Eco-Logical Webinar
A New Data Tool for Implementing Eco-Logical: Eco-Plan Beta Testing

Wednesday, September 10, 2014
2:00 PM - 3:00 P.M. Eastern

Presenter: Brian Gardner, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Planning
Presenter: Stephen Ziegler, ICF International

PDF Version [4 MB]

Table of Contents

A New Data Tool for Implementing Eco-Logical: Eco-Plan Beta Testing

Eco-Plan: SHRP2 C40A Product Overview

Eco-Plan Overview

Eco-Plan Advanced Overview

A New Data Tool for Implementing Eco-Logical: Eco-Plan Beta Testing

Slide 1: A New Data Tool for Implementing Eco-Logical: Eco-Plan Beta Testing

Presenters

• Brian Gardner, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Planning
• Stephen Ziegler, ICF International

September 10, 2014

(Learn more about Eco-Logical at the FHWA website.)

Images: Logos of Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration
Image: Collage of colored photographs of a bridge, a deer, a fish, and a curved rural road from the cover of the Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects report

Slide 2: Steps to Ensure Optimal Webinar Connection

This webinar broadcasts audio over the phone line and through the web room, which can strain some internet connections. To prevent audio skipping or webinar delay we recommend participants:

• Close all background programs
• Use a wired internet connection, if possible
• Do not us a Virtual Private Network (VPN), if possible
• Mute their webroom audio (toggle is located at the top of webroom screen) and use phone audio only

Slide 3: Where did the idea for Eco-Plan originate?

Image: Screenshot of the cover of the Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects report
Image: Collage of logos: Bureau of Land Management, EPA, U.S. DOT, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USDA, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Image: Screenshot of the signatures of the nine Steering Team Partners' Leadership

Slide 4: Steps of the Eco-Logical approach

Slide 5:

Slide 6: What is Eco-Plan?

An interactive, web-mapping tool that overlays national resource data and preliminary project data to inform pre-NEPA discussions regarding resource concerns and mitigation opportunities

Image: Graphical representation of four planes, each marked by a grid, layered above each other. A red arrow rises up from the bottom plane through the other three planes in the same relative grid spot.
Image: Six maps of the same area, each marked with different color-coded GIS data

Slide 7: What is the process to develop and support Eco-Plan?

• Research
  • SHRP2 C06 -> EcoLogical
  • SHRP2 C40 -> EcoPlan
• Evaluate
  • Pilots
  • Beta testing
• Implement
  • Convene, Facilitate, Collaborate
  • Host
  • Finance

Slide 8: Where does geospatial data fit into the planning process?

Image: Screenshot from the Eco-Plan tool showing an interactive map and a menu of selectable map elements to display/hide

Slide 9: Where does geospatial data fit into the planning process?

Image: Screenshot of Utah's Unified Transportation Plan Map 2011-2040, displaying a topographic map with various color-coded roads

Slide 10: How can I apply Eco-Plan?

• CalTrans evaluated the transferability of Eco-Plan to California's Regional Advance Mitigation Planning Framework impact assessment method (RAMP)
• East-West Gateway Council of Governments explored how those with limited GIS experience and staff at small MPOs could access national level environmental datasets
• Contra Costa Transportation Authority compared Eco-Plan's effectiveness to other tools in a feasibility study

Slide 11: How can I provide feedback?

FHWA is seeking beta testers of Eco-Plan and Eco-Plan Advanced. As you test the tool, please email mike.ruth@dot.gov with feedback on:

1. Ease of use for various levels of GIS expertise
2. User interface
3. Anticipated time/money costs or savings
4. How the tool can be used on current projects
5. Compatibility with other data and tools
6. Relationships to other tools
7. General feedback - Do you like the tool? Would you use it?

Slide 12: Eco-Logical Webinar Series: Eco-Plan Beta Testing

(Learn more about Eco-Logical at the FHWA website)

• Brian Gardner, Federal Highway Administration (Brian.Gardner@dot.gov)
• Stephen Ziegler, ICF International (Stephen.Ziegler@icfi.com)

• Mike Ruth, Federal Highway Administration (Mike.Ruth@dot.gov)
• Haley Peckett, Volpe Center/USDOT

Image: Collage of colored photographs of a bridge, a deer, a fish, and a curved rural road from the cover of the Eco-Logical: An Ecosystem Approach to Developing Infrastructure Projects report
Images: Logos of Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center and the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration

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Eco-Plan: SHRP2 C40A Product Overview

Slide 13: Eco-Plan: SHRP2 C40A Product Overview

Prepared for: FHWA Pilot Webinar

Steve Zieglar
September 10, 2014

Image: a grid of four images: (1) Two people examining an architectural model; (2) the ICF International logo; (3) a photograph of a highway elevated above a wetland; and (4) a wide-angle photograph of a section of the coastline of a peninsula

