In My Backyard Part 2:
State Government Lunch and Learn
Samantha Hager
Colorado State Library
August 8, 2012
Fun things to do (from the Geological Survey)
Many people would start with the state tourism office when planning a vacation or day-trip. Websites
and publications from the state geological office can provide you with ideas on where to go if you want
to get outside and explore yours or a neighboring state (and maybe learn a little on the way).
All state geological surveys/bureaus of geology have field trip information. Some are more fancy than
the others. In this case Utah and New Mexico win the prize --their interactive maps and geologic guides
have real estate on the front page of their websites, and are easy to find. The other states all have
interesting field guides and trip suggestions, they are just a little harder to spot.
Keys to locating trip ideas and places of interest when navigating the Geological Survey/Bureau of
Geology websites:
• Field Trips
• Education
• Public Information
• Online Publications
Arizona Geological Survey Document Repository:
http://repository.azgs.az.gov/
Colorado Geological Survey – Points of Geological Interest:
http://geosurvey.state.co.us/education/Pages/PointsofGeologicInterest.aspx
New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources – Virtual Geologic Tour:
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/tour/home.html
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology -- Geotripping:
http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/ScienceEducation/Geotripping.html
Utah Geological Survey
http://geology.utah.gov/index.htm
Wyoming State Geological Survey – Public Information Circulars:
http://www.wsgs.uwyo.edu/public-info/onlinepubs/Circulars.aspx
Mining local information from Environmental Impact Assessments
(Department of Transportation)
These reports are available online, but it’s more likely that you may have come across them in print
form. The department of transportation often sends these studies to public libraries, asking that they be
made available for public review. They are usually huge tomes that come in a three ring binder.
Sometimes they carry the words “environmental impact assessment” in the title, but other times they
will be called a corridor study. They contain detailed information on proposed construction projects and
an analysis of how the project might affect the community.
Besides just being curious about construction projects in your community, transportation studies can be
a rich source of information for a particular locale. One of the reasons that I chose these studies for my
presentation is that the assessments are required by federal law for any state project that may impact
human, natural, or cultural environments in the region; and every report contains the same basic
elements. The other reason is that these studies are unique in that they pull together basic
demographic information and descriptions of the physical environment all in one place. Now, the
reports are usually huge, and they have plenty of pages devoted to technical information about road
construction, but don’t let that scare you away.
Interesting things you can find inside an Environmental Impact Assessment:
 Population snapshot (growth and analysis)
 Economic summary
 Commuting Patterns (are people working where they live, or driving to work in your
community?)
 Minority and low-income populations
 Air quality
 Animal species (in-depth descriptions of species including foraging and migration patterns)
 Aquatic species
 Trees and vegetation (pictures and descriptions of the plant species in the area)
 Floodplain analysis
 Water quality
How do I find the reports that are relevant to my community?
All transportation departments have a list of projects on their website. When you are trying to navigate
through an agency website, look for the words, project, environmental, or NEPA. I have found that the
list is not always complete. Agencies are putting all their reports out on the internet, but links do not
necessarily show up on their main project pages. If you don’t see the project or neighborhood that you
are interested in, try searching within the department website.
You can search for the name of a project (gleaned from a news story, perhaps), or just type in the
name of a town or region.
Arizona Department of Transportation – Statewide Projects:
http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/Projects/Index.asp
Colorado Department of Transportation – Studies and Assessments:
http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/studies-assessments
New Mexico Department of Transportation – Projects:
http://dot.state.nm.us/Projects.html
Nevada Department of Transportation –Environmental (NEPA) Documents:
http://www.nevadadot.com/About_NDOT/NDOT_Divisions/Engineering/Environmental_Services/NEPA.
aspx
Utah Department of Transportation – Projects and Studies:
http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=100:pg:0:::1:T,V:6
Wyoming Department of Transportation –Environmental NEPA Documents:
http://www.dot.state.wy.us/wydot/engineering_technical_programs/environmental_services/Nepa
Air Quality Data at the local level using AirNow.gov
A federal site that pulls together state agency air quality data from all 50 states and puts it into an easy
to use interface. AirNow (http://www.airnow.gov) is a quick way to get air quality monitoring data, and
provides links to state and local resources. To find local conditions you can type in a zip code, or use
the drop-down box in the upper right hand corner to select a state. Once you choose a state or zip
code. A region map shows up with links to more detailed city information in a box on the right. Click on
a city name to pull up the data for your locale.
Samantha Hager
Colorado State Library
hager_s@cde.state.co.us
303-866-6728