Invasive Species and Transportation: Issues and Challenges

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Future Opportunities for Transportation and
Conservation Trisha White Defenders of Wildlife
Invasive Species and Transportation Issues and
Challenges TRB 04
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is dedicated to the protection of all native
wild animals and plants in their natural
communities. New approaches that keep species
from becoming endangered Protect entire
ecosystems and interconnected habitats
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1. Proactive 2. State-based 3. Incentive-driven
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WHY TRANSPORTATION?
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Defenders of Wildlife Habitat Highways Campaign
www.defenders.org/habitat/highways
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• Interagency coordination
• Integrated planning
• Conservation banking
• Wildlife crossings
• Public lands
• Native vegetation

www.defenders.org/habitat/highways
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Iowas Living Roadways
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Recommendations

• Roadside vegetation management plans
• Vegetation inventories
• Statewide invasives clearinghouse
• Training
• Educational programs
• Pilot projects
• Research monitoring
• Reward for exemplary efforts

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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Administration

SAFETEA Safe, Accountable, Flexible and
Efficient Transportation Equity Act
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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Administration

SEC. 1608. Modification to NHS/STP for Invasive
Species, Wetlands, Brownfields, and Environmental
Restoration Makes NHS/STP funds available
for participation in the control of invasive
plant species and the establishment of native
species related to projects funded under this
title, which may include participation in
statewide inventories of both invasive and
desirable plant species and regional native plant
habitat conservation and mitigation, and
restoration plans.
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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Senate Environment Public Works Committee

SAFETEA Safe, Accountable, Flexible and
Efficient Transportation Equity Act
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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Senate Environment Public Works Committee

Section 1501 Integration of Natural Resource
Concerns into State and Metropolitan
Transportation Planning Expands the concept of
environment, to include protection of habitat,
water quality, and agricultural and forest land,
while minimizing invasive species.
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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Senate Environment Public Works Committee

• Section 1511 Transportation Project Development
  Process
• In developing the purpose and need statement and
  the alternatives, the lead agency may consider
  the following
• transportation planning documents
• land use or economic development plans
• environmental protection plans, including plans
  for the protection of air quality, water quality,
  habitat needs of plants and animals, threatened
  or endangered species, invasive species, historic
  properties, and other environmental resources.

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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Senate Environment Public Works Committee

Section 1601 Environmental Restoration and
Pollution Abatement Control of Invasive Plant
Species and Establishment of Native
Species Definitions The term invasive plant
species means a nonindigenous species the
introduction of which causes or is likely to
cause economic or environmental harm or harm to
human health. The term native plant species
means, with respect to a particular ecosystem, a
species that, other than as result of an
introduction, historically occurred or currently
occurs in that ecosystem.
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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Senate Environment Public Works Committee

• Section 1601 Environmental Restoration and
  Pollution Abatement Control of Invasive Plant
  Species and Establishment of Native Species
• Included activities
• participation in statewide inventories of
  invasive plant species and desirable plant
  species
• regional native plant habitat conservation and
  mitigation
• native revegetation
• elimination of invasive species to create fuel
  breaks for the prevention and control of
  wildfires
• training

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• Transportation Reauthorization
• Senate Environment Public Works Committee

Section 3005, 3006 Metropolitan and State
Planning MPO and state planning process must
consider protecting and enhancing the
environment (including the protection of habitat,
water quality, and agricultural and forest land,
while minimizing invasive species), promoting
energy conservation, and promoting consistency
between transportation improvements and State and
local land use planning and economic development
patterns
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• Transportation Reauthorization
• House Transportation Infrastructure Committee

Nada.
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Recommendations

• Statewide vegetation inventories
• Require discontinuation of the use of
  non-natives in roadside vegetation management
• Support native species restoration
• Institute a start-up, small business loan
  program for growers to establish native seeds and
  stock for use in roadside vegetation
• Provide funding to educate practitioners on
  native vegetation

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Trisha White
twhite_at_defenders.org www.defenders.org/habitat/hig
hways