Incorporating Environmental Justice and Equity Principles: A Toolkit for Airports (2024)
Chapter: Front Matter
Incorporating Environmental Justice
and Equity Principles
A TOOLKIT FOR AIRPORTS
ACRP OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE*
CHAIR
Marianne Csaky
LanzaJet
VICE CHAIR
Kimberly A. Kenville
University of North Dakota
MEMBERS
Balram “B” Bheodari
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Darryl Daniels
Jacobsen Daniels Associates
John Dermody
Federal Aviation Administration
Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge
St. Louis Lambert International Airport
Lance Lyttle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Chad Makovsky
City of Phoenix (AZ)
Scott McMahon
Morristown Municipal Airport
Frank R. Miller
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority
Ramon Ricondo
Ricondo and Associates, Inc.
Steve Sisneros
Southwest Airlines
Cathryn Stephens
Eugene Airport
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Justin Barkowski
American Association of Airport Executives
Sabrina Johnson
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Laura Rinaldi McKee
Airlines for America
Christopher J. Oswald
Airports Council International–North America
Gregory Pecoraro
National Association of State Aviation Officials
T.J. Schulz
Airport Consultants Council
Victoria Sheehan
Transportation Research Board
SECRETARY
Monique R. Evans
Transportation Research Board
__________________
* Membership as of August 2024.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2024 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*
OFFICERS
CHAIR: Carol A. Lewis, Professor, Transportation Studies, Texas Southern University, Houston
VICE CHAIR: Leslie S. Richards, General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Philadelphia
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Victoria Sheehan, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC
MEMBERS
Michael F. Ableson, CEO, Arrival Automotive–North America, Detroit, MI
James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, The Boeing Company (retired), Scottsdale, AZ
Carlos M. Braceras, Executive Director, Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City
Douglas C. Ceva, Vice President, Customer Lead Solutions, Prologis, Inc., Jupiter, FL
Nancy Daubenberger, Commissioner of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, St. Paul
Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner, New York State Department of Transportation, Albany
Garrett Eucalitto, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Newington
Chris T. Hendrickson, Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Randell Iwasaki, President and CEO, Iwasaki Consulting Services, Walnut Creek, CA
Ashby Johnson, Executive Director, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), Austin, TX
Joel M. Jundt, Secretary of Transportation, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Pierre
Hani S. Mahmassani, W.A. Patterson Distinguished Chair in Transportation; Director, Transportation Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Scott C. Marler, Director, Iowa Department of Transportation, Ames
Ricardo Martinez, Adjunct Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Decatur, GA
Michael R. McClellan, Vice President, Strategic Planning, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Atlanta, GA
Russell McMurry, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta
Craig E. Philip, Research Professor and Director, VECTOR, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Steward T.A. Pickett, Distinguished Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY
Susan A. Shaheen, Professor and Co-director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley
Marc Williams, Executive Director, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Michael R. Berube, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Sustainable Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Shailen Bhatt, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Amit Bose, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC
Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Steven Cliff, Executive Officer, California Air Resources Board, Sacramento
Rand Ghayad, Senior Vice President, Association of American Railroads, Washington, DC
LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Germantown, MD
William H. Graham, Jr. (Major General, U.S. Army), Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC
Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Zahra “Niloo” Parvinashtiani, Engineer, Mobility Consultant Solutions, Iteris Inc., Fairfax, VA, and Chair, TRB Young Members Coordinating Council
Sophie Shulman, Deputy Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC
Karl Simon, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Polly Trottenberg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Jim Tymon, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC
Veronica Vanterpool, Acting Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC
Michael Whitaker, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
Vinn White, Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Washington, DC
___________________
* Membership as of August 2024.
AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 265
Incorporating Environmental Justice
and Equity Principles
A TOOLKIT FOR AIRPORTS
Julia Nagy
HARRIS MILLER MILLER & HANSON INC.
