THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
Transportation Research Board and Center for Health, People, and Places
Consensus and Advisory Studies Division and Earth Systems and Resources Program
Committee on the Review of Approaches for Managing Pollutant Loads in Highway Stormwater Runoff
*****
Congressional Briefing
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 – 10:30 a.m.
via Zoom
on
Managing Highway Stormwater Quality: Driving Progress
Requested by Congress in P.L. 117-58, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, this report focuses on engineering and infrastructure strategies to support state departments of transportation (DOT) decision-making regarding stormwater management approaches to comply with regulations. Administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state permitting authorities identify each water body that does not meet a water quality standard due to pollutants.
Updated modeling options that account for different land uses can better enable state DOT decision makers. Acknowledging the difference in pollutants that originate from highways (such as tire and brake wear contaminants) and pollutants that do not but are conveyed to water bodies (such as nutrients and bacteria from adjacent land) may improve source control.
The report also identifies areas for collaboration between state DOTs, EPA, and Federal Highway Administration officials along with state environmental authorities. These partnerships could result in improved design, construction, and maintenance procedures and guidance. Participation in alternative watershed-scale approaches for managing highway stormwater may also result in practical and desirable outcomes.
This briefing was for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on May 21, 2026 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.