New FHWA, FTA Website Provides Link To Better Transportation for All |
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Federal Highway Administration
October 2, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 2, 2000
Contact: Karen Whitney
Telephone: 202-366-0660
FHWA 62-00
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have jointly developed a website that provides information on the Department’s mission to help assure environmental justice for low income and minority populations during transportation planning processes.
"President Clinton and Vice President Gore are committed to putting people first,"
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater said. "This new web site puts people first by providing information and resources that can enhance public involvement in the planning process and provide minority and low-income populations with opportunities to address the quality and usefulness of transportation in their lives."
Environmental justice focuses on ensuring the full inclusion of minority and low-income populations in federal programs, policies or activities.
The website offers a section of question and answers and a list of available training and resources. Soon, the site will also have sections with case studies and effective practices. The case studies will profile how various transportation agencies have integrated environmental justice considerations in their activities to improve transportation decision-making. The effective practices provide a guide – a "how-to" manual – for practitioners on how environmental justice can be integrated into all transportation programs, plans and activities.
FHWA’s environmental justice website is at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ej2.htm.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater and transportation ministers from more than 80 countries will participate in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s historic "International Transportation Symposium: Moving to the 21st Century -- Best Practices of Today and Lessons for Tomorrow," the first global transportation planning meeting of its kind. The three-day conference runs from October 9-12 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C., and is open to press.