Washington, DC
Amber Woodburn McNair
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Columbus, OH
Destiny N. Thomas
THRIVANCE GROUP
Los Angeles, CA
Subscriber Categories
Aviation • Planning and Forecasting • Transportation, General
Research sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration
AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
Airports are vital national resources. They serve a key role in transportation of people and goods and in regional, national, and international commerce. They are where the nation’s aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for managing and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry. The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the airport industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it.
The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions in 2003, based on a study sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACRP carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies and not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. ACRP is modeled after the successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP). ACRP undertakes research and other technical activities in various airport subject areas, including design, construction, legal, maintenance, operations, safety, policy, planning, human resources, and administration. ACRP provides a forum where airport operators can cooperatively address common operational problems.
ACRP was authorized in December 2003 as part of the Vision 100—Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The primary participants in the ACRP are (1) an independent governing board, the ACRP Oversight Committee (AOC), appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation with representation from airport operating agencies, other stakeholders, and relevant industry organizations such as the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), Airlines for America (A4A), and the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) as vital links to the airport community; (2) TRB as program manager and secretariat for the governing board; and (3) the FAA as program sponsor. In October 2005, the FAA executed a contract with the National Academy of Sciences formally initiating the program.
ACRP benefits from the cooperation and participation of airport professionals, air carriers, shippers, state and local government officials, equipment and service suppliers, other airport users, and research organizations. Each of these participants has different interests and responsibilities, and each is an integral part of this cooperative research effort.
Research problem statements for ACRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the AOC to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects and defining funding levels and expected products.
Once selected, each ACRP project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. Panels include experienced practitioners and research specialists; heavy emphasis is placed on including airport professionals, the intended users of the research products. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, ACRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation.
Primary emphasis is placed on disseminating ACRP results to the intended users of the research: airport operating agencies, service providers, and academic institutions. ACRP produces a series of research reports for use by airport operators, local agencies, the FAA, and other interested parties; industry associations may arrange for workshops, training aids, field visits, webinars, and other activities to ensure that results are implemented by airport industry practitioners.
ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 265
Project 02-99
ISSN 2572-3731 (Print)
ISSN 2572-374X (Online)
ISBN 978-0-309-71005-3
Digital Object Identifier: 10.17226/27916
Library of Congress Control Number 2024943384
© 2024 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trademarks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein.
Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP.
NOTICE
The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors.
The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or specifications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications.
The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Airport Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report.
Published research reports of the
AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM
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Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.
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Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.
COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CRP STAFF FOR ACRP RESEARCH REPORT 265
Monique R. Evans, Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Marci A. Greenberger, Manager, Airport Cooperative Research Program
Joseph D. Navarrete, Senior Program Officer
Stephanie L. Campbell-Chamberlain, Senior Program Assistant
Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications
Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications
ACRP PROJECT 02-99 PANEL
Field of Environment
Heather Frost, Signature Flight Support, Irving, TX (Chair)
Gabriel Arteaga, Create&, Washington, DC
Kelly Crawford, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Washington, DC
Marquise McGraw, American University, Washington, DC
Scott Morrissey, Denver International Airport, Denver, CO
Michele Ross, Metropolitan Airports Commission, Minneapolis, MN
Michon L. Washington, FAA Liaison
Sabrina Johnson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Liaison
Melinda Z. Pagliarello, Airports Council International–North America Liaison
AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The research reported herein was performed under ACRP Project 02-99 by HMMH, The Ohio State University (OSU), and the Thrivance Group. The research team was supported by research advisors Phil Ralston and Rod Borden. The lead authors thank Sara Kaplan, Katherine Preston, and Erin Greenfield of HMMH; Dr. Gala Korniyenko, Kai Le, Saba Maleki, and Dr. Jason Reece of OSU; and Imani Mitchell of Thrivance Group for their support throughout the project.
