COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS JENNINGS RANDOLPH, West Virginia, Chairman STEPHEN M. YOUNG, Ohio B. EVERETT JORDAN, North Carolina JOSEPH M. MONTOYA, New Mexico JOHN SHERMAN COOPER, Kentucky RICHARD B. ROYCE, Chief Clerk and Staff Director J. B. HUYETT, Jr., Assistant Chief Clerk and Assistant Staff Director M. BARRY MEYER, Counsel BAILEY GUARD, Assistant Chief Clerk (Minority) TOM C. JORLING, Minority Counsel Professional Staff Members: JOSEPH F. VAN VLADRICKEN, LEON G. BILLINGS, RICHARD D. GRUNDY, STEWART E. MCCLURE, ADRIEN WALLER, HAROLD H. BRAYMAN, RICHARD W. WILSON, and JOHN YAGO Braman, Hon. James D., Assistant Secretary of Transportation, Depart- ment of Transportation; and Hon. Francis C. Turner, Federal Highway The Effects of Highways on the Environment: Measurement Method- ologies, a report to the Senate Committee on Public Works, by Gerald M. Sturman, Ph.D., dated May 1970.. Letter dated Sept. 11, 1970, to Chairman Randolph from Senator Muskie, Air Pollution and Urban Freeways: Making a Record on Hazards to Health and Property, by Michael Schneiderman, J. D., executive secretary, State of Illinois Environmental Quality Council; Cal K. Cohn, M.D., lieutenant commander, USPHS, Research Associate, National Institute of Mental Health; and Glenn Paulson, A. B., Graduate Fellow, Department of Environmental Biomedicine, The TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT AS IT RELATES TO HIGHWAYS TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1970 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON ROADS OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS. Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10:15 a.m., pursuant to call, in room 4200, Senate Office Building, Senator Jennings Randolph (chairman of the committee) presiding. Present: Senators Randolph, Muskie, and Boggs. Also present: Richard B. Royce, chief clerk and staff director; Barry Meyer, counsel; Bailey Guard, assistant chief clerk, minority; Tom Jorling, minority counsel; John Yago, Harold H. Brayman, and Adrien Waller, professional staff members. Senator RANDOLPH. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, the Subcommittee on Roads meets today to review the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act as it relates to the planning and construction of highways. We are gratified, Senator Boggs and myself, to have two members of the Department of Transportation present whose duties most directly relate to the matters which are before us today. The National Environmental Policy Act attempts to rationalize the effect of many governmental activities on the environment. Among these, highways, as you know, are specifically mentioned. The Committee on Public Works also has been aware for a considerable time of this impact of highways on the environment. Automobiles and other motor vehicles have long since become the principal form of surface transportation in our country. This great reliance on motor vehicles has brought with it increasing demands for more and better highways and highway planning. The number of vehicles has increased. The number of highways constructed has increased, and in many instances we know of undesirable effects that they can and often do have on a community with relation to air pollution, noise pollution, and the general social and economic life of communities. The Committee on Public Works has tried very diligently to cope with these problems in earlier action, and has before it this year legisation that addresses itself directly to the interaction of highways and the environment. We are including, as part of this hearing, a report to this committee entitled "The Effects of Highways on the Environment," by Dr. Gerald M. Sturman. This report will be found at the conclusion of today's session as an appendix. (See p. 29.) The Council on Environmental Quality has a range of responsibili ties much broader than just highways, covering as it does all the areas that affect our natural environment. The members of this subcommittee recognize that the work of both the Council and our Committee on Public Works need not be in conflict with, and can complement each other, with each contributing to the knowledge of all. Our subcommittee has scheduled hearings on the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1970, and it will not be too long until we are in executive sessions on that measure. We think it is very important to have from Assistant Secretary Braman and Administrator Turner that testimony which can be helpful in considering ways to insure the compatibility of highways and the environment in which we live. Senator Boggs, we are grateful on this subcommittee for your continuing attention to all our hearings. If you wish to make a statement prior to the witnesses coming before us, I would be very glad to have it. Senator BOGGS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to endorse the fine statement you have made. It fully and carefully explains the thoughts of the committee on this matter. I wish to join with you. Thank you very much. We hope that other members of our subcommittee will be able to attend. We are facing, as you know, some rather pressing schedules on Capitol Hill with sessions of the Senate beginning rather early-this morning at 8:30. But we begin this morning with the Assistant Secretary of Transportation. Mr. Braman, are you and Mr. Turner going to come to the witness table together? Mr. BRAMAN. Yes; if it is agreeable with the committee, I will make a statement followed by Mr. Turner. Senator RANDOLPH. Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and Mr. Administrator, if you will, come now to the witness stand. I am told that one of our television stations, WTTG last night indicated that the subcommittee would be meeting this morning to see what we could do about dirty roads. They used the words "dirty roads," so I hope you will keep your testimony clean, Mr. Secretary. [Laughter.] Proceed as you desire. STATEMENTS OF HON. JAMES D. BRAMAN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION; AND HON. FRANCIS C. TURNER, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATOR, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Mr. BRAMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am sure that the distinguished Chairman and the Senator are well aware of the role that my office plays in the Department of Transportation. Very briefly, the Office of Environment and Urban Systems was established in the Department by Secretary Volpe almost immediately upon his assuming command of the Department. It was formed for the specific purpose of having at the secretarial or advisory level an organization which would be responsive to the growing concern over the environ |