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Memorandum |
| U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration |
| Subject: | INFORMATION: Designation of FHWA Exemplary Ecosystem Initiatives for 2003 |
Date: | November 24, 2003 |
| From: | James M. Shrouds Director, Office of Natural and Human Environment |
Reply to: | HEPN-30 |
| To: | Division Administrators Federal Lands Highway Division Engineers Directors of Field Services |
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In 2002, FHWA identified three performance objectives and selection strategies for the Vital Few Environmental Goal. One of these objectives is to increase ecosystem and habitat conservation through Agency programs. The FHWA demonstrates this objective through the identification and selection of exemplary ecosystem initiatives as the Agency's hallmark demonstration of environmental stewardship. Our goal is to identify at least 30 such initiatives in at least 20 States or Federal Lands Highway divisions by September 30, 2007. These initiatives will be featured on the FHWA HEP website and distributed through other media as examples of the outstanding environmental stewardship associated with important highway projects throughout the Nation.
The FHWA previously identified the following five ecosystem and habitat conservation initiatives as exemplary:
- Montana's US 93 wildlife passages;
- North Carolina's Ecosystem Enhancement Program;
- Colorado's Shortgrass Prairie conservation initiative;
- Oregon's fish friendly maintenance practices; and
- Washington's watershed-based mitigation initiative.
Descriptions of these five initiatives are available on the HEP streamlining website at: http://environment.fhwa.dot.gov/strmlng/es4vitalfew.htm
We are proud to announce three new Exemplary Ecosystem Initiatives selected for 2003. These initiatives are:
- Arizona's comprehensive approach to wildlife protection and habitat connectivity on the State Route 260 project;
- Nevada's Washoe Lake Wetland Mitigation Area; and
- New Hampshire's Route 101 ecological protection and enhancement features.
A description of each of the three new initiatives is attached for your information. Details on each will also be available soon on the HEP website mentioned above, and coming in 2004, all of the initiatives will be included on a new site dedicated solely to these outstanding examples of environmental stewardship.
Over the next 4 years, FHWA's goal is to identify at least 22 more exemplary ecosystem initiatives across at least 12 additional States or Federal Lands Highway divisions. Our annual goals for additional initiatives in the coming years are two in FY 2004, seven in FY 2005, seven in FY 2006, and six in FY 2007. To aid in identifying and selecting the additional initiatives, Criteria for Selection of Exemplary Ecosystem Initiatives were distributed in our memo dated October 6, 2003. This guidance can be found on the HEP Ecosystem Management website at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ecoinitm.htm.
As stated in our October 6 guidance, FHWA field offices and State transportation agencies are encouraged to propose activities or projects for consideration as exemplary ecosystem initiatives. Please submit information on any potential ecosystem initiative to HEPN-30 by April 1, 2004. Submissions should be sent through and with the approval of the division office. My staff will form a team that will review the submissions we receive and make final selections by July 30, 2004. We are not limiting the number of exemplary ecosystem initiatives - we encourage you to help us showcase examples of outstanding environmental stewardship through ecological enhancements, mitigation, or environmental measures that protect and preserve the natural environment. Please direct questions or comments on the exemplary ecosystem initiative program to either Mr. Paul Garrett at (720) 963-3071 or Mr. Fred Bank at (202) 366-5004 of the Water and Ecosystems Team, HEPN-30.
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