1. Environmental Compliance & Bridge Maintenance
Title slide option 1
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Producing positive outcomes in challenging work areas
PNW Bridge Maintenance Conference
Presented by: Mary Young, Region Environmental Coordinator & Mike Gehring, Bridge Crew Manager
October 2016

2. Topics Introduction Roles & Responsibilities Blue Book
Challenges & Teamwork
Conclusion
Agenda slide option 2
What do you think about having an ‘introduction’ slide after this, or just getting rid of that bullet point?

3. Region 1, ODOT Bridge Maintenance for District 2B & 2C

4. Roles & Responsibilities
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I might add the words ‘responsible for’ before 1,114 bridges.
ODOT Region 1 Bridge Maintenance: 17 crew members responsible for: 1,144 Bridges (Including 8 Willamette and 2 Columbia River Bridges) 14,025,244 Sq Ft of bridge deck
ODOT Environmental Staff: 11 crew members, multiple disciplines Ensure Federal, State and Local Environmental compliance for STIP (federal $), Construction and Maintenance

5. Environmental Compliance Federal NEPA process vs State laws
Environmental compliance looks different depending on the type of funding
Federal $, Federal Land, Federal permit
Federal Highway Administration NEPA process
State funding to maintain infrastructure
Work on ODOT facilities in ODOT right of way
State environmental regulations
Prior to 1999 there were no RECs to help w/ Environmental compliance—we had some missteps.
A program was developed
The Blue Book (programmatic agreement) was born

6. ODOT Routine Road Maintenance Water Quality and Habitat Guide Best Management Practices
aka, The Blue Book
Implemented June 9, 1999, 2014 is the 4th iteration
Cornerstone of the ODOT Maintenance Environmental Program—How we do our day to day work
Limit 10(i) under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act exempt from ESA ‘take’ provision when BMPs are used.
ODOT Maintenance employees, Maintenance Contractors and Municipal partners implementing the BMPs are exempt from ‘take’ under the ESA for threatened salmon and steelhead unless federal funding or permits apply.
Regulatory Partners: NMFS, ODFW, ORDEQ, USFWS, USFS, SHPO

7. Using the Blue Book
Maintenance employees are expected to be familiar with the Blue Book.
Before an activity, review and implement the minimization and avoidance measures as well as the BMPs when planning work.
Kick outs: Federal Land, Federal Money, Federal Permits. For example, if an activity needs a cut/fill permit from the ACOE/DSL, the activity is on USFS land outside of the operating right of way or easement, or the activity is funded with federal dollars not State Maintenance funds.
Region Environmental Coordinators (REC) in each Region work with Maintenance to coordinate activities, review permit needs, and “clear” projects as needed. The REC is the point of contact between Maintenance and ODOT resource specialists and ODOT Maintenance and our Regulatory Partners.
I un-capitalized a few words that seemed to randomly be capitalized…

8. Best Management Practices BMPs
Implement BMPs, Avoid and Minimize impacts
Identify the type of work & review Blue Book
We want to be PROACTIVE
Pre-plan work
Check with the REC
Get permits if needed
In Water Work Window
Check the Weather
Preserve natural vegetation
Install and Maintain Erosion & Sediment Control BMPs

9. Environmental Compliance
What’s out there?
MBTA
Fish
Cultural
Waters
Erosion
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Peregrine Falcons & other migratory birds
Fish Salvage
Historic Built & Archy & Tribal
Bridges & Culverts Wetlands & Waters
Erosion & Sediment Control

10. Challenges & Teamwork OR219: McFee Creek Bridge Replacing piles
In water work
Coffer dam
Erosion control BMPs
Generator containment
Fish/amphibian salvage
Photo collage slide option 1
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11. Challenges & Teamwork OR35 Polallie Creek * Sink hole in the highway
Over 70% of the floor was deteriorated
Temp H20 Mngt in overflow culvert
Fish salvage
BMPs used to control concrete
Project triggered fish passage statute
Photo collage slide option 2
These photos are just examples. Please replace photos with your own.
*Culverts replaced by a bridge in 2010

12. Johnson Creek Environmental Betterment Fish Passage Enhancement
Challenges & Teamwork
Johnson Creek Environmental Betterment Fish Passage Enhancement
Maintenance dollars were used to clean out a culvert and retrofit it to provide better fish passage
Installed Erosion Controls
Temporary Water Management
Clean out culvert
Install weir upstream to enhance fish passage at low flow
Photo collage slide option 1
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13. OR211 Meadowbrook streambank restoration
Challenges & Teamwork
OR211 Meadowbrook streambank restoration
Designed by Region 1 & constructed by Bridge Maintenance Crews
400’ of stream bank restoration to protect abutments included; rip rap, willow stakes, log jam and slope planting
Photo collage slide option 2
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14. St. John’s Bridge Emergency
Challenges & Teamwork
St. John’s Bridge Emergency
Resetting pin on west end stiffner truss to backstay connection
Employed multiple BMPs to protect nesting falcons
Scaffolding was built at night on top of the column
Wrapped scaffolding to avoid contact between birds & crew
Biologists monitored falcons
4 peregrine chicks fledged
Photo collage slide option 1
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15. To achieve positive outcomes in challenging work areas, we need:
Trust between stakeholders
Knowing your environmental resources
Knowing who to call, when to call
Knowing & using our BMPs
Practical problem solving skills
Creativity & Innovation

16. Thank you.
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