Integration of Conservation, Highway Planning, and Environmental Permitting Using an Outcome-Based Ecosystem Approach
Phase I. The objective of Phase I is to create an ecological framework for making decisions about transportation capacity enhancements and the surface environment across key decision points and geographic scales of the collaborative transportation decision making process.
Phase II.The objective of Phase II is to solve the problem of assurances. How can agencies that invest in ecological-level action to minimize or mitigate impacts or restore resources to the ecosystem be assured that they get credit for their actions with regulatory agencies and the public? If they approve ecological-level mitigation strategies, how can regulatory agencies be assured that promised actions will be taken and will satisfy regulations? How can local governments be constrained to enforce the land protected by highway construction agencies and resource agencies? Finally, link implementation mechanisms and the business model developed in C06A to the Ecological Assessment Process developed in C06B.
Phase III. The Objective of Phase III is to develop a business model for the ecological approach to environmental stewardship.
Phase IV: The objective of Phase IV is to review and test the interim results of Projects C6A and C06B through an invitational symposium.
Phase V: The Objective is reporting and summary
