Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act Section 18

Bill Ryan and Jennifer Sellers

Geo-Environmental, ODOT Tech Services

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

History and Context of Collaborative Efforts and Highway Funding

1919 Original Oregon Gas Tax Passed

1996 - Environmental Stewardship added to ODOT Mission

1997-2000 Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds

2001 - OTIA I Passed ($400 million)

2001 - CETAS Enacted

2002 - OTIA II Passed ($50 million)

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

History and Context of Collaborative Efforts and Highway Funding

2003 - OTIA III Passed ($2.46 billion)

2004 - OTIA III Streamlined Environmental Process Developed

2004 - Present - Various Collaborative Process Improvement

Efforts

2009 - JTA ($300 million annually)

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act (JTA)

Governor's Transportation Vision Committee Recommended:

Adoption of environmental standards for construction

Increasing the use of performance-based permitting and project design

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act (JTA)

Passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2009

Three core themes

1. Accountability, innovation, environmental stewardship

2. Funding for highways, roads, and streets

3. Multimodal funding

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

JTA Section 18 Addresses Environmental Stewardship

Not required to apply to earmarked projects

Focuses environmental performance on project outcomes

Incremental move in direction agency has been heading

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

JTA Section 18

Requires ODOT to adopt OAR to take into consideration:

2(a) Incorporating Environmental Performance Standards into the design and construction of all state highway projects, including local government highway construction projects funded by ODOT

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

JTA Section 18

Requires ODOT to adopt OAR to take into consideration:

2(b) Improving environmental permitting process for state highway construction projects to:

(A) Reduce time required to design project and obtain environmental permits

(B) Reduce the cost and delay associated with redesigning projects to meet environmental requirements

(C) Maintain a strong commitment to environmental stewardship

(D) Reduce the state’s dependence on foreign oil

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Initial Vision of OAR

Provide a high-level framework to meet requirements of Section 18

Include broad environmental goals and defined process

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Program Overview

Conducted Listening Sessions with a follow-up web survey to be conducted (Spring 2010)

Additional ODOT, FHWA, local government staff to be queried (Summer 2010)

Regulatory Agency Partners and other stakeholders to be queried (after Internal)

Results will be used to develop preliminary strategy for programmatics, EPSs, process and permitting improvements, and a draft rule

Rulemaking will need to be triggered (Hope to trigger May 2011, 18 month process)

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Working Group and Steering Team

Working Group (JTAT) is meeting weekly

ODOT Geo-Environmental, Major Projects Branch, Local Agency Program, and Association of Oregon Counties (AOC)

Steering Team is meeting monthly

ODOT Regions (Environmental, Construction, Bridge, Project Leader) Roadway, Technical Services (Geo-Environmental, Bridge, Roadway) Maintenance, AOC, and Federal Highway Administration

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Work Plan Overview

Integrate results of internal and external outreach

Rulemaking

Development of Tools

• Programmatic permitting

• Internal project delivery procedures

• EPS

Develop Program Progress and Performance Reporting

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Collaboration

“This is a great opportunity for us to expand our work with our regulatory partners in developing a process that addresses multiple needs and improves project delivery. Our collaborative efforts will help us achieve better business, community, and environmental outcomes.”

ODOT Deputy Director Doug Tindall

OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Questions/Comments?