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Geo-Environmental SectionGeo-Environmental Section
Environmental Permits
General Inspectors Certification Training 2007 - 2008
Presentation planPresentation plan
Geo-Environmental
Section overview
1
Environmental permits
2
Key environmental
contacts
3
Geo-Environmental SectionGeo-Environmental Section
4 Units• Natural Resources• Environmental Planning• Engineering and Asset Management • Program Support
One of our responsibilitiesOne of our responsibilities
• Coordinate environmental regulatory compliance for all transportation programs in the state
~ 160 Federal environmental laws
~ ?? State and local environmental laws
Permit requirementsPermit requirements
Permit Application
Permit Terms & Conditions
Contract Special Provisions
Mitigation & Monitoring
Advertise/Bid/Let
Pre-construction Meeting
Construction
Environmental permitsEnvironmental permits
• Biology– Fish– Birds– Invertebrates– Plants
• Erosion control• Wetlands and waterways• Stormwater
Biology compliance in Biology compliance in generalgeneral
3 primary laws• Endangered Species Act (ESA) [State and Federal]
• Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) [Federal]
• Fish Passage Law [State]
Endangered Species Endangered Species ActAct
It is illegal to “take” ESA species
Take = harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect
NMFS:Chum salmonCoho salmonSteelheadSockeye salmonChinook salmon
USFWS:Bull troutLahontan cutthroat troutChub (spp.)Sucker (spp.)Bosket spring speckled dace
ESA fishESA fish
Anadromous salt fresh
freshwater
Fish & in-water work Fish & in-water work periodperiod
To minimize environmental impacts, work during low flow
Fish & silt Fish & silt containmentcontainment
Fish & silt Fish & silt containmentcontainment
breach
fixed
silt fence
Fish & work area Fish & work area isolationisolation
Pumping and fish screeningPumping and fish screening
Fish & over-water containmentFish & over-water containment
Fish & pile Fish & pile drivingdriving
Problem: Noise amplification in water
One Solution: Bubble curtain
Fish & pollution Fish & pollution controlcontrol
Fish & ESA non-Fish & ESA non-compliancecompliance
Stranded
ESA fish incidentsESA fish incidents
Report to the REC:• Sick, injured, or dead state or
federally protected fish• Activities causing injury or death of
state or federally protected fish• Permit violations
REC = Regional Environmental Coordinator
ESA wildlifeESA wildlife
Mammals excluding whalesGray wolf Canada lynxGray fox WolverineKit foxWashington ground squirrelColumbian white-tailed deer
(lower Columbia River)
Sea Otter
Steller sea lion
USFWS
NMFS
ESA wildlifeESA wildlife
BirdsShort-tailed albatrossBrown pelicanAleutian Canada gooseBald eaglePeregrine falconWestern snowy ploverCalifornia least ternMarbled murreletNorthern spotted owl
ESA wildlife incidentsESA wildlife incidents
Report to the REC:• Sick, injured, or dead ESA
mammals or birds• Activities causing harassment,
injury or death of ESA mammals or birds
• Permit violations
ESA wildlife permit violationsESA wildlife permit violations
Examples:• Habitat loss (unpermitted)• Nest destruction• Noise levels• Daily/seasonal time of activities• Location of activities
Migratory Bird Treaty ActMigratory Bird Treaty Act
• It is illegal to “take” MBTA speciesTake = harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot,
wound, kill, trap, capture, collect
• It is legal to disturb/remove habitat
• There is no incidental take permit
XX
Incidental = unpredictable
MBTAMBTA
violations
OK
no birds - OK
MBTA birdsMBTA birds
• Every Oregon species except– European starling– House sparrow– Rock dove (feral
pigeon)– Mute swan– Farm birds– Captive-reared game
birds– Captive-reared
waterfowl
MBTA Highway MBTA Highway DirectiveDirective
• Avoid clearing live or dead vegetation containing active nests of migratory birds.
• Avoid felling trees or snags containing active nests of migratory birds.
• Avoid destroying active nests or injuring birds protected during bridge demolition or repair.
MBTA Highway DirectiveMBTA Highway Directive
• Avoid clearing live or dead vegetation containing active nests of migratory birds.
Female robin and four chickswinter
MBTA Highway DirectiveMBTA Highway Directive
• Avoid destroying active nests or injuring birds protected during bridge demolition or repair.
