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?