Slide 14: Agenda

• Project Overview
• Vision
• Architecture
• Eco-Plan Overview

Slide 15: Project Overview

• SHRP C40A Integration of National-Level Geospatial, Ecological Tools and Data
• Scope
  • Build a national-level GIS tool to provide the data and analysis
  • Support Eco-Logical and Integrated Ecological Framework (IEF)
  • Focus on novice users with little in-house GIS resources
  • Leverage Federal web services to provide up-to-date data
  • Pre-NEPA ecological screening
• Process
  • Form several groups to provide design input and testing feedback
    • C40Bs, User Group, Technical Expert Task Group, Beta Testers
  • Gathered and documented needs
  • Developed a vision
  • Designed the architecture
  • Tested and updated based on feedback

Slide 16: User and Testing Help

State, MPO and Research Feedback

• State DOTs
  • Alaska
  • Maine
  • Utah
• MPOs
  • Dallas/Ft. Worth (Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX)
  • East-West Gateway Council of Governments (St. Louis, MO)
  • North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization (Ft. Collins, CO)
  • Rogue Valley Council of Governments (Jackson Co., OR)
  • Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (Charlottesville, VA)
• Research
  • University of California, Davis
  • Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership (MoRAP)
• Others
  • AASHTO TIG 2
  • EPA Region 6
  • FHWA
  • Parsons
  • Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Slide 17: Vision

• Primary users are state and MPO planners
• Provide Federal data sets
• Allow upload of local data
• Support the IEF

• Not a replacement of existing tools
• Only for pre-NEPA screening

Image: Graphic that displays four layers: (1) Transportation Planner, Conservation Organizations, FHWA, Resource Agency, and System Owner; (2) Planning Area, Intersection Tool, Layer Wizard, Meta Data, and New Analytical Tools; (3) Spreadsheets, New GIS Data, PDFs, APIs, and Email; and (4) Transportation Planning, Identify & Avoid Priority Conservation Areas, Identify Mitigation Sites, and NEPA.

Slide 18: Architecture - Eco-Plan and Eco-Plan Advanced

Eco-Plan
Eco-Plan supports transportation planning by producing prepared maps of national ecological data sets that can be used to avoid and minimize transportation impacts.

• Review maps of national ecological data sets
• Find data and other useful GIS information
• Upload or draw a planning area or transportation network
• No GIS skills needed

Eco-Plan Advanced
Eco-Plan Advanced, a separate website hosted by Esri ArcGIS Online, provides all of the information available through Eco-Plan with additional capabilities.

• Add any data set to the prepared maps of national ecological data
• Set up groups to save, share, and comment on maps
• Conduct GIS analysis and create reports
• Requires GIS skills
• Learn more

Image: Screenshot of the Eco-Plan tool homepage
Image: Screenshot of an interactive map displayed in the Eco-Plan Advanced tool

Slide 19: Architecture - Data

Natural Environment

• Land Cover, Soils, and Geology
  • Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring, Vegetation (Mapping) Inventory Program (National Parks)
  • Land Cover
  • Forest Density
  • Grassland Density
  • Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO)
  • U.S. General Soil Map (STATSGO)
  • Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring, Geological Resources Inventory
  • National Geologic Map Database
• Species Distribution
  • Digital Distribution Maps of various species
• Protected Lands and Water
  • National Wilderness Preservation System
  • USFS Wilderness Areas
  • USFS National Grasslands
  • Protected Areas Database of the United States National Estuaries Restoration Inventories
  • USFS Basic Ownership
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Boundaries
  • USFS Wild and Scenic Rivers
  • USFS Other National Designated Areas
  • Administrative Boundaries of National Park System Units
  • Protected Areas Database
  • Federal Lands
  • National Conservation Easement Database
  • National Marine Sanctuary Area Boundaries
  • Sole Source Aquifers
• Water and Wetlands
  • Streams
  • Water Bodies
  • National Wetlands Inventory
  • Watersheds/Hydrolic Units (HUC)
  • Q3 Flood Hazards
  • Flood Hazard Zones
• Habitat
  • North American Bird Conservation Joint Ventures Map Services
  • FWS Critical Habitat
  • Riparian Areas of the Western United States
  • Areas Without Roads

Built Environment

• Environmental Contamination
  • Ozone 8-hour (by 1997 and 2008 standards)
  • Lead (by 2008 standard)
  • Fine Particle (PM2.5) Annual (by 1997 and 2006 standards)
  • Hazardous Waste (RCRAInfo)
  • Air Emissions (AFS)
  • Water dischargers (PCS/ICIS)
  • Toxic releases (TRI)
  • Superfund (CERCLIS)
  • Brownfields (ACRES)
  • RADInfo
  • Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
  • USGS water monitors (NWIS)
  • EPA water monitors (STORET)
  • Impaired Streams and Water bodies
• Land Use
  • Road Density
  • Major land uses in the United States
  • Transportation Systems

Cultural/Social

• Demographics
  • Demographic Characteristics (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, etc. as available from 1990, 2000, and 2010 Census)
  • Housing Historic Density (1979 and 2010)
  • Housing Historic Density (Projected 2050)
  • Population Density (2000 and 2010)
• Political Boundaries
  • States
  • Cities
  • Counties
  • Urban Areas
  • Legislative Boundaries
  • MPO Boundaries

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Slide 20: Eco-Plan Overview

Slide 20: Eco-Plan Overview

Slide 21: Demo

• Live demo with slides as backup

Slide 22: Home

• Introduce the user to the tool
• Encourage the user to use a map, view data, or see other tools
• Describe Eco-Plan and Eco-Plan Advanced

Image: Screenshot of the Eco-Plan tool homepage

Slide 23: Get Started

• Introduce the user to the theme maps
• Provide an interactive view of several themes of data

Image: Screenshot of the “Get Started” page of the Eco-Plan tool

Slide 24: Ecological Screening

• Provide a simple ecological screening tool based on the user's shape
• Prototype functionality limited to
  • Several states
  • Only critical habitat, wetlands, and protected areas data
• Waiting for future owner to expand

Image: Screenshot of the “Ecological Screening” page of the Eco-Plan tool, which includes instructions on how to draw an area of interest

Slide 25: Maps

• Gallery of themes maps and popular data services

Image: Screenshot of the “Maps” page of the Eco-Plan tool, displaying a gallery of Recommended Theme Maps and Popular Map Services

Slide 26: Map Details

• Detailed information on the theme maps
  • Description
  • How To Use
  • Tips
  • Things To Be Aware Of
  • Data Services

Image: Screenshot of the “Map: Watersheds and Wetlands Theme” page of the Eco-Plan tool

Slide 27: Data

• List of authoritative data sources useful in transportation planning and resource conservation
  • Natural Environment
  • Cultural/Social
  • Built Environment

Image: Screenshot of the “Data Gallery” page of the Eco-Plan tool

Slide 28: Data Details

• Details on authoritative data sets
  • Source
  • URL
  • Status
  • Description
  • User Tips
  • Things To Be Aware Of
  • Additional Information

Image: Screenshot of a Data result page (“Data: NPScape Population Density Census 2010 (Tiled)”) of the Eco-Plan tool

Slide 29: Other Tools

• Gallery of other useful GIS planning tools

Image: Screenshot of the “Other Tools” page of the Eco-Plan tool

Slide 30: Other Tools Details

• Details of other user GIS planning tools
  • URL
  • Geographic Scope
  • Source
  • Analytical Functions and Reports Available
  • Data Types
  • Highlights
  • When To Use
  • Things To Be Aware Of

Image: Screenshot of the “Information Planning and Conservation System (IPAC)” page within the “Other Tools” section of the Eco-Plan tool

Slide 31: Help

• Frequently Asked Questions

Image: Screenshot of the “Help” page of the Eco-Plan tool

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Eco-Plan Advanced Overview

Slide 32: Eco-Plan Advanced Overview

Slide 33: Eco-Plan Advanced Home

• Gallery of recent maps

Image: Screenshot of the home page of the Eco-Plan Advanced tool

Slide 34: Customize Maps

• Find and copy existing theme maps for customization
• Show/hide data layers

Image: Screenshot of the “Development Potential in Unprotected Areas Theme” page of the Eco-Plan Advanced tool

Slide 35: Add Local Data

• Add your own local data from shape files

Image: Screenshot of the “Development Potential in Unprotected Areas Theme” page of the Eco-Plan Advanced tool, which includes a popup dialog box which allows the user to “Add Layer from File”

Slide 36: Add Other Data From Web

• Search for authoritative data sets identified by Eco-Plan
• Add data sets from ArcGIS Online or the Web

Image: Screenshot of the “Development Potential in Unprotected Areas Theme” page of the Eco-Plan Advanced tool, which includes “Search for Layers” results in the left column

Slide 37: Share

• Share maps/data with the public or selected groups

Image: Screenshot of a “Test Map” page of the Eco-Plan Advanced tool, which includes a “Share” popup dialog box

Slide 38: Steve Ziegler

Steve Ziegler
stephen.ziegler@icfi.com

C40 URL - c40.icfwebservices.com

Slide 39: ICF International

Image: the ICF International logo

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