Work Program
Strategies For Environmental Outreach and Engagement
October 5, 2023
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) votes to approve this work program.
Boston Region MPO Planning Studies and Technical Analyses
Boston Region MPO
Principal: Sean Rourke
Managers:Stella Jordan and Judy Taylor
MPO Planning and MPO §5303 Contract #14003
Schedule and budget details are shown in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.
The Boston Region MPO elected to fund this study with its federally allocated metropolitan planning funds during federal fiscal year (FFY) 2024. The work completed through this study will address the following goal areas established in the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan: resiliency, clean air and healthy communities, and equity.
Due to its regional focus, the Boston Region MPO is well-positioned to connect stakeholders around shared interests and facilitate collaboration on the environmental aspects of transportation planning, including key goal areas of climate resilience and equity. To improve representation of environmental, resilience, and environmental justice voices in MPO work, it is important to understand the range of efforts and interests currently operating in this space, and to build relationships with environmental practitioners in the Boston region. Environmental practitioners and groups that focus on climate change, climate resilience, greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, and environmental justice are of particular importance to engage with due to these issues’ transportation implications. This study seeks to establish connections with environmental groups in the Boston region, understand how other MPOs and transportation agencies of similar geography and scale approach environmental engagement, and determine the most effective engagement strategies for the MPO to pursue in order to better understand and meaningfully contribute to environmental and climate action in the region.
This task will involve researching how other MPOs and agencies have engaged with environmental advocacy groups and stakeholders. Research will include both a literature review and interviews with MPO and agency staff, focusing on peers with similar governance structures, metropolitan areas, and environmental concerns to the Boston Region MPO.
Identify and reach out to peer MPOs and relevant planning agencies to learn about their environmental engagement practices.
Review peer MPOs’ and agencies’ documents to assess environmental engagement practices. Research best practices on engaging environmental advocacy groups and environmental justice communities.
Meet with peer MPOs and planning agencies to discuss environmental engagement practices identified through the literature review.
As a result of Task 1, staff will become familiar with environmental engagement strategies and best practices and have improved relationships with peer professionals for consultation and networking. The products of Task 1 will include documentation of findings.
Throughout the study, staff will consult with regional stakeholders about environmental and resilience needs and priorities, and the role the Boston Region MPO could potentially play in coordinating environmental work across the region. Discussions that are part of this task will also be informed by previous engagement and ongoing relationships with environmental advocates, community-based organizations, and municipalities in the region as well as information learned in
Task 1. Environmental justice, or EJ, organizations will be one of the targets of this outreach, with the intentions of understanding priorities, building relationships, and developing foundations for improving coordination on local environmental needs and MPO work.
Staff will identify and reach out to environmental stakeholders to engage them in the study and gauge their interest in MPO work. Stakeholders will be identified using existing contacts, contacts from agency partners, and research into environmental advocacy and EJ groups operating in the region, with a focus on groups that work on issues related to climate change, resilience, greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, and equity.
After identifying stakeholders, staff will prepare and distribute a survey to better understand how these groups would like to be engaged, including their topics of interest, preferred engagement platforms, and resource needs.
Staff will hold informal interviews with stakeholders interested in discussing their survey responses one-on-one to further build foundations for meaningful working relationships.
Based on findings from the survey and stakeholder interviews about groups’ preferred engagement platforms, staff will hold one or more events to begin more regular coordination on environmental issues. Possible avenues of engagement include personal meetings, small focus groups, a forum focused on environmental issues in transportation, or existing MPO meetings.
The products of Task 2 will include strengthened relationships with regional environmental stakeholders, the identification of a preferred platform and frequency of environmental engagement, and at least one engagement event.
Toward the conclusion of the study, staff will document findings from Tasks 1 and 2 and report to the MPO with recommendations and/or options for ongoing MPO engagement with environmental stakeholders in the region. Staff will also provide recommendations on ways to leverage new relationships to improve the MPO’s planning and project initiation process, including incorporation of local needs, public engagement, and project evaluation.
Staff will write a short memorandum summarizing results from Tasks 1 and 2 and any resulting recommendations for the MPO and staff.
Staff will report findings at an MPO meeting and engage the MPO in a conversation about next steps, including how the MPO should engage with stakeholders on regional environmental issues, and implications for the ongoing development of the Resilience and Public Engagement Programs.
The products of Task 3 will include a memorandum, presentation, and feedback from the MPO board on a course of action for future environmental engagement.
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Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Task 1: Research environmental engagement strategies and best practices
|
From Month 1, Week 1 to Month 4, Week 4.
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2.
Task 2: Consult with environmental stakeholders
|
From Month 5, Week 1 to Month 9, Week 4.
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|||||||||||
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3.
Task 3: Determine next steps
|
From Month 8, Week 1 to Month 12, Week 4.
Deliverable
A
Delivered by Month 10, Week 4.
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|
Task |
Person-Weeks by Pay Grade |
Direct
Salary |
Overhead
(120.3%) |
Total
Cost |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-9 | G-7 | G-5 | G-3 | G-2 | Total | ||||
|
1.
Task 1: Research environmental engagement strategies and best practices
|
0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | $2,041 | $2,456 | $4,497 |
|
2.
Task 2: Consult with environmental stakeholders
|
0.0 | 0.1 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 3.7 | $4,953 | $5,959 | $10,912 |
|
3.
Task 3: Determine next steps
|
0.1 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3.0 | $4,393 | $5,284 | $9,677 |
|
Total
|
0.1 | 0.4 | 5.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 8.7 | $11,387 | $13,699 | $25,086 |
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166.
The Boston Region MPO also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a, which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background.
A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this information in a different language or in an accessible format, please contact
Title VI Specialist
Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
civilrights@ctps.org
By Telephone:
857.702.3700 (voice)
For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:
For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay.