Knowledge and information are critical components of planning and community decision-making. A key challenge to addressing transportation-related environmental concerns is obtaining enough information to make sound policy decisions. To meet this challenge, ATRI has established a repository for Border Region Information on Transportation and the Environment (BRITE).

The BRITE is a comprehensive online and text-based annotated bibliography that provides full bibliographic information and contact sources for pertinent social and natural science research projects. We believe that the BRITE is the first repository of its kind. Such information sharing as is provided by the BRITE can enable precious research dollars to go farther because researchers can avoid the duplication of efforts. It also can allow NGOs and the general public to quickly and easily locate information that may be relevant to local planning and policy efforts. In doing so, the BRITE can create circumstances which will generate collaborative efforts among diverse entities.

In 1983, the US and Mexico signed the “La Paz Agreement” which defined the border zone as the region situated 60 miles (100 kilometers) on either side of the 2,000-mile international boundary between the US and Mexico. The BRITE also uses this definition. The region encompasses approximately 240,000 square miles of diverse ecological territory that include wetlands, semi-arid, desert, and coastal regions. In this desert environment, transportation is one of the primary environmental concerns with regard to air quality, water quality, habitat protection, land use, hazardous waste transportation, and noise pollution. As the border area population continues to grow, addressing the links between transportation and the environment will only increase in importance.

Border Region Information on Transportation and the Environment (BRITE) was created in 1998 to address the need of information sharing. BRITE is a searchable, on-line database where people can access bibliographic information on what has been written about transportation and environmental issues in the border region. BRITE enables researchers, interest groups, planners, and the general public access to this information. The goal of BRITE is to increase information exchange and collaboration. BRITE was created in sections, the first of which was Air Quality. Subsequently, three other sections have been researched: Water Quality, Habitat, and Land Use. Future plans for BRITE include sections on Hazardous Waste, Noise, and Regulations.

Website www.unm.edu/~atr/BRITE

The Transportation Resource Exchange Center (T-REX) is a first-of-its-kind Virtual Library dedicated to providing information about the transportation of radioactive materials to stakeholders. Guided by the principles of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) planning and decision-making process, the Web site was created to serve as a “one-stop shop,” neutral source for information, to facilitate public involvement, overcome information gaps, and foster clearer communication and understanding among and between stakeholders regarding their issues of concern. Stakeholders are a diverse group with varying knowledge and interest. The TREX was designed and is maintained to meet their differing needs. Several innovative features were created and implemented to maximize user friendliness and application utility of the T-REX. Prior to the creation of the T-REX Web site, two tools were developed to identify the gaps between potential users’ questions and the information that was available regarding stakeholder issues, so that user friendliness and application utility might be maximized by the Web site. The T-REX User Needs Assessment assessed the information needs and preferences of potential users representing the US Department of Energy (DOE) and non-DOE stakeholders. The National Transportation Information Resource Survey surveyed libraries and DOE reading rooms to identify what documents and kinds of information were available and where they were housed. In the most basic sense, the results produced by these two tools informed the T-REX designers of what information related to radioactive material transportation is available and which information is the most highly prized by the users. As an example, environmental issues and current news are two of the most-highly prized subjects of both DOE and non-DOE stakeholders. Daily updates from the US and around the world can be found on the Headlines Web page at http://www.trex-center.org/nuevo.asp. From the user assessment information, a broad range of subject categories were complied, including Carriers, Education/Training, Emergency Management, Health, Laws/Regulations, Packaging, Public Participation, Routes, States, Students/Teachers, and Tribal. Another aspect of study identified, compiled, and categorized all public comments and responses regarding transportation issues from DOE Environmental Impacts Statements (EIS) from 1995 to the present. The EIS is a detailed report, which must include any adverse environmental effects that cannot be avoided should the proposal be implemented, as well as include alternatives to the proposed action. Furthermore, as mandated by NEPA, the EIS must include the relationship between local short-term uses of the human environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity, as well as any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources that would be involved in the proposed action. At specified times in the EIS process, the federal agency that seeks to initiate the proposed action is required to provide early notification to interested parties and solicit their views. During the comment periods, the stakeholders may ask questions or offer comments/responses orally or in writing to the federal agency in charge regarding the environmental impact or proposed remedies of the action. This T-REX study of EIS comments/responses was conducted to determine comment trends and produce a user-friendly set of frequently-asked-questions-and-answers. In addition to the resultant EIS Comment/Response Searchable Database, the products emerging from this effort are the Risk Communication Annotated Bibliography and the Routes Annotated Bibliography. Within the T-REX Virtual Library, the TRAM Search Engine was designed to provide instantaneous results when a user queries the system for the DOE or non-DOE individuals or organizations that possess expertise or specific information regarding any aspect of the transportation process. There are over 850 individuals or groups listed in the TRAM. The TRAM database provides information including background or history, corporate ICOET 2001 Proceedings 646 A Time for Action affiliates, geographic scope, information products, and contact information of the individuals or organizations that possess expertise or specific information regarding the transportation process. The logical data design of the TRAM is also based on the results of the user assessment and provider survey. The TRAM is located at http://trex-center.org/thetram.asp. Several other features of the T-REX have been established to overcome information gaps. The T-REX-L, the listserv® to provide bulletins to T-REX patrons, is located at http://www.trex-center.org/list.asp. A toll free telephone information hotline is available at (877) 287-TREX (8739). Queries for information can also be made through the email address trex@unm.edu. The T-REXDEX is the searchable database of over 1,500 online documents in the T-REX Virtual Library and is located at http://trex-center.org/dexsearch.asp. The Reference Desk Web page links the T-REX pages that contain links to reference sources such as DOE Databases, DOE Public Reading Rooms and Libraries, DOE and other pertinent Online Serials, Glossaries, and Fact Sheets. The Reference Desk is located at http://trex-center.org/reference.asp. Portions of the T-REX also have been translated into the Spanish language, with plans to translate more sections in the future. Recursos en Español: or Resources in Spanish are located at http://trex-center.org/spanish.asp. The T-REX is built on the assumption that the management of radioactive materials transport information for DOE and non-DOE stakeholders is like other bodies of knowledge. The collection, organization, and dissemination of this information is a complex and time-consuming process. The T-REX staff will ensure that users have the stakeholder information they need and that it is provided with maximum efficiency, user friendliness, and reliability. The two overarching goals in establishing and maintaining the T-REX Web site regarding the transportation of radioactive wastes and materials are: (1) Creating the premier online information resource for the “Nuclear Family,” as well as the Global Community, and (2) Ensuring that the TREX Web site is highly-visible, well-known, and trusted by stakeholders. To the degree that the current trend continues toward greater collaboration among nations regarding radioactive waste management decisions, solutions, and transportation, the T-REX Web site is apt to become increasingly international in scope. In the future, the T-REX Web site may develop more international features and emphasis to better reach world audiences and international stakeholders. Telephone queries and correspondence should be directed to Mary E. White. More information regarding the authors can be found on the ATRI Website at http://www.unm.edu/~atr/. The T-REX Web site is located at http://www.trex-center.org/. The five-year contract from the US Department of Energy (DOE) National Transportation Program to the ATRI to create and maintain the T-REX will expire October 1, 2002. The total budget for the life of the contract is $1.5 million.