Download or read book Traffic and Greenhouse Gas Modeling in Future Land Use Development Scenarios of Skagit County written by Abraham A. Mooney and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 115 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are on the forefront of planning policy in the world today. In the U.S., the transportation sector accounts for 50 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the most of any single sector. State and local levels of government have been very proactive in the mitigation of GHG, with Washington State as one of the leaders. Two state laws passed in 2008 mandate a reduction in GHG and vehicle miles traveled (VMT), a primary metric in measuring traffic. This research focuses on Skagit County, Washington, as we attempt to model and quantify both GHG and VMT as they are affected by land use development. This research relies heavily on the Envision software platform as it was used a project involving an agent based model of alternative future landscapes. The project provided spatial population and employment data in the context of various future development scenarios such as the compact development of the Ecosystem Scenario where the goal was 90% growth within urban growth areas. On the other extreme was the Development Scenario where up to 40% of the growth was allowed in remote and non-incorporated areas. A majority of the research of this thesis document is devoted to the development of a traffic model structured around the commute of 17 population centers to job centers within Skagit County. The population centers are defined by traffic area zones, or TAZ, that encompass the entire county. The model is unique in traffic modeling literature for its small number of population and destination centers. The countywide accuracy of the model is exemplary at -0.87% standard error relative to current Highway Performance Monitoring System VMT data, although it should be understood that this result has not been repeated by applying the same methodology to other counties. Given that buildings energy use is second to the transportation sector as the largest single contributor to GHG emissions, a residential building model was created, in which parcel level population densities characterize high and low density building development. Defined as Apartments and Houses, respectively, within the text, energy use values were assigned to each from climate-specific data of the Residential Energy Consumption Survey national data set. Thus, as population and employment grow in various development scenarios of the Envision-Skagit 2060 project, the GHG generation from buildings and vehicles is calculated for comparison. The compact development of the Ecosystem Scenario generated the least amount of GHG in both models. Only a 5.9% difference was found in GHGs generated from the building model in the two extreme growth scenarios (Ecosystem and Development). In the traffic model, a 19% difference was found in the VMT of the same two scenarios. Compact, near job center development creates more of an impact on GHG inventory in the transportation sector at approximately twice the GHG impact of compact buildings. Comparing our results to Washington State law mandated reductions for both VMT and GHGs, we find that neither will be met in the transportation or building sectors. When a applying the Energy Information Association's most efficient vehicle fuel efficiency scenario where all vehicles are projected to average 59.6 mpg we find that even the best combination of scenarios (Ecosystem land-use and 59.3 mpg vehicle efficiency) results in GHGs that are 1.8 times larger than those permissible by the law as applied to year 2050. Our results assume the same 'standard of living' as today applied to home appliances, heating/cooling, and vehicle use. The traffic model assumes all commuters continue to use all modes of transit in the same fractions as today: 77.4% use single occupancy vehicles, 12.6% use high occupancy vehicles, 1.0% mass transit, 4.6% walk or bike, and 4.4% work at home in Skagit County. Although increased use of mass transportation was not modeled in this research, it may be the only option given our findings, with regards to the Washington State reduction requirements. In any case, our most important result is a novel approach to traffic modeling that requires only spatial knowedge of population and employment in order to predict traffic and quantify GHG emissions as they change with urban form.

Download or read book Unpacking the Complex Relationship Between Land Use Vehicle Travel and Transportation Greenhouse Gas GHG Emissions written by Kwangyul Choi and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dissertation research aims to disentangle the relationship between land use, vehicle travel, and transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A great number of studies have paid attention to the impact of land use on transportation GHG emissions using vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as a substitute. Most studies equated VMT reduction with reduction of transportation GHG emissions. Few have examined in depth the varying components that affect transportation GHG emissions in vehicle travel operational dimensions. Moreover, few have applied the use of larger geographic-level land use. These studies, however, have limitations in examining a comprehensive relationship between land use and transportation GHG emissions. This dissertation research therefore focuses on the links between land-use measures at various geographic levels and household vehicle travel characteristics impacts on transportation GHG emissions. In doing so, this dissertation research consists of the three closely related research questions. Using the 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), this research first examines whether neighborhood-level land use attributes proportionally affect household daily VMT and transportation GHG emissions (CO2e). A series of multiple regression models developed in Chapter Four address the impact of land use on household vehicle travel characteristics and transportation GHG emissions. Results suggest that land use strategies at the neighborhood level such as densification, a mixture of land use, and improvement of road connectivity can play a significant role in reducing vehicle travel. However, these land use changes may cause traffic delays in the area. Chapter Five focuses on the impact of multiple geographic-level land use (i.e., neighborhood, county, and MSA) on both household VMT and transportation GHG emissions by applying hierarchical linear modeling. Results suggest that the effectiveness of similar strategies can vary by geographic scales at which those strategies are implemented. Chapter Six examines the intervening effects of vehicle travel characteristics on transportation GHG emissions by employing structural equation modeling. Results suggest that land use at various geographic levels influence not only household VMT but also vehicle travel speed and vehicle trip frequency, which together in turn affect household transportation GHG emissions. Finally, this research presents a case study of the Austin, TX region using the 2006 Austin Travel Survey (ATS) in Chapter Seven. Applying a path model similar to the one developed in the preceding chapter, this study scrutinizes the role of land use in reducing transportation GHG emissions in both regional and local contexts. Results suggest that densification and a mixture of land use are still effective land use strategies to reduce region-wide emissions. However, design improvement can be a double-edged sword because of its unintended effect of reduced vehicle travel speed. Overall, the findings contend that both travel demand management and mobility management at various geographic levels should be fully discussed in the early stages of planning. In addition, the role of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in controlling regional development should be extended. The expansion of authorities and responsibilities of MPOs may enable the region at all levels to be developed more sustainably.

