2003 Environmental Excellence Awards

Partnership for Improving North Carolina's Environment

Senior leadership at the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is committed to providing for North Carolina's transportation needs while protecting and enhancing the environment. In 2001, this partnership was formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which outlined a set of common goals that support environmental stewardship and responsible and timely transportation decision making. Evidence of this successful partnership can be seen in the numerous stewardship and streamlining initiatives that have been undertaken cooperatively by DENR and NCDOT. Most notable are the process improvements in the areas of environmental permitting and wetland, stream, and buffer mitigation. Senior management at these agencies recognizes that the key to success hinges on establishing and maintaining trust at all levels within and between agencies, communicating effectively, building partnerships, and providing the resources to undertake initiatives that support specific goals.