Innovative Approaches to Innovative Approaches to Wildlife/Highway InteractionsWildlife/Highway Interactions

The “Seven Dwarfs”The “Seven Dwarfs”

The “Seven Dwarfs”The “Seven Dwarfs”

Often overlooked highway Often overlooked highway project planning elementsproject planning elements

May be outside ROW, so may May be outside ROW, so may be missed in NEPAbe missed in NEPA

Elements require analysis, Elements require analysis, clearance, documentation, clearance, documentation, permitspermits

Don’t delay considerationDon’t delay consideration

The “Seven Dwarfs”The “Seven Dwarfs”

1.1. Borrow and Waste Borrow and Waste Sites/Material BalanceSites/Material Balance

2.2. Contractor’s Staging Contractor’s Staging AreasAreas

3.3. Water for ConstructionWater for Construction

4.4. Access for Construction Access for Construction or Geotechnical or Geotechnical InvestigationInvestigation

The “Seven Dwarfs”The “Seven Dwarfs”

5.5. Utility Placement or Utility Placement or ReplacementReplacement

6.6. Mitigation ProjectsMitigation Projects

7.7. Impact of Outside Impact of Outside Agencies and Agencies and DirectionDirection

1. Borrow and Waste Sites1. Borrow and Waste Sites

Material balance to handle Material balance to handle large volumes of moved earthlarge volumes of moved earth

Requires temporary or Requires temporary or permanent storage locationpermanent storage location

NEPA analysis needs to NEPA analysis needs to include impacts to sitesinclude impacts to sites

2. Contractor’s Staging Areas-2. Contractor’s Staging Areas-IssuesIssues

Large equipment needed for Large equipment needed for constructionconstruction

May be large numbers of May be large numbers of vehiclesvehicles

Supplies may include trailers, Supplies may include trailers, culverts, gravel, construction culverts, gravel, construction materialsmaterials

Need large areas of flat groundNeed large areas of flat ground

2. Contractor’s Staging Areas-2. Contractor’s Staging Areas-Things to RememberThings to Remember

Carefully choose and analyze Carefully choose and analyze staging areastaging area

Avoid placing adjacent to Avoid placing adjacent to important wildlife areasimportant wildlife areas

Have appropriate clearancesHave appropriate clearances Include restoration planInclude restoration plan

3. Water for Construction-3. Water for Construction-IssuesIssues

Construction requires Construction requires huge volumes of waterhuge volumes of water

Up to 6 million Up to 6 million gallons/daygallons/day

Surface water can be Surface water can be readily depletedreadily depleted

Aquatic resources Aquatic resources impactedimpacted

3. Water for Construction- 3. Water for Construction- Things to RememberThings to Remember

Carefully analyze withdrawal sitesCarefully analyze withdrawal sites Define and enforce maximum daily and Define and enforce maximum daily and

seasonal withdrawal limitsseasonal withdrawal limits Consider seasons of use and any Consider seasons of use and any

seasonal impact on fish and wildlifeseasonal impact on fish and wildlife Place limited operating season on Place limited operating season on

withdrawal site if necessarywithdrawal site if necessary

4. Access for 4. Access for Construction or Construction or Geotechnical Geotechnical InvestigationInvestigation

May need to access future highway May need to access future highway location with a temporary roadlocation with a temporary road

May be far different from future May be far different from future alignment alignment

May be outside ROWMay be outside ROW Detours may affect many acres if Detours may affect many acres if

speed is retainedspeed is retained

4. Access for Construction or 4. Access for Construction or Geotechnical InvestigationGeotechnical Investigation

Don’t leave access roads out of NEPA Don’t leave access roads out of NEPA investigationinvestigation

Early consideration avoids construction Early consideration avoids construction delaysdelays

Determine mitigation for access roads when Determine mitigation for access roads when no longer needed (gates, removal)no longer needed (gates, removal)

Install barriers when open to restrict public Install barriers when open to restrict public accessaccess

Remember seasonal timing restrictions for Remember seasonal timing restrictions for sensitive wildlife areassensitive wildlife areas

5. Utilities-Issues5. Utilities-Issues

Frequently co-located with highwayFrequently co-located with highway New placement may require different New placement may require different

routings for each utilityroutings for each utility Often located outside ROWOften located outside ROW Clearances often needed for pole Clearances often needed for pole

placementplacement Several companies may be involvedSeveral companies may be involved

5. Utilities-- 5. Utilities-- Things to RememberThings to Remember

Realignment offers chance to reassess Realignment offers chance to reassess

Consider underground utility placementConsider underground utility placement

Determine responsibility and level of Determine responsibility and level of

maintenance for any closed roadsmaintenance for any closed roads

Don’t forget to include Don’t forget to include

all utilities in decisionsall utilities in decisions

6. Mitigation Projects-6. Mitigation Projects-IssuesIssues

Mitigation also requires NEPA analysis and Mitigation also requires NEPA analysis and clearancesclearances

May be far outside ROWMay be far outside ROW Usually interagency, long-term agreementsUsually interagency, long-term agreements May not be completely funded from highway May not be completely funded from highway

projectproject Monitoring is strongly recommendedMonitoring is strongly recommended

6. Mitigation-Things to 6. Mitigation-Things to RememberRemember

Determine who is responsible Determine who is responsible for planning, funding and for planning, funding and implementationimplementation

Document in MOU (this helps in Document in MOU (this helps in case of changes in personnel too)case of changes in personnel too)

Develop monitoring plan prior to Develop monitoring plan prior to issuance of Letter of Consentissuance of Letter of Consent

7. Impact of Outside Agencies7. Impact of Outside AgenciesIssuesIssues

Failure to plan for and obtain necessary Failure to plan for and obtain necessary permits causes project delayspermits causes project delays

Consider all regulations, permits Consider all regulations, permits needed, FWS consultation requirementsneeded, FWS consultation requirements

State DOT and FHWA interpret NEPA State DOT and FHWA interpret NEPA differently, particularly on timingdifferently, particularly on timing

Rapid pace can allow details to ‘fall Rapid pace can allow details to ‘fall through the cracks’through the cracks’

7. Impact of Outside Agencies7. Impact of Outside AgenciesThings to RememberThings to Remember

It is Forest Service’s responsibility to ensure It is Forest Service’s responsibility to ensure all applicable laws, regulation and policy are all applicable laws, regulation and policy are followedfollowed

Involve necessary specialists by informing Involve necessary specialists by informing them of projects early and oftenthem of projects early and often

Do not issue Letter of Consent without Do not issue Letter of Consent without ensuring MOU enforcement of applicable ensuring MOU enforcement of applicable environmental laws is followedenvironmental laws is followed