Jan 22-24, 2007 Transportation Research Board U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District North Carolina’s Interagency Agreements to Streamline Project Approvals

To streamline project delivery, North Carolina has introduced new methods to improve communication, project delivery and environmental stewardship

Outline Ecosystem Enhancement Program- William D. Gilmore, P.E. Director Interagency Leadership Team- John F. Sullivan, III P.E. FHWA Division Administrator, North Carolina

The Ecosystem Enhancement Program In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s project delays were severe for the NCDOT NEPA, Redesign, Mitigation (40%) Project delays caused the Governor’s office and his cabinet to demand new solutions

EEP essential components Strong leadership Creativity Risk

How it was done Task force Charter Receive proposals Approve and implement

Other actions Endorsements and support EPA, USACE, FHWA, USFWS, NCDENR Located –Headquarters (D.C.) –Region IV (Atlanta) –State

Workshops took two forms NCDOTNCDCMNCDWQNCWRCNCMFUSACEEPAUSFWS NEPA/404 Merger Redesign Mitigation Redesign

Workshop Recommendations Create a new state program Provide advance funding Found program on watershed needs Use NCDOT impact forecasts for programming Embrace the private sector in producing products

Leadership Created a North Carolina DENR Division with a sole mission to preserve, protect enhance, and restore important natural areas and improve our water quality within our State. BOT programmed EEP into their TIP programming process and budgeted accordingly

Risks EntityIssue NCDOT- BOT Required to remove from TIP Budget $200 million to DENR Regulatory agencies agreeing to terms of compliance, trusting and partnering EEP operates programmatically

Risks EntityIssue EEP having resources and support to meet demand Produce mitigation at a specified rate per agreement Contracting industryMeeting production schedules

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed on July 22, 2003 The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed on July 22, 2003 The signing ceremony

Accomplishments

1.5 million stream credits (100,000 credits ahead of schedule) 13,000 acres wetland credits (7000 credits ahead of schedule)

Statewide Stream Status ( July 22, 2006 in credits ): Credit requirements (July 22, 2006): 508,323 Projected needs (2008): 871,230 Total requirements (through 2008)1,379,553 Statewide (EEP Managed Assets*):1,471,107

Statewide Wetland Assets (July 22, 2006 in credits): Credit requirements (July 22, 2006): 902 Projected needs (2008): 2,200 Total production requirements: 3,102 Statewide EEP Managed Assets*: 13,087

Compliance Streams 98.43% Wetlands 95.60%

High Quality Preservation Criteria –Connectivity –Heritage sites –ESA –Parks and gamelands Multi-agency participation Compliments No-net-loss 14 sites to Parks and Gamelands

Little Table Rock Mountain, Blue Ridge Parkway

Eastern Coastal Region Trumpet Plants Shaken Creek Savanna Coastal Plain

Haw River State Natural Area

Stream Restoration

Payne Dairy NC Foothills

Payne Dairy

Carbonton Dam Removal

And for the past 42 months: Supplied mitigation = $46 million NCDOT highway awards= $3 billion % of the highway program $= 2.81 No project delays due to mitigation!

Restored, Enhanced or Protected Streams 500 miles Restoration lands HQP lands Total Acreage 13,800 acres 35,700 acres 49,500 acres

Interagency Leadership Team John F. Sullivan, III P.E. FHWA Division Administrator, North Carolina

Overview The ILT and Our Mission Our Goals and Objectives EEP - state-wide mitigation approach

Interagency Leadership Team NC Dept. of Transportation NC Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources NC Dept. of Commerce NC Dept. of Cultural Resources NC Wildlife Resources Commission US Army Corps of Engineers Federal Highway Administration US Fish and Wildlife Service Environmental Protection Agency National Marine Fisheries Service

Develop and implement an interagency leadership plan for North Carolina to balance successfully mobility, natural and cultural resource protection, community values, and economic vitality at the confluence of our missions. Mission

Mobility Economic Vitality Environmental Protection Interagency Plan

1. Develop a shared, comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) 2. Local land use and long-range transportation planning result in projects that meet mobility, economic, and environmental goals 3. Improve the Merger 01 Process Goals

Land Use System Transportation System Water Resources System Other Natural, Cultural Resource Systems Integrated Approach land development proposal road improvement proposal wetlands identification habitat or historic places to preserve opportunities to support multiple community goals and improve quality of life Goal 1- GIS 1. Create new and update GIS layers, as needed 2. Develop a means to share database layers 3. Establish a mechanism for maintaining the data 4. Create a shared analytical platform

39 Integrated Planning Transportation Planning Natural, Cultural Resource Planning Economic Development Planning Land Use Planning Goal 2 -Integrated Planning Enhance capacity and opportunity of staff to participate in the planning process Developed integrated planning process Develop outreach mechanisms for locals using new integration process

Goal 3 - Merger 01 Process 1.Revised the merger agreement 2.Developed a conflict resolution process 3.Developed a roles and responsibilities document 4.Developed performance measures 5.Training

Transportation Program Life Cycle Program Development Funding the Projects Project Planning Minimizing the Impacts Project Design Design & ROW Construction Building the Road Long-Range Planning Determining the Need “ Involve resource agencies earlier in mobility systems planning” “ Improve the Merger 01 Process” Maintenance & Operations Maintaining the Road “Develop a shared, comprehensive GIS”

Jan 21-25, 2007 Transportation Research Board U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District North Carolina’s Interagency Agreements to Streamline Project Approvals