APPENDIX F - PUBLIC COMMENTS

appendix f - Public Comments appendix F

CDTC provides a public comment period of at least 30 days during the TIP update. The public comment period during the 2005-10 TIP update was from the approval of the draft TIP on March 24, 2005 to April 25, 2005 (just prior to the Planning Committee and approval of the final TIP). This Appendix includes comments received from the public during that public review period, along with CDTC staff responses endorsed by the Policy Board.

1. Mr. Bill Batt, Private Citizen (Entire comment is included because it was sent via e-mail):

“I've just looked at the draft TIP for the next round. Now I know you must likely be aware of what I'm about to tell you. But I wonder whether the board that governs CDTC would have come to the same conclusions if they were aware of the looming peak oil crisis coming. It's becoming clearer every day! What are our leaders doing about it?

“Let me give you three recent citations, and one I'll attach. Perhaps it's not too late to keep us from driving off the proverbial cliff. I know Jim Kunstler's book The Long Emergency will be out shortly, but that may not be enough to bring lots of people up short. Perhaps these attached urls will:

“Central Intelligence Agency declassified document showing awareness of global oil issues; ‘the Impending Soviet Oil Crisis’ (ER77-10147), www.foia.cia.gov.

“Peaking of World Oil Production; Impacts, Mitigation, and Risk Management, DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory, February, 2005, www.energybulletin.net/4638.html.

“Speech by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett on House Floor, ‘Oil Demands’ (peak oil presentation), March 14, 2005, www.postcarbon.org/HTML/oilpeakinthehouse.htm. (Bartlett is a conservative Republican!)

“Dave Borton, who teaches Energy at RPI, and I have just put in for a foundation grant to try to educate people in hte local area about what we face. Matt Simmons, who served on Cheney's Energy Task Force, and who's book , Twilight in the Desert, will be out in May, says that he thinks the peak might already have come. Kenneth Deffeyes, who's book, Beyond Oil, came out this past March 15, thinks the peak will come by this Thanksgiving! Simmonssays that we'll have to have oil at about $180 a barrel before we'll see any leveling off (until hte next round of increases comes!). For a preview of what Jim Kunstler is saying, take a look at the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine. He sums it up quite well.

“What kind of leadership do we have in this community! ? ! B”

Response: “Thank you for your comments and concerns for the 2005-10 TIP from the perspective of the cost and availability of oil. As you are aware, CDTC’s New Visions policies are among the most conservative in the nation relative to expanding highway capacity to address growing travel demand. CDTC’s policies emphasize infrastructure reinvestment, urban revitalization, demand management, system management, land use planning to create walkable communities and the use of technology and other techniques that would help sustain mobility if and when an energy crisis were to emerge. Beyond this, the current New Visions 2030 effort is exploring “big idea and big ticket” initiatives and consideration of alternative futures will include examination of vulnerability of Capital District mobility to energy cost and supply.” (No change to the draft TIP is suggested by staff.)

2. Christopher Lavin, Chief of Police, Town of East Greenbush (Entire comment is included because it was sent via e-mail):

“Pleased to see that the CDTC continues to include safety performance improvement in overall project evaluation and a safety cushion appropriation (18m) for ‘to be determined’ projects which arise. Some of the most practical solutions so often surface as 11th hour ideas.

“Funding for corridor study and resulting short term improvements is a wise methodology for traffic and road planning, and as a device for inspiring public input and support. IE: R250.

“While 'walkable communities' retro-projects often get mixed reviews by the affected end-users, the final outcomes of such projects are usually worth the fight! IE:R229.

“The main TIP goal of arteriel preservation makes a lot of good common sense to most motorists. IE: R238.

Keep up the good work.”

Response: “Thank you for your comments. We encourage your continued participation in CDTC’s processes. Your perspective is always welcome.” (No change to the draft TIP is suggested by staff.)

3. Robin Dropkin, Executive Director, Parks & Trails New York (Summary of comment is included because it was sent regular mail):

The letter recommended that CDTC fund the Helderberg Rail Trail project in Albany County. Several reasons were given to defend the programming of this project and Albany County was commended for proposing it.

Response: Thank you for your supportive comments. CDTC added the Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail as project A464 to the draft 2005-10 TIP after the public comment period ended.