Environmental protection : federal incentives could help promote land use that protects air and water quality

819609PDFResearch PaperGAO-02-12Land useAir qualityWater qualityExhaust gasesPollutantsLand use planningSmart growthEnvironmental impactsEnvironmental protectionUrban sprawlUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of ResearchUnited States. Government Accountability OfficeNTL-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTNTL-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT-Air QualityNTL-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT-Alternative FuelsNTL-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT-Environment ImpactsNTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-PLANNING AND POLICYNTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-Land UseUS Transportation CollectionThe U. S. General Accounting Office (GAO) was asked to examine how (1) state and local transportation and air and water quality officials consider impacts of land use on the environment and (2) federal agencies can help these officials assess land use impacts. GAO surveyed local transportation planners and state air quality officials nationwide and 32 experts on land use and water quality. They found that most states and localities do not comprehensively assess the impacts of land use on air and water quality and develop ways to mitigate any adverse effects. State and local transportation and environmental officials do not consider the environmental impacts of land use because 1. they are not required to consider the impacts, 2. land use is a local decision and they believe that they have little ability to influence it, and 3. they lack resources, data, and technical tools, such as modeling capabilities. GAO recommends that (1) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should devise an overall strategy to help states and localities assess land use impacts and provide them with financial, technical, and other assistance, and (2) the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) should encourage transportation planners to assess the emissions impacts of their plans and share their data with land use officials