Managing Environmental Compliance for ODOT

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Managing Environmental Compliance for ODOTs OTIA
III State Bridge Delivery Program Many
Regulations One Framework

Michelle ErautEnvironmental Program
ManagerFederal Highway AdministrationOregon
Division530 Center Street, NE, Suite 100Salem,
Oregon 97301503/587-4716Michelle.Eraut_at_fhwa.dot.
gov
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OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program

• 2.5 billion transportation package
• Enacted by 2003 Legislature (House Bill 2041)
• Largest investment in Oregon transportation
  infrastructure in 50 years
• Includes 1.3 billion to repair or replace almost
  400 bridges on the state highway system

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Program Stages 365 Bridges

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OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Program Goals
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Environmental Stewardship Program Framework

• 5 OTIA III Goals
• Environmental Performance Standards
• Programmatics
• Regional General Permit (Corps)
• General Authorization (Department of State Lands)
• Biological Opinion (USFWS and NMFS)
• Memorandum of Understanding (FHWA, USFS, BLM)
• Documented Categorical Exclusions (with
  baselines)

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Environmental Performance Standards Elements

• Goal
• What does success look like?
• Threshold Statement
• Relevant to my project?
• Objectives
• How do I measure success?
• Means, Methods, or Materials
• How can I achieve success?
• Compliance Documentation
• How do I document success?

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Environmental Performance Standards

• What do they cover?
• Program Administration
• Species
• Habitat
• Water Quality
• Site Restoration
• Compensatory Mitigation
• Fluvial

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ODOT OrganizationProgram Manager
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Environmental Stewardship ToolsOverview
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Planning ToolsOverview

• Communication
• Electronic Document
• Management System (EDMS)
• Permitting
• Programmatic Agreement Reporting and
  Implementation Team (PARIT)
• Design
• Pre-Construction Assessment (PCA)
• Construction
• Field verification via electronic handhelds
  (PDAs)

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Planning ToolsCommunication

• Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)
• Web-based (accessible anywhere and anytime)
• Controlled access (sensitive resources)
• Searchable (by title and body)

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Planning ToolsPermitting

• Our Challenge
• 7 Untested Environmental Performance
  Standards
• 4 Undeveloped Environmental Performance
  Standards
• 3 Unique Programmatic Permits
• Our Solution (equals)
• 1 PARIT

Programmatic Agreements Reporting and
Implementation Team
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Planning ToolsPermitting

• Mission of the PARIT
• Facilitate the successful implementation of the
  OTIA III State Bridge Delivery Programs
  Environmental Stewardship Program
• Goals
• Develop effective communication protocols
• Develop effective monitoring reporting
  procedures
• Calibrate understanding of permitting process,
  compliance, and environmental performance
  standard intent
• Refine the permitting process to better achieve
  the missions and goals of all involved agencies

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Planning ToolsPermitting

• PARIT
• 10 agency participants (liaisons)
• Two working meetings per month
• One with Project focus
• One with Program focus
• One Annual Coordination Meeting
• Reporting
• Evaluating
• Improving

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Planning ToolsDesign

• Pre-Construction Assessment (PCA)
• Single programmatic permitting application
• From issue identification (effect) to resolution
  (specs)
• Agency-friendly output
• Metrics tracking

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Planning ToolsConstruction

• Field verification via electronic handhelds
  (PDAs)
• Linked to EDMS (transparency)
• Environmental database
• Fast, paperless

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Stewardship Success!!!Coast Fork Willamette
River Bridge

• First bridge replaced
• Complied with Environmental Performance Standards
• Reduced permitting by 100 days
• Reduced cost by 1 Million
• Pleased Contractor, ODOT, and Permitting Agencies

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ConclusionEnvironmental Stewardship

• Building projects sensitive to their communities
  and landscape through
• Integrating Environmental Performance Standards
• Communicating with Permitting Agencies
• Evaluating Performance
• Improving Our Process

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Questions?
Michelle Eraut Environmental Program
ManagerMichelle.Eraut_at_fhwa.dot.govFederal
Highway Administration530 Center Street, NE,
Suite 100Salem, Oregon 97301503.587.4716