Download or read book Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States written by U.S. Global Change Research Program and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-08-24 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Summarizes the science of climate change and impacts on the United States, for the public and policymakers.

Download or read book Conservation Design for Subdivisions written by Randall G. Arendt and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2012-09-26 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In most communities, land use regulations are based on a limited model that allows for only one end result: the production of more and more suburbia, composed of endless subdivisions and shopping centers, that ultimately covers every bit of countryside with "improvements." Fortunately, sensible alternatives to this approach do exist, and methods of developing land while at the same time conserving natural areas are available. In Conservation Design for Subdivisions, Randall G. Arendt explores better ways of designing new residential developments than we have typically seen in our communities. He presents a practical handbook for residential developers, site designers, local officials, and landowners that explains how to implement new ideas about land-use planning and environmental protection. Abundantly illustrated with site plans (many of them in color), floor plans, photographs, and renditions of houses and landscapes, it describes a series of simple and straightforward techniques that allows for land-conserving development. The author proposes a step-by-step approach to conserving natural areas by rearranging density on each development parcel as it is being planned so that only half (or less) of the buildable land is turned into houselots and streets. Homes are built in a less land-consumptive manner that allows the balance of property to be permanently protected and added to an interconnected network of green spaces and green corridors. Included in the volume are model zoning and subdivision ordinance provisions that can help citizens and local officials implement these innovative design ideas.

Download or read book Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in the United States written by Julie Koppel Maldonado and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-04-05 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With a long history and deep connection to the Earth’s resources, indigenous peoples have an intimate understanding and ability to observe the impacts linked to climate change. Traditional ecological knowledge and tribal experience play a key role in developing future scientific solutions for adaptation to the impacts. The book explores climate-related issues for indigenous communities in the United States, including loss of traditional knowledge, forests and ecosystems, food security and traditional foods, as well as water, Arctic sea ice loss, permafrost thaw and relocation. The book also highlights how tribal communities and programs are responding to the changing environments. Fifty authors from tribal communities, academia, government agencies and NGOs contributed to the book. Previously published in Climatic Change, Volume 120, Issue 3, 2013.

Download or read book Eight Hydroelectric Projects Proposed for the Skagit River Basin Whatcom County Skagit County written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 934 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Sea Level Rise for the Coasts of California Oregon and Washington written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tide gauges show that global sea level has risen about 7 inches during the 20th century, and recent satellite data show that the rate of sea-level rise is accelerating. As Earth warms, sea levels are rising mainly because ocean water expands as it warms; and water from melting glaciers and ice sheets is flowing into the ocean. Sea-level rise poses enormous risks to the valuable infrastructure, development, and wetlands that line much of the 1,600 mile shoreline of California, Oregon, and Washington. As those states seek to incorporate projections of sea-level rise into coastal planning, they asked the National Research Council to make independent projections of sea-level rise along their coasts for the years 2030, 2050, and 2100, taking into account regional factors that affect sea level. Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington: Past, Present, and Future explains that sea level along the U.S. west coast is affected by a number of factors. These include: climate patterns such as the El Niño, effects from the melting of modern and ancient ice sheets, and geologic processes, such as plate tectonics. Regional projections for California, Oregon, and Washington show a sharp distinction at Cape Mendocino in northern California. South of that point, sea-level rise is expected to be very close to global projections. However, projections are lower north of Cape Mendocino because the land is being pushed upward as the ocean plate moves under the continental plate along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. However, an earthquake magnitude 8 or larger, which occurs in the region every few hundred to 1,000 years, would cause the land to drop and sea level to suddenly rise.

Download or read book Decision Maker s Guide to Solid Waste Management written by Philip R. O'Leary and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 1999-02 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Guide has been developed particularly for solid waste management practitioners, such as local government officials, facility owners and operators, consultants, and regulatory agency specialists. Contains technical and economic information to help these practitioners meet the daily challenges of planning, managing, and operating municipal solid waste (MSW) programs and facilities. The Guide's primary goals are to encourage reduction of waste at the source and to foster implementation of integrated solid waste management systems that are cost-effective and protect human health and the environment. Illustrated.

