The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is currently hiring a Program Manager for Environment, a position located in Washington, DC.

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO ) Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Under the leadership of the Program Director for Environment, the Program Manager for Environment serves as the liaison to the AASHTO Resilient and Sustainable Transportation Systems (RSTS) Steering Committee and manages the RSTS Technical Assistance Program (TAP). The Program Manager also serves as a liaison to the Standing Committee on Environment (SCOE) Air Quality, Climate Change, and Energy Subcommittee (AQ Subcommittee). Additionally, the Program Manager oversees and directs various activities under the Center for Environmental Excellence (the Center) by AASHTO. Duties are performed with input from the Program Director and oversight groups consisting of state transportation agency representatives.

As liaison to the above committees, the Program Manager’s primary duty is to ensure AASHTO members are cognizant of key technical, legislative and regulatory issues related to climate change, extreme weather, air quality and other related environmental topics; and ensuring members are aware of how general environmental topics relate to transportation. The Program Manager monitors the legislative, regulatory and technical activities of appropriate Congressional committees, federal agencies and other public interest groups and associations, and provides this information to members to assist them in policy deliberation and development.

In managing the RSTS Technical Assistance Program, the Program Manager is responsible for the development of long-term program and project objectives and strategies; program and project planning and budgeting; contract preparation, negotiation and administration; marketing of RSTS services and products; coordination of activities, programs and projects with governmental agencies, trade associations and public interest groups.

As staff liaison to the SCOE Air Quality, Climate Change and Energy Subcommittee, the Program Manager provides management support to the subcommittee. In this capacity, the Program Manager attends meetings and provides policy and procedural advice; advises on meeting agendas; disseminates informational materials to committee members, provides other assistance as required; and serves as liaison between the AQ Subcommittee and SCOE.

As a task manager for the Center, the Program Manager supports the Program Director in developing the annual work plan; long-term environmental program objectives and strategies; environmental program and project planning and budgeting; contract preparation, negotiation and administration; marketing of the Center’s services and products; and coordination of activities, programs and projects with governmental agencies, trade associations and public interest groups. The Program Manager oversees the development of training materials, webinars, websites, workshops, and national conferences that provide AASHTO members opportunities to engage in critical environmental discussions.

The Program Manager represents and promotes AASHTO’s environmental goals and policy positions in meetings, task forces and workshops; prepares and delivers presentations; and performs other functions as needed.

Position Requirements:

A broad understanding of federal and state environmental policies, regulations, procedures and practices as they relate to transportation; and sound comprehension of the administrative, legislative and regulatory process at the federal and state levels is required.  The incumbent must have an understanding of state transportation responsibilities, planning and project delivery practices and policy issues. Project planning, budgeting and management skills, experience with contracts administration and financial reporting, and excellent written and oral communication skills are required. The incumbent must be able to travel approximately 30 days per year.

The successful candidate must have a minimum of four to six years of progressively responsible, professional experience in the transportation sector; with a focus on environmental issues or in the environmental field with a focus on transportation issues.  Prior experience in project management is desired.   A bachelor’s of arts or science degree, preferably in an environment or transportation related field is required.  Evidence of a higher degree of professional development, such as a postgraduate education, is desirable.

To apply:

Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to recruiter@aashto.org by close of business on Friday, April 3. Relocation costs are not reimbursable.

AASHTO is an equal opportunity employer.

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via CityLab & synapticdigital.com

Los Angeles is preparing to trial a two-way, one-mile e-highway road design project along the diesel truck-dominated Alameda Corridor in an effort to reduce pollution and health-related costs. Officials say the system relies on emission-free electric power delivered through overhead wires to fuel the trucks. The city is partnering with Siemens and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to run the $13 million project set to begin operations in July. The one-mile test of the e-highway system may just be the start. Apparently the various funders are hoping to expand the system along the remaining three miles from the ports to the major railhead, and there are discussions underway about a 20-mile northwest corridor that could connect the ports with inland warehouse complexes. If this first mile test works out, it could help provide a healthier future for high-traffic corridors around the world.

More about the project here.

This is how it works: The catenary infrastructure will be installed on the North and South-bound sections of Alameda Street where it intersects with Sepulveda Boulevard in Carson,California. Up to four trucks will be running in the demonstration, making multiple drives per day. Thanks to an innovative current collector the trucks can connect and disconnect from the catenary system at any speed for dynamic power supply directly to the electric engine and for on-board storage. To further ensure the same flexibility as conventional trucks, the eHighway vehicles use an electric drive system, which can be powered either by diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), battery or other on-board energy source, when driving outside of the catenary lines.  One big question that bogs me is this: assuming the demonstration is successful, who will pay for the cost of turning over the existing fleet to this hybrid-mode?

Related articles

• Siemens To Conduct eHighway Trials With Electric Volvo Trucks In California
• eHighway Project In Los Angeles
• Siemens eHighway Expected to Cut Ports’ CO2 Emissions

The Clean Air Asia India Office calls for applications from young, dynamic candidates as Project Assistant/Researchers to be based in Nepal (Clean Air Network Nepal) and Hong Kong (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) under the Fredkorpset Norway South- South exchange program. The duration is for twelve months starting from 1st November 2014.

Please see enclosed Terms of Reference or refer to link http://cleanairinitiative.org/portal/opportunities.

Eligibility Requirements

• A university (bachelor) or a masters degree in a course related to transport, environment fields, mass communication or social science e.g. environmental engineering, environmental sciences, urban planning, transport,*
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in a comparable position on transport and/or climate change project management and networking.*
• Strong interest in research and data analysis.
• Ability to communicate effectively with excellent oral and written communication skills, proficient in English, with good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team
• Age requirement: 22-35 years old
• Open to Indian Nationals only

* Requirements for both the position are different. Please refer to the attached ToRs before applying.

Quoting reference application Research/ Project Assistant-Hong Kong or Research/ Project Assistant-Nepal on subject line, applicants should email their application letter and current CV (as Word attachments) to Ms. Gianina Panopio, center@cleanairasia.org, by27 August 2014.

All applicants should state the reasons for their interest in the position, relevant details of qualifications and experience, and contact details for three referees. Only short listed candidates will be contacted. For further information on the position you may contact Parthaa Bosu,parthaa.bosu@cleanairasia.org

(Source: TreeHugger)

Photo credit: Vivir Mexico

Mexico City’s minister of the environment, Martha Delgado, announced Friday that in August a pilot project requiring students to take school buses instead of private vehicles to school at 10 private schools would commence. The initiative was spurred by the success of a study carried out at the Colegio Oxford private school, which managed to get many of its 751 students to ride the school bus beginning in August 2008, El Universal (Spanish link) reported. As we’ve noted in the past, car use has doubled in Mexico City in the last seven years, complicating other efforts to cutpollution, so any initiative getting more cars off the road is a welcome change.

According to Víctor Hugo Páramo, director of air quality management for the ministry, the average velocity of cars circulating in the school zone increased from 16.8 to 25.7 kilometers an hour after the program began. The study also revealed reductions of 13% in the concentration of carbon monoxide and 8% in nitrous oxides around Colegio Oxford.

Click here to read the entire article.