Environmental Management Program (EMP) for Construction
WSDOT has an Environmental Management Program (EMP) specifically for construction activities. The program is based on regional environmental compliance plans, training, and work procedures that apply to construction activities. WSDOT measures environmental performance based on its ability to comply with applicable environmental requirements. WSDOT reports on progress made in this program annually in the Gray Notebook.
Regional Environmental Compliance Plans
Each region has a plan to assure compliance with environmental requirements during construction. The basic elements include written procedures, training, tracking performance, conducting constructability reviews, and commitment tracking.
Training
A key component of the Construction EMP is training the appropriate personnel on the applicable procedures to ensure compliance with environmental requirements during construction. Available construction training can be found on the Environmental Training webpage.
General environmental controls applicable to construction
The body of procedures that address the Contractor's responsibilities to meet environmental requirements during construction are in the Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge and Municipal Construction. Environmental issues are addressed throughout various sections of the Standard Specifications.
WSDOT also has responsibilities during construction. They are described in the Construction Manual project files for a given project, and the Highway Runoff Manual. The Environmental Compliance Assurance Procedure for construction is a crucial tool for recognizing, communicating and remedying actual and potential non-compliance events during construction.
Environmental Management Program (EMP) for Road Maintenance
WSDOT is implementing a comprehensive Environmental Management Program for Road Maintenance that includes a Regional Road Maintenance Program (RRMP) and several Regional Environmental Compliance Plans. The EMP also includes a Maintenance Violation Notification Process (as found in the WSDOT Environmental Procedures Manual), which constitutes an Environmental Compliance Assurance Procedure for maintenance. WSDOT reports on progress in reducing violations annually in the Gray Notebook.
Regional Road Maintenance Program (RRMP)
In response to the listing of several species of salmon and trout under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), WSDOT's Maintenance and Operations Programs developed a Regional Road Maintenance Program (RRMP) to indicate how WSDOT will comply with some Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program Guidelines agreed to by various local government agencies, WSDOT, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and other interested parties. The guidelines were adopted to comply with the specific requirements of the ESA and provide Best Management Practices for environmental compliance when conducting roadside maintenance. The RRMP consists of ten program elements, including one for training (which includes training in ESA, erosion and sediment control for compliance with various WDFW General Hydraulic Project Approvals and Ecology National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits applicable to WSDOT, and compliance monitoring and reporting). More details on the RRMP can be found on the Regional Road Maintenance Endangered Species Act Program Guidelines website.