|
Acronymn |
Explanation |
| AASHTO |
American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials - A nonprofit, nonpartisan
association representing highway and transportation departments
in all 50 states that has developed design standards to
foster the development, operation and maintenance of an
integrated national transportation system. |
| ACCD |
Vermont Agency of Commerce
and Community Development - The agency is comprised of
three departments - Economic Development, Tourism and
Marketing, and Housing and Community Affairs - with programs
for enhancing the business climate, promoting tourism,
and strengthening Vermont communities. |
| Act 250 |
Since 1970, Act 250 has been
Vermont's most comprehensive law controlling subdivision
and development. Its purpose is to protect the environmental
through balanced development that is compatible with state,
regional and local planning. |
| ADA |
Americans with Disabilities
Act - Federal law that requires public facilities, including
transportation services, to be fully accessible for persons
with disabilities. |
| ANR |
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
- The agency is comprised of three departments. The Department
of Environmental Conservation (DEC) administers most of
the Agency's regulatory programs and several voluntary
pollution and waste reduction programs; the Department
of Fish and Wildlife (FWD) manages Vermont's fisheries
and wildlife resources, enforces the state's hunting and
fishing laws, and studies and inventories non-game wildlife
species and natural communities; and the Department of
Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) operates the Vermont
State Parks system, manages state forests and natural
areas, and provides assistance in the areas of forestry,
recreation, and conservation education. |
| CCCH |
Chittenden County Circumferential
Highway - The Chittenden County Circumferential Highway,
known locally as "the Circ," was conceived thirty years
ago as a 15.8 mile long, limited access, two lane-two
way highway with climbing lanes constructed on four lane
right-of-way. Its purpose was to intercept and redistribute
traffic among the arterial routes serving the Burlington
area. Sections C-F were constructed and this roadway is
designated Vermont Route 289. Sections A-B in Williston
and G-J though Colchester have not been built. |
| CCMPO |
Chittenden County Metropolitan
Planning Organization - An organization of representatives
from local governments designated by law for developing
transportation plans and programs. |
| CCRPC |
Chittenden County Regional
Planning Commission - An organization of representatives
of local governments from Chittenden County designated
as the primary organization to identify problems and plan
solutions that are regional in scope. |
| CCTA |
Chittenden County Transit Authority
- Provides fixed-route and paratransit service to five
municipalities in Chittenden County - Burlington, Winooski,
Essex, Williston, and South Burlington. |
| CEQ |
The Council on Environmental
Quality - the federal body which oversees the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). |
| DEIS |
Draft Environmental Impact
Statement - See EIS |
| DHP |
Vermont Division of Historic
Preservation - The public agency designated to be the
advocate for historic and prehistoric properties in Vermont. |
| EA |
Environmental Assessment -
An interim decision document prepared for an action where
the significance of environmental, social or economic
impact has not been clearly established. If no significant
impact is determined, a finding of no significant
impact is prepared (FONSI).
If the action is determined to have significant impact
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
is prepared. |
| EIS |
Environmental Impact Statement
- A document prepared for a federal action that is likely
to have significant impact. Required by the National Environmental
Policy Act, it summarizes the major environmental impacts
and issues, examines reasonable alternatives and arrives
at a record of decision that identifies the selected alternative
for the project. The EIS process begins with a federal
Notice of Intent, publishes findings in a Draft EIS report
and a Final EIS responding to comments received on the
Draft EIS. It culminates in a Record of Decision by the
federal lead agency. |
| EPA |
Environmental Protection Agency
- Federal agency with responsibility for overseeing regulations
and developing policy and standards aimed to protect the
environment. |
| FEIS |
Final Environmental Impact
Statement - See EIS. |
| FHWA |
Federal Highway Administration
- A division of the U.S. Department of Transportation
that funds highway planning and programs. |
| FTA |
Federal Transit Administration
- A division of the U. S. Department of Transportation
that funds transit planning and programs. |
| ISTEA |
Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 - Legislation passed by Congress
that restructured funding for transportation programs.
It established an enlarged role for regional planning
commissions and metropolitan planning organizations in
funding decision and continuous public involvement during
the planning process. Currently in the process of being
re-authorized by Congress. |
| LOI |
Level of Improvement - A concept
outlined in Vermont's 1995 Transportation Plan to help
the state strategically invest limited financial resources
to maintain high levels of efficiency and safety while
not developing all highways to ideal engineering design
standards indicated by functional classification and respecting
the cultural, historical and environmental setting of
highways. |
| LRTP |
Long Range Transportation Plan
- A document prepared as a result of a regional and statewide
process that defines the vision for the state's transportation
system and services. Vermont's LRTP has three major objectives
for transportation investments: 1. maintain existing facilities,
2. improve all modes of transportation to provide choices
and 3.strengthen the economy and improve quality of life. |
| MPO |
Metropolitan Planning Organization
- see CCMPO. |
| MTP |
Metropolitan Transportation
Plan - a document that guides transportation planning
and investment in the region. The current MTP for Chittenden
County was approved in February 2005. |
| NEPA |
National Environmental Policy
Act - A federal law passed in 1969 which requires an analysis
of environmental impacts of federal actions, including
the funding of transportation projects. |
| NHPA |
National Historic Preservation
Act - A law that requires federal agencies to consider
the potential effect of a project on a property that is
registered on or eligible for the National Register of
Historic Places. If effects are identified, federal and
state agencies must identify ways to mitigate the harm.
The process is often referred to as "Section 106 Review". |
| NOI |
Notice of Intent - A document
prepared to inform the public of the scope of a proposed
action or project. |
| PTAC |
Public Transportation Advisory
Committee - A body, established by the Vermont Legislature,
charged with developing ongoing recommendations for improving
public transportation in Vermont. |
| ROD |
Record of Decision - see EIS. |
| SHPO |
State Historic Preservation
Officer - The public official designated to be the advocate
for historic and pre-historic properties Vermont and represent
the state under the National Historic Preservation Act
and the federal Transportation Act Section 4(f). |
| SSTA |
Special Services Transportation
Agency - Provides fixed-route and paratransit transportation
to Colchester and Chittenden County. |
| STIP |
State Transportation Improvement
Program - A multi-year, statewide, intermodal program
that is consistent with state and metropolitan transportation
plans and identifies the priority transportation projects
to be undertaken. |
| TAC |
Technical Advisory Committee
- Regional Advisory Committees established by Vermont's
Regional Planning Commissions to address the need for
extensive local involvement in transportation planning.
|
| TEA-21 |
Transportation Equity Act for
the 21st Century - A federal law passed in 1998 as a successor
to ISTEA that authorized funding for highway, transit
and other surface transportation programs; it is currently
being reauthorized by Congress |
| TPI |
Transportation Planning Initiative
-A partnership, established in 1992 between the Vermont
Agency of Transportation and the Chittenden County MPO
and regional planning agencies, it is the primary tool
for public participation in the identification, prioritization
and development of transportation improvements for each
region. |
| VANR |
See "ANR". |
| VEDA |
Vermont Economic Development
Agency - A state agency formed to support the creation
and retention of quality jobs and strengthen the competitiveness
of Vermont's businesses and the overall economy. |
| VMT |
Vehicle Miles Traveled - A
key indicator used to count the existing and projected
use of roads. |
| VTRANS |
Vermont Agency of Transportation
- A state agency charged with a mission to work cooperatively
to plan for and accommodate the need for movement of people
and commerce in a safe, reliable, cost-effective, environmentally
responsible and equitable manner. |