Bridge net
MBTA incidentsMBTA incidents
Report to the REC:• Sick, injured, or dead migratory
birds of any age (including eggs)• Activities causing injury or death of
migratory birds• Disturbance of active nests (i.e.,
containing eggs)
Fish Passage State Fish Passage State StatuteStatute
ORS 509.585 & OAR 635-412-0005
Fish Passage State Fish Passage State StatuteStatute
• Owners & operators of culverts must address fish passage when “trigger events” occur
• “Trigger events” include – Major replacement– Installation– Activities that extend the life of culverts
(e.g., new floors, aprons, wing walls, slip lining)
– Abandonment of artificial obstruction
Fish Passage State Fish Passage State StatuteStatute
• For any trigger event, the owner must comply with state fish passage criteria
• Options:– Comply– Seek waiver (with FP mitigation)– Seek an exemption (no net benefit to
native migratory fish species)
Fish passage problems?Fish passage problems?
What problem?What problem?
Fish passage incidentsFish passage incidents
Report to the REC:
• Obvious fish passage problems- perched culvert outlets- smooth bottom culverts with
- high water velocity- shallow sheet flow during low water periods
Erosion & sediment controlErosion & sediment control
Goals
• Prevent soil erosion
• Prevent sediment from moving off site
Erosion & sediment control Erosion & sediment control requirementsrequirements
• The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)– 2 major types of Permits
• 1200-C: Construction (contractor)• 1200-CA: Construction (public) agency
• Water quality– related requirements of other laws,
permits, agencies, & agreements
Project inspection objectivesProject inspection objectives
• EC contract documents are adequate & comply with Section 280 of standard specs
• Contractor fulfills NPDES Permit and contract requirements
• Continuously monitor project sites and fix problems quickly
• Work with contractor to ensure that potential for polluting waterways is kept to an absolute minimum
Wetland and waterway permitsWetland and waterway permits
• 3 Primary regulated features– Wetlands– Streams and Rivers– Ditches
Wetlands and waterways
River or Stream
OHW*
Ditches
Wetland
No Work Zones (NWZ)
Wetland
NWZ
NWZ
River or Stream
Ditches
Special provisions
• No equipment
• No driving
• No disturbance
• Prevent sediment discharge into NWZ
Waterways – Check listWaterways – Check list
• Know where these 3 waterway features occur at project site (if at all)
• Carefully review contract plans and special provisions for wetland and waterways issues
• No Work Zones should be clearly identified/marked in the field
• Any question about these issues—contact the REC
Stormwater ManagementStormwater Management
• Non-point pollution
• Surface water quality
Stormwater ManagementStormwater Management
Check dam to trap sanding material
Stormwater ManagementStormwater Management
Water quality swale
Stormwater ManagementStormwater Management
Outfall protection onto a vegetated slope
Stormwater ManagementStormwater Management
Wet detention pond
Stormwater ManagementStormwater Management
Absorbent material following a chemical spill
ID the Environmental ID the Environmental ProblemProblem
Wetland
ID the Environmental ID the Environmental ProblemProblem
Bridge demolition
ID the Environmental ID the Environmental ProblemProblem
Forested wetland
Constructed ditch
ID the Environmental ID the Environmental ProblemProblem
ID the Environmental ID the Environmental ProblemProblem
ID the Environmental ID the Environmental ProblemProblem
Permits ‘take home’Permits ‘take home’
• Inspectors should review permits and special provisions with the REC before the pre-con with the Contractor– The REC can explain the terms and conditions
in the permits and the Biological Opinions– These terms and conditions are mostly in the
Special Provisions and are part of the contract
• All of the permits (BiOps too) must be kept on-site– Usually in the Contractor's work trailer and in
Inspectors project file
RECs: your primary environmental RECs: your primary environmental contactscontacts
• Region 1– Mary Young– Melissa Hogan
• Region 2– Austin Bloom– Adam Roberts– Donna Hinze
• Region 3– Sam Dunnavant– Jerry Vogt
• Region 4– Teresa Brasfield– Gary Larson
• Region 5– Caroline Barnes– Richard Jerofke– Paul Kennington– Howard Postovit
• Geo-Environmental– Greg Holtoff
(program coordinator)
Environmental PermitsEnvironmental Permits
Questions?