Mark Abkowitz

DEVELOPING A RISK/COST FRAMEWORK FOR ROUTING TRUCK MOVEMENTS OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

As the United States continues to increase its dependence on industrial technologies which require hazardous materials and generate hazardous wastes, concern is mounting over the safe transport of hazardous cargo. It is estimated that 1.5 billion tons of hazardous cargo are moved through the nations transportation systems (excluding pipeline), with truck as the primary mode of transport. Because of the dynamic nature of exposure to the population and environment associated with the transport of hazardous cargo, it is important to develop an accurate representation of this type of transport risk, and to structure a framework for designating a permanent set of shipping routes based on optimizing across risks and costs. This paper describes a methodology which has been developed that incorporates risk and cost into a framework for optimizing the routing of truck movements of hazardous materials. Considerable attention is focused on the risk estimation part of this process, as this is a subject of much uncertainty and of considerable significance to policymakers. The resulting methodology is applied in a regional setting to illustrate its use as an analysis tool. Enhancements to the model structure and extensions beyond the truck routing problem are also discussed.

FACTORS AFFECTING RUNNING TIME ON TRANSIT ROUTES

Abstract This article reports on empirical models of transit mean running time and running time deviation estimated from data collected on transit routes in Cincinnati, Ohio. In general, the models confirm prior hypotheses concerning transit running time. It was found that mean running time is strongly influenced by trip distance, people boarding and alighting, and signalized intersections. Running time deviation at early points on a route propagate as the vehicle proceeds further downstream. The running time deviation model suggests that corrective actions to instability which develops early on a transit route warrants serious consideration. Improvements may also be possible through planning shorter routes. Finally, investment strategies which emphasize improved control rather than modification of existing link characteristics may produce more reliable service. Apart from their explanatory value, the availability of empirical models which relate running time measures to transit route characteristics is seen as being useful for identifying and evaluating strategies to improve service and resource allocation on existing routes and for the introduction of new services. The models also allow for reasonable approximations of running times without the high cost of manual data collection.

Watershed Modeling and its Applications: A State-of-the-Art Review

Advances in the understanding of physical, chemical, and biological processes influencing water quality, cou- pled with improvements in the collection and analysis of hydrologic data, provide opportunities for significant innovations in the manner and level with which watershed-scale processes may be explored and modeled. This paper provides a re- view of current trends in watershed modeling, including use of stochastic-based methods, distributed versus lumped pa- rameter techniques, influence of data resolution and scalar issues, and the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) as part of a data-driven approach to assist in watershed modeling efforts. Important findings and observed trends from this work include (i) use of AI techniques artificial neural networks (ANN), fuzzy logic (FL), and genetic algorithms (GA) to im- prove upon or replace traditional physically-based techniques which tend to be computationally expensive; (ii) limitations in scale-up of hydrological processes for watershed modeling; and (iii) the impacts of data resolution on watershed model- ing capabilities. In addition, detailed discussions of individual watershed models and modeling systems with their fea- tures, limitations, and example applications are presented to demonstrate the wide variety of systems currently available for watershed management at multiple scales. A summary of these discussions is presented in tabular format for use by water resource managers and decision makers as a screening tool for selecting a watershed model for a specific purpose.

Transportation Hazard Analysis in Integrated GIS Environment

With geographic information systems for transportation (GISTs) gaining wider acceptance by government agencies, attention is turning to the application of this information technology to sophisticated transportation management problems, often requiring real-time decision making. Two areas of priority concern that many agencies have identified are the management of highway incidents and transportation hazard analysis. Incident management considerations include those of emergency response deployment and rerouting to bypass the affected area. Transportation hazard analysis also addresses dynamic routing and emergency preparedness in the case of a hazardous materials transport release, and involves comprehensive risk assessment and evacuation planning. The objective of this paper is to describe methods employing GIST that can provide the capability to perform transportation hazard analysis and incident management. These methods are subsequently applied in several case studies involving highway operations in California to illustrate their implementation. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the GIST approach to incident management may be extended to address dynamic management in an intelligent-vehicle-highway-system environment.

Online Corporate Environmental Reporting: Improvements and Innovation to Enhance Stakeholder Value

Abstract Corporate environmental/sustainability reporting is a growing trend among top global companies. In many cases, these reports have been made available online. Although the internet has provided reporting companies with a new channel to convey environmental information to the public, effective use of this media requires careful thought. Usability is a primary consideration that is not being addressed in many online corporate environmental/sustainability reports (CER). Often, these reports are difficult for users to locate from the corporate homepage, the search option does not render the correct page, some are only available in PDF format, and navigation within the report can be difficult. Current online reporting can also be ineffective if the technology is not oriented towards a framework of maximizing stakeholder value. If approached properly, internet technology allows for interactivity between a company and its stakeholders, provision of real-time updates of information and specialized information retrieval depending on the needs of users. This paper focuses on the current state of online CER reporting and suggests methods and practices for enhancing stakeholder value.

