plan for sea level rise, shifting precipitation & extreme weather eventsextreme weather events

•CA’s Climate Change Action Plan – CA’s Climate Change Action Plan – possible adaptation options:possible adaptation options:

– Use of ITS to manage impacts of weather Use of ITS to manage impacts of weather changeschanges

– Revised infrastructure designRevised infrastructure design– Researching rate of change(s)Researching rate of change(s)

•Statewide Information Strategy to Statewide Information Strategy to support infrastructure vulnerability support infrastructure vulnerability assessmentassessment

What are the implications of What are the implications of Adaptation for transportation Adaptation for transportation decision-making?decision-making?

• Efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate Efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change should be reflected at every stagechange should be reflected at every stage– Transportation PlanningTransportation Planning– Preliminary engineering and NEPAPreliminary engineering and NEPA– Project design and constructionProject design and construction– Operations and maintenanceOperations and maintenance

Design standards, or something Design standards, or something else? else?

If current practice is to design for 50 yr event, could: If current practice is to design for 50 yr event, could:

• Change “design event”Change “design event”– Switch from 50 year storm to 100 year stormSwitch from 50 year storm to 100 year storm

• Update “design event”Update “design event”– Factor in potential climate effects in defining 50 year stormFactor in potential climate effects in defining 50 year storm

• Adopt risk based design approachAdopt risk based design approach– Assign risks for different impact scenarios, develop multiple Assign risks for different impact scenarios, develop multiple

designs to address different design standards, estimate designs to address different design standards, estimate costs for each design/risk combinationcosts for each design/risk combination

FHWA ActivitiesFHWA Activities

• FHWA Strategy to Address Adaptation to FHWA Strategy to Address Adaptation to Climate Change EffectsClimate Change Effects

• Interim Framework on Conducting Interim Framework on Conducting Assessments of Transportation Infrastructure Assessments of Transportation Infrastructure Vulnerable to Climate Change EffectsVulnerable to Climate Change Effects

• Guidelines for Consideration of Climate Guidelines for Consideration of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Project Change Impacts and Adaptation in Project Development and Environmental ReviewDevelopment and Environmental Review

• Coordination/Activities with NOAA/NWSCoordination/Activities with NOAA/NWS

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FHWA Activities (continued)FHWA Activities (continued)

• NCHRP 20-83(05): Climate Change and NCHRP 20-83(05): Climate Change and Highway Infrastructure: Impacts and Highway Infrastructure: Impacts and Adaptation ApproachesAdaptation Approaches

• Gulf Coast Study – Phase 2Gulf Coast Study – Phase 2

• Update of relevant FHWA regulationsUpdate of relevant FHWA regulations

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For More InformationFor More InformationUS DOT Transportation and Climate Change US DOT Transportation and Climate Change

Clearinghouse:Clearinghouse:http://climate.dot.gov/index.htmlhttp://climate.dot.gov/index.html

Highways and Climate Change:Highways and Climate Change:http://http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/index.htmwww.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/index.htm

Climate Change Adaptation Peer Exchange Report:Climate Change Adaptation Peer Exchange Report:http://http://

www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/activities.htmwww.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/climate/activities.htm

ContactContact::Robert RitterRobert RitterFederal Highway AdministrationFederal Highway AdministrationOffice of Planning, Environment and RealtyOffice of Planning, Environment and RealtyRobert.Ritter@dot.govRobert.Ritter@dot.gov; (202) 493-2139; (202) 493-2139 23