Download or read book A Handbook of Global Freshwater Invasive Species written by Robert A. Francis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-03-12 with total page 918 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive non-native species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Often introduced accidentally through international travel or trade, they invade and colonize new habitats, often with devastating consequences for the local flora and fauna. Their environmental impacts can range from damage to resource production (e.g. agriculture and forestry) and infrastructure (e.g. buildings, road and water supply), to human health. They consequently can have major economic impacts. It is a priority to prevent their introduction and spread, as well as to control them. Freshwater ecosystems are particularly at risk from invasions and are landscape corridors that facilitate the spread of invasives. This book reviews the current state of knowledge of the most notable global invasive freshwater species or groups, based on their severity of economic impact, geographic distribution outside of their native range, extent of research, and recognition of the ecological severity of the impact of the species by the IUCN. As well as some of the very well-known species, the book also covers some invasives that are emerging as serious threats. Examples covered include a range of aquatic and riparian plants, insects, molluscs, crustacea, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, as well as some major pathogens of aquatic organisms. The book also includes overview chapters synthesizing the ecological impact of invasive species in fresh water and summarizing practical implications for the management of rivers and other freshwater habitats.

Download or read book Water Climate Change and Forests written by Michael J. Furniss and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2011 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. Water from forested watersheds provides irreplaceable habitat for aquatic and riparian species and supports our homes, farms, industries, and energy production. Yet population pressures, land uses, and rapid climate change combine to seriously threaten these waters and the resilience of watersheds in most places. Forest land managers are expected to anticipate and respond to these threats and steward forested watersheds to ensure the sustained protection and provision of water and the services it provides. Contents of this report: (1) Intro.; (2) Background: Forests and Water; Climate Change: Hydrologic Responses and Ecosystem Services; (3) Moving Forward: Think; Collaborate; Act; (4) Closing; (5) Examples of Watershed Stewardship. Illus.

Download or read book The Human Costs of Nitrate contaminated Drinking Water in the San Joaquin Valley written by Eli Moore and published by . This book was released on 2011-03-11 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Public Participation in the Governance of International Freshwater Resources written by Carl E. Bruch and published by United Nations University Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bruch, a senior attorney of the Environmental Law Institute, presents work from an April 2003 symposium co-sponsored by the Environmental Law Institute, the United Nations University, and other institutions. Papers from the symposium identify innovative approaches in watershed management and look at political, linguistic, legal, cultural, and geogr

Download or read book America s Climate Choices written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-06-11 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is occurring. It is very likely caused by the emission of greenhouse gases from human activities, and poses significant risks for a range of human and natural systems. And these emissions continue to increase, which will result in further change and greater risks. America's Climate Choices makes the case that the environmental, economic, and humanitarian risks posed by climate change indicate a pressing need for substantial action now to limit the magnitude of climate change and to prepare for adapting to its impacts. Although there is some uncertainty about future risk, acting now will reduce the risks posed by climate change and the pressure to make larger, more rapid, and potentially more expensive reductions later. Most actions taken to reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts are common sense investments that will offer protection against natural climate variations and extreme events. In addition, crucial investment decisions made now about equipment and infrastructure can "lock in" commitments to greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come. Finally, while it may be possible to scale back or reverse many responses to climate change, it is difficult or impossible to "undo" climate change, once manifested. Current efforts of local, state, and private-sector actors are important, but not likely to yield progress comparable to what could be achieved with the addition of strong federal policies that establish coherent national goals and incentives, and that promote strong U.S. engagement in international-level response efforts. The inherent complexities and uncertainties of climate change are best met by applying an iterative risk management framework and making efforts to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions; prepare for adapting to impacts; invest in scientific research, technology development, and information systems; and facilitate engagement between scientific and technical experts and the many types of stakeholders making America's climate choices.

Download or read book Coastal Impacts Adaptation and Vulnerabilities written by Virginia Burkett and published by NCA Regional Input Reports. This book was released on 2013-02-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Developed to inform the 2013 National Climate Assessment, and a landmark study in terms of its breadth and depth of coverage and conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, Coastal Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerabilities examines the known effects and relationships of climate change variables on the coasts of the U.S. This state of the art assessment comes from a broad range of experts in academia, private industry, state and local governments, NGOs, professional societies, and impacted communities. It includes case studies on topics such as adaptive capacity; climate change effects on. It highlights past climate trends, projected climate change and vulnerabilities, and impacts to specific sectors. Rich in science and case studies, it examines the latest climate change impacts, scenarios, vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacity for nine major coastal regions of the United States and provides essential guidance for decision-makers – as well as environmental academics, professionals, and advocates – who seek to better understand how climate variability and change impact the US coasts and its communities.