Adaptation planning for floods: a review of available tools

Communities have competing priorities for limited financial resources. Identifying a capable and affordable tool that can be used in flood adaptation planning will assist in determining strategic investments and enhancing public communication. A state-of-the-art review was conducted of commonly available flood modeling and impact assessment tools that could be utilized for climate adaptation planning by municipalities. Assessment criteria such as flood modeling capabilities, geographic information system integration, damage assessment functions and ease of use were used. Although there are many tools available, based on the criteria used in assessing these models, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazus-MH tool appears to hold the most promise in being repurposed for adaptation planning.

A review of decision-support models for adaptation to climate change in the context of development

In order to increase adaptive capacity and empower people to cope with their changing environment, it is imperative to develop decision-support tools that help people understand and respond to challenges and opportunities. Some such tools have emerged in response to social and economic shifts in light of anticipated climatic change. Climate change will play out at the local level, and adaptive behaviours will be influenced by local resources and knowledge. Community-based insights are essential building blocks for effective planning. However, in order to mainstream and scale up adaptation, it is useful to have mechanisms for evaluating the benefits and costs of candidate adaptation strategies. This article reviews relevant literature and presents an argument in favour of using various modelling tools directed at these considerations. The authors also provide evidence for the balancing of qualitative and quantitative elements in assessments of programme proposals considered for financing through mechanisms that have the potential to scale up effective adaptation, such as the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol. The article concludes that it is important that researchers and practitioners maintain flexibility in their analyses, so that they are themselves adaptable, to allow communities to best manage the emerging challenges of climate change and the long-standing challenges of development.

Insights on the Use of Hybrid Life Cycle Assessment for Environmental Footprinting

Establishing a comprehensive environmental footprint that indicates resource use and environmental release hotspots in both direct and indirect operations can help companies formulate impact reduction strategies as part of overall sustainability efforts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful approach for achieving these objectives. For most companies, financial data are more readily available than material and energy quantities, which suggests a hybrid LCA approach that emphasizes use of economic input‐output (EIO) LCA and process‐based energy and material flow models to frame and develop life cycle emission inventories resulting from company activities. We apply a hybrid LCA framework to an inland marine transportation company that transports bulk commodities within the United States. The analysis focuses on global warming potential, acidification, particulate matter emissions, eutrophication, ozone depletion, and water use. The results show that emissions of greenhouse gases, sulfur, and particulate matter are mainly from direct activities but that supply chain impacts are also significant, particularly in terms of water use. Hotspots were identified in the production, distribution, and use of fuel; the manufacturing, maintenance, and repair of boats and barges; food production; personnel air transport; and solid waste disposal. Results from the case study demonstrate that the aforementioned footprinting framework can provide a sufficiently reliable and comprehensive baseline for a company to formulate, measure, and monitor its efforts to reduce environmental impacts from internal and supply chain operations.

Application of an enhanced spill management information system to inland waterways.

Spill response managers on inland waterways have indicated the need for an improved decision-support system, one that provides advanced modeling technology within a visual framework. Efforts to address these considerations led the authors to develop an enhanced version of the Spill Management Information System (SMIS 2.0). SMIS 2.0 represents a state-of-the-art 3D hydrodynamic and chemical spill modeling system tool that provides for improved predictive spill fate and transport capability, combined with a geographic information systems (GIS) spatial environment in which to communicate propagation risks and locate response resources. This paper focuses on the application of SMIS 2.0 in a case study of several spill scenarios involving the release of diesel fuel and trichloroethylene (TCE) that were simulated on the Kentucky Lake portion of the Tennessee River, each analyzed at low, average, and high flow conditions. A discussion of the decision-support implications of the model results is also included, as are suggestions for future enhancements to this evolving platform.

A Methodology for Modeling Regional Terrorism Risk

Over the past decade, terrorism risk has become a prominent consideration in protecting the well-being of individuals and organizations. More recently, there has been interest in not only quantifying terrorism risk, but also placing it in the context of an all-hazards environment in which consideration is given to accidents and natural hazards, as well as intentional acts. This article discusses the development of a regional terrorism risk assessment model designed for this purpose. The approach taken is to model terrorism risk as a dependent variable, expressed in expected annual monetary terms, as a function of attributes of population concentration and critical infrastructure. This allows for an assessment of regional terrorism risk in and of itself, as well as in relation to man-made accident and natural hazard risks, so that mitigation resources can be allocated in an effective manner. The adopted methodology incorporates elements of two terrorism risk modeling approaches (event-based models and risk indicators), producing results that can be utilized at various jurisdictional levels. The validity, strengths, and limitations of the model are discussed in the context of a case study application within the United States.