The research team thanks all stakeholders who participated in information-gathering interviews and who contributed their knowledge and lived experiences related to the case studies.
FOREWORD
By Joseph D. Navarrete
Staff Officer
Transportation Research Board
ACRP Research Report 265: Incorporating Environmental Justice and Equity Principles: A Toolkit for Airports provides actionable resources for airport practitioners to inform decision-making and planning processes using an equity lens. The Toolkit and companion publication, ACRP Web-Only Document 60: Structural Racism and Inequity in the U.S. Aviation Industry: Foundations and Implications, will be of particular interest to airport industry practitioners seeking to better understand the impacts of decisions and actions that have led to inequitable outcomes and to ensure that future decisions can address past harms and lead to more equitable outcomes.
Environmental justice relates to the sustainable and equitable distribution of environmental resources, hazards, exposure, or harm. Outcomes are typically compared across different social groups and geographic areas. Recognizing that systemic racism exists in the aviation industry, there is increased emphasis on ensuring that airport activities and investments lead to more sustainable and just communities; address historic racial injustices; and enhance the quality of life for underserved, vulnerable, and oppressed populations. Yet the airport industry does not have an established framework for incorporating environmental justice and equity into its decision-making processes. Additionally, these decisions often require a thoughtful interpretation of data using methods and tools that may be unfamiliar to airport practitioners. Research was needed to develop resources to support airport practitioners in integrating environmental justice, equity principles, and data into their decision-making processes.
The research, led by Harris Miller Miller & Hanson Inc., began with an extensive review of literature from academia, industry, government, and community sources. The review helped the team analyze concepts, terms, and frameworks for understanding environmental justice and equity within an airport context. Ten case studies, reflecting a variety of airport functional units, sizes, impacted populations (passengers, airport workforce, and communities), geographies, and environments (rural, urban, and suburban) were conducted to document their equity context and identify how decision-making was influenced or changed to produce more equitable outcomes. The research team combined the results of these efforts with their own expertise to create the Toolkit and supporting resources.
The report begins with a primer to help practitioners understand how systemic racism and its historic harms within the United States relate to present inequitable outcomes in the aviation industry. It then provides resources in a series of “how-to modules” that focus on self-assessing equity practice; seeking meaningful stakeholder and community engagement; using spatial data, methods, and tools to inform environmental justice and equity assessment; and incorporating equity into the airport’s organizational culture and planning processes. References and resources are offered within the Toolkit to supplement its content.
In addition to ACRP Research Report 265, 10 case study summaries offering real-life examples that demonstrate various equity principles and concepts and an appendix summarizing browser-based mapping tools are both available on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org) by searching for ACRP Research Report 265: Incorporating Environmental Justice and Equity Principles: A Toolkit for Airports. Last, ACRP Web-Only Document 60: Structural Racism and Inequity in the U.S. Aviation Industry: Foundations and Implications provides a more comprehensive history of the structural origins of inequity and systemic racism in the United States with a focus on transportation and airports. It is also available on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org) by searching for ACRP Web-Only Document 60: Structural Racism and Inequity in the U.S. Aviation Industry: Foundations and Implications.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction to the Toolkit
1.1 Significance and Purpose of the Toolkit
1.4 Research Approach and Resulting Products
2.2 Transportation and the Geography of Inequity
2.3 Approaches to Justice in Infrastructure Planning
Chapter 3 Equity in Action: How-To Modules
3.1 Module 1: Self-Assess Equity Practice
3.2 Module 2: Seek Meaningful Stakeholder and Community Engagement
3.3 Module 3: Use Spatial Data, Methods, and Tools to Assess Environmental Justice and Equity
3.4 Module 4: Embed and Institutionalize Equity
Chapter 4 Case Studies Overview
4.4 Operations and Safety Case Studies
Section 3.1 Module 1: Self-Assess Equity Practice
Section 3.2 Module 2: Seek Meaningful Stakeholder and Community Engagement
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