The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) will work with a team of consultants to accomplish the following three goals: 1) creation of a regional green infrastructure mitigation strategy, 2) assistance in organizing and conducting workshops to build a better understanding of Eco-Logical principles and approaches, and 3) refinement and adoption of a Linking Environmental and Transportation Planning Action Plan. A draft of the action plan was created out of a two-day FHWA workshop in February, and has continued to be refined with a sub-group of workshop participants (Linking Environmental and Transportation Planning Action Plan Advisory Group). Three meetings have been held since the February workshop, with another scheduled for November 24th, 2008.

MARC's Linking Environmental and Transportation Planning Webpage: http://www.marc.org/transportation/conservation.htm.

Project Status: The Mid America Regional Council signed its contract with FHWA and held its official kick off meeting.

As of November 2008, the MARC project is focused on a 4-workshop series and best practices research that will inform the project's action plan. The workshops included such topics as sustainable transportation planning, integrating plans, policies and projects, mitigation, and implementation framework.

More information is available on the project wiki: http://marcecologicalwiki.wetpaint.com

Contact:

Thomas Gerend
Assistant Director of Transportation
Mid America Regional Council
(816) 701-8303
tgerend@marc.org

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