cHAPTER 11: Appendix

11.1.Florida DOT Environmental Policy

Example 16: Florida DOT Environmental Policy

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Transportation to help preserve and enhance Florida’s natural, physical, cultural and social environment as we develop, implement, and maintain transportation facilities and services. In carrying out this policy, the Department will:

  • Balance quality engineering and aesthetic design principles with consideration of environmental and economic aspects of the transportation program.
  • Utilize methods to preserve, enhance, and protect trees and other vegetation as valuable natural resources consistent with ecosystem management principles, local community values and established safety practices.
  • Take into account the effects of transportation improvements on prehistoric and historic cultural resources in all phases of Department activity and avoid, minimize, or mitigate for such impacts as applicable.
  • Cooperate in the State’s Greenways Program of land acquisition and management through identification and prioritization of important habitat connections. Where alternative mitigation strategies permit, the Department will support land acquisition activities to help achieve this ecological infrastructure. Consideration of habitat connectivity and wildlife crossings will be included on existing facilities as well as in the development of planned projects.
  • Consider, in all functional activities, environmental factors such as noise, air quality, stormwater runoff, water quality, wetlands, wildlife and habitat, and hazardous materials in order to preserve and enhance the state’s environmental quality.
  • Maximize the use of recycled materials in highway construction.
  • Cooperate in the State’s program to control the spread of invasive exotic plants.
  • Consider social consequences resulting from transportation actions to ensure that impacts to the human environment are identified and fully considered equally with impacts related to the natural and physical environments.
  • Be sensitive to community values and needs utilizing an open decision-making process, which strives to accommodate community concerns, where feasible, and facilitate problem solving in a collaborative manner.
  • Utilize proactive public involvement that is responsive to agencies, citizens and groups in addressing environmental issues and developing transportation plans, programs and policies.

11.2.Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Environmental Policy

Example 17: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Environmental Policy

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will use practical means and measures to provide an environmentally sound, fiscally responsible, safe and efficient transportation system which promotes conditions under which people and nature can exist in productive harmony while providing for economic growth and enhancing the quality of life for present and future generations of Kentuckians.

The principles and responsibilities of the above policy statement which we are incorporating into the culture and fabric of our organization and daily activities are as follows:

Stewardship

We will strive to protect, conserve, restore, and enhance the natural and human environment, while we plan, design, construct, and maintain facilities that meet transportation needs.

Leadership

We will promote development, sharing and the integration of sensitive and innovative environmental practices and technologies into planning, design, construction, and maintenance activities to encourage personnel to value and take pride in their environmental leadership roles.

Partnership

We will seek stewardship opportunities to cooperatively partner with the public, federal and state resource agencies to identify shared visions, missions, and goals which will result in new consensus building processes, new methods and protocols, and new design and environmental technologies to be applied on mutually beneficial undertakings.

Practice

We will employ Context Sensitive Solutions to ensure that our planning, design, construction, and maintenance activities reflect community and environmental values as determined through proactive involvement with the public, resource agencies, and other stakeholders.

Commitment

Our Cabinet is committed to a culture that embraces environmental leadership with an unwavering focus on protecting the environment through stewardship and our devotion to satisfy the public, resource agencies, and other stakeholders as the primary measure of success in carrying out our mission.

By working with the public, resource agencies and other stakeholders to integrate environmental stewardship into our daily activities, the Cabinet is responding to the wishes and needs of its customers, the values it holds foremost as public servants while acting in the spirit of environmental law. It is the right thing to do for transportation and the human and natural environment.

11.3.Maine Dot Environmental Policy

Example 18: Maine DOT Environmental Policy

It is the Vision of the Maine Department of Transportation that we “...will create and maintain a safe, efficient, and economical transportation system that is cost effective, energy efficient, environmentally sound and responsive to the diverse needs and values of the people of Maine and the Nation.” In accomplishing this, we recognize that the Department’s actions can, and often do, impact environmental resources. We understand that the public expects us to deliver our services and products in a way that protects and enhances environmental resources. We appreciate that these resources are the basis of our quality of life and have tremendous economic and social value.

It is therefore the policy of the Maine Department of Transportation that we continuously evaluate our actions for their impacts upon environmental resources and that we conduct our activities so as to avoid and minimize those impacts. It is our desire to deliver safe and efficient transportation systems and to protect and enhance environmental resources. It is not a question of either one or the other. It is a matter of delivering both.

To accomplish this, the Department will:

  • Develop and utilize an Integrated Transportation Decision-making process (ITD) regarding transportation projects that incorporate environmental considerations from the earliest planning state through construction and maintenance;
  • Evaluate areas that need improvement regarding protection of the environment and implement the changes necessary to make those improvements;
  • Conduct a review of our organizational structure and culture regarding environmental responsibilities and make the changes necessary to strengthen that structure and to change the culture where appropriate;
  • Partner with Federal and State environmental agencies to identify and collaborate on reaching goals of mutual interest; and
  • Make environmental protection part of every employee’s job expectations.

