Transcript Evolving the State of Practice

Executive Order 13274
Environmental Stewardship and
Transportation Infrastructure Project Reviews
“…identify and promote policies
that can effectively streamline the
process required to provide
approvals for transportation
infrastructure projects, in
compliance with applicable law,
while maintaining safety, public
health, and environmental
protection.”
Comparing Plans
land
development
proposal
road
improvement
proposal
wetlands
identification
habitat or
historic places
to preserve
Land Use
System
Transportation
System
Water Resources
System
Other Natural,
Cultural Resource
Systems
Plans and Inventories
What are the
other plans or
inventories that
need to be
considered?
Multi-Species
Habitat
Conservation
Plans
Wildlife
Action
Plans
Natural
Heritage
Databases
Land Use
Plans
Transportation
Plan
Special Area
Management
Plans
Green
Infrastructure
Planning
Watershed
Plans
Historic
Resource
Inventories
Mitigation: Background
Mitigation helps ensure that ecosystems,
habitats, and species populations remain
sustainable and productive over time.
Ecosystem definition: humans too
Issues/Stressors
Predator – Prey Imbalances
Habitat Fragmentation
Issues/Stressors
Hydrology & water
quality alteration
-physical, chemical,
biological
Habitat Destruction
Invasive Plant and
Animal Species
Mitigation Strategies
A blend of options:
Priority Corridors
• Project-Specific
Mitigation
• Multiple-Project
Mitigation
• Ecosystem-Based
Mitigation
Examples: Connecting
Corridors, Site selection for
mitigation
Mitigation Strategies
• Mitigation Banking
(focus: aquatic resources)
• Conservation Banking
(focus: protected
species/habitats)
• In-Lieu Fee
Integrated
Integrated
Planning
Planning
Ecosystem
Approach
Performance
Measurement
Mitigation
Options
Mitigation Banking
Map of U.S. Hydrologic Units
Eco-Logical
Website:
http://www.environment.
fhwa.dot.gov/ecological/
eco_index.asp
Expanded Opportunities –
Meaningful Mitigation
Habitat
Island