As Commissioner, I am personally committed to making this policy work. It is what the public expects of us, it is an investment in our future, and it is simply the right thing to do. I will hold each employee accountable for his/her part of the Department’s commitment to the protection and enhancement of Maine’s environmental resources as we carry out our Transportation responsibilities.

11.4.North Carolina DOT Environmental Stewardship Policy

Example 19: North Carolina DOT Environmental Stewardship Policy

The mission of the North Carolina Departmentof Transportation is to provide an integratedtransportation system that enhances the state’swell being. Our goal is to provide a safe andwell-maintained transportation system thatmeets the needs of our customers and supportsthe development of sustainable, vibrantcommunities. In so doing, we are committed toplanning, designing, constructing, maintainingand managing an interconnected transportationsystem while striving to preserve and enhanceour natural and cultural resources.

Environmental stewardship encompassesthese responsibilities and is reflected in ourday-to-day operations by:

  • Safeguarding the public’s health by conducting our business in an environmentally responsible manner.
  • Demonstrating our care for and commitment to the environment.
  • Recognizing that our customers expectus to provide mobility and a quality of lifethat includes the protection of the naturalresources and the cultural and social valuesof their community.
  • Each employee is responsible for incorporatingthese principles of safety, environmentalstewardship and customer focus into theirdaily activities.

11.5.PennDOT’s Green Plan Policy Statement

Example 20: PennDOT’s Green Plan Policy Statement

As a direct result of our commitment to assuring adequate, safe and efficient intermodal transportation facilities and services at reasonable cost to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Department of Transportation will play a leading role in the administration of environmental responsibility. The Department will demonstrate this leadership by committing to the following principles relative to the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of Pennsylvania’s balanced intermodal transportation system.

Principle 1

Plan, design, build, operate and maintain a statewide transportation system that protects the environment, prevents pollution and uses resources efficiently.

Principle 2

Contribute to economic vitality and quality of life by applying sound environmental management practices which address the requirements of the public, users, carriers, industry and labor.

Principle 3

Comply with applicable environmental legislation and regulations.

Principle 4

Establish a program of review and continual improvement of environmental performance which accounts for technical and economic developments, scientific understanding, and significant environmental impacts.

Principle 5

Establish relevant and measurable objectives which endeavor to improve environmental performance and provide the means to gauge progress.

Principle 6

Ensure employees understand those principles as well as their priority, and are furnished with the means to fulfill them.

These principles are essential elements for the management of the Department as we enter the 21st century. As part of a fully integrated environmental management system, these principles should be incorporated into the policies, programs and practices of all Department of Transportation organizations

11.6.Washington State Dot Environmental Policy

Example 21: Washington State DOT Environmental Policy

The Department of Transportation acknowledges the state’s vital interests in protecting and preserving natural resources and other environmental assets and its citizens’ health and safety. These interests must be integrated with other vital interests committed to the Department, including the cost-effective delivery and operation of transportation systems and services that meet public needs.

The Department shall conduct all its affairs in accordance with the dictates of sound environmental protection practices, including pollution prevention wherever reasonably possible. The Department shall also avoid, minimize and appropriately mitigate adverse environmental impacts. These undertakings extend to the construction, maintenance and operation of its systems and facilities. Legal obligations in these matters are established by applicable laws and regulations; this Policy Statement is not intended to create further or additional legally-enforceable requirements.

  • To support the performance of the Department’s responsibilities and undertakings, as Secretary of Transportation, I hereby commit the Department:
  • To implement and maintain an environmental management system that embraces all the Department’s program functions;
  • To establish, maintain and make available to the public appropriate performance indicators of the Department’s exercise of its environmental stewardship and to consistently review these indicators as a basis to improve the Department’s performance;
  • To comply with all environmental laws and regulations applicable to our business and activities;
  • To assure that employees of the Department receive training appropriate to their functions concerning the Department’s environmental responsibilities;
  • To communicate to contractors, designers, consultants and other participants in the Department’s work the management practices and compliance requirements established to further the aims of this Policy Statement;
  • To encourage employees and all other citizens to communicate with the Department about ways to increase the effectiveness of Department’s practices supporting its mission of environmental stewardship;
  • To make every reasonable effort to also protect the cultural and historic resources of the state.
  • Each employee of the Department is charged to exercise his or her responsibility on behalf of the Department to assure that the intentions of the Policy Statement are diligently carried out.

11.7.New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority Environmental Policy

Example 22: New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority Environmental Policy

The RTA manages road related transport infrastructure and provides safe and efficient access to the road network for the people of NSW. The RTA will demonstrate due diligence in the provision of its services, manage its work activities in a manner that is consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development, and will deliver continuous improvement in environmental performance through:

  • Developing and implementing an environmental management system.
  • Reviewing the environmental effects of our activities and setting appropriate environmental improvement objectives.
  • Integrating environmental duty of care into business planning and day to day activities.
  • At a minimum, conducting all our operations, whether carried out by or on behalf of the RTA, in accordance with relevant legislation and government policy and agreements.
  • Minimizing pollution and environmental impacts as a result of RTA activities.
  • Promoting the efficient use, reuse and recycling of resources, and the minimization of waste.
  • Involving the community in planning and implementation decisions.
  • Including environmental considerations in all aspects of strategic planning of our road and traffic management.
  • Providing our employees with the skills, awareness and leadership to achieve the RTA’s environmental responsibilities.
  • Monitoring, reviewing and reporting publicly on the environmental performance of the organization.

11.8.Texas Environmental Commitment Checklist

Table 19: Texas Environmental Commitment Checklist

/ TxDOT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT CHECKLIST
For Construction, Maintenance and Facilities Projects
PROJECT: / DATE:
CSJ: / DEQC:
HIGHWAY: / Name
Stormwater Pollution Prevention
Required Information and Documentation
Does the construction site have a Stormwater Permit? / Yes / No * / N/A
Is a notice posted in a publicly accessible location near where construction is actively underway (and moved as necessary)? / Yes / No * / N/A
Does the notice contain the following information:
The permit number or a copy of the NOI? / Yes / No * / N/A
The name and telephone number of a local contact person? / Yes / No * / N/A
A brief description of the project? / Yes / No * / N/A
Location of SW3P (Job site or other location). / Yes / No *
Is there a copy of the Construction General Permit in the SW3P?
(a copy of the Federal Register is sufficient) / Yes / No * / N/A
Is there a copy of a Delegation of Authority Letter authorizing the inspector to sign inspection reports in the SW3P file? / Yes / No * / N/A
Is the SW3P retained on-site at the facility that generates the stormwater?
(If no, where is it located ______)? / Yes / No * / N/A
Is the SW3P updated and documented in the plans as necessary to remain consistent with any changes in design, construction, operation, or maintenance applicable to protecting surface water resources in sediment and erosion site plans or site permits, or stormwater management site plans or site permits approved by State, Tribal or Local Officials for which the permittee receives notice? / Yes / No * / N/A
Is the description of construction and waste materials expected to be stored on-site updated? / Yes / No * / N/A
Are the following records maintained and available for inspection, or included in the SW3P?
Dates when major grading activities occur? / Yes / No * / N/A
Dates when construction activities temporarily or permanently cease on a portion of the site? / Yes / No * / N/A
Dates when stabilization measures are initiated? / Yes / No * / N/A
Did stabilization occur within 14 days at locations where soil disturbing activities have ceased or will cease for at least 21 days or were temporary measures installed? / Yes / No * / N/A
General Conditions
Are Best Management Practices (BMPs) being utilized? / Yes / No * / N/A
Are silt fences, buffer strips, or equivalent sediment controls at a minimum used for
all side-slope and down-slope boundaries of the construction area? / Yes / No * / N/A
Controls & Measures
Have erosion and sediment controls been designed to retain sediment on-site to the extent practical during the construction phase? / Yes / No * / N/A
Were control measures, in accordance with manufacturer specifications and good engineering practices:
Properly selected? / Yes / No * / N/A
Properly installed? / Yes / No * / N/A
Properly maintained? / Yes / No * / N/A
In effective operating conditions? / Yes / No * / N/A
Are controls in place to minimize:
Dust generation? / Yes / No * / N/A
Off-site vehicle tracking of sediments? / Yes / No * / N/A
Are off-site accumulations of sediment removed at a frequency sufficient to minimize off-site impacts? (sediment near off-site inlets, etc) / Yes / No * / N/A
Is sediment removed from the sediment traps or sediment ponds when design capacity is reduced by 50 percent? / Yes / No * / N/A
Are litter, construction debris, and construction chemicals exposed to stormwater prevented from becoming a pollutant source from stormwater discharges?
(e.g., screening outfalls, picked up daily) / Yes / No * / N/A
Are solid materials including building materials being discharged?
(except those authorized by a permit issued under section 404 of the CWA) / Yes * / No / N/A
Were velocity dissipation devices (i.e. rock filter dams, holding ponds, etc) placed at discharge locations and along the length of any outfall channel to provide a non-erosive flow velocity from the structure to the water course? / Yes / No * / N/A
Inspections
Were the inspections performed at least once every 14 calendar days and within
24 hours of the end of a 0.5 inch or more rain event (or once every 30 days in areas with less than an average 20 inches of rainfall per year)?
(Note: some projects may require more frequent inspections, refer to the plans). / Yes / No * / N/A
Did the inspector check the following:
Disturbed areas of the construction site that have not been stabilized? / Yes / No * / N/A
Areas used for storage of materials that are exposed to precipitation? / Yes / No * / N/A
Structural control measures? / Yes / No * / N/A
Locations where vehicles enter or exit the site? / Yes / No * / N/A
Based on the inspection, are the SW3P Sheet and SW3P Layouts modifiedwithin
7 calendar days following the inspection? / Yes / No * / N/A
Is it documented and available for inspection? / Yes / No * / N/A
Based on the inspection, are controls and measures modified or added before the next anticipated storm event (or as soon as practicable)? / Yes / No * / N/A
Did the inspection Summary Report include:
The name of the inspector? / Yes / No * / N/A
The date(s) of the inspection? / Yes / No * / N/A
Measures/area inspected? / Yes / No * / N/A
Actions needed/taken as a result of the inspection? / Yes / No * / N/A