Difference between revisions of "127.1 Request for Environmental Services"

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|'''Forms'''
 
|'''Forms'''
 
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|[http://epg.modot.mo.gov/forms/DE-Env&Cultural/Request%20for%20Environmental%20Studies.dot RES Form]
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|[https://www6.modot.mo.gov/EnvironmentalRequest/Pages/Login.aspx Request for Environmental Services (RES) Form].  (This is the new electronic system.)
 
|-
 
|-
|[http://epg.modot.mo.gov/forms/DE-Env&Cultural/RES%20Instruction%20sheet.doc Instructions for the RES Form]
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|[[media:2023-03-6_RES_Instruction_Manual.docx|How to Complete the Request for Environmental Services ]]
 
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 +
==127.1.1 Introduction==
  
 +
===127.1.1.1 Overview===
  
==127.1.1 Introduction==
+
The [https://www6.modot.mo.gov/EnvironmentalRequest/Pages/Login.aspx Request for Environmental Services (RES)] provides the Design Division staff the necessary information to obtain approvals and clearances from FHWA and the resource agencies (i.e., Corps of Engineers, Missouri Department of Natural Resources etc.), ensuring project compliance with state and federal regulations thus preventing project delays. The district will submit an RES at each project development milestone (see [[#127.1.2 Project Development Milestones|EPG 127.1.2 Project Development Milestones]]) for <u>all</u> MoDOT projects.
  
===127.1.1.1  Overview===
+
===127.1.1.2 Process===
 
+
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The Request for Environmental Services (RES) ensures that Design Division staff has the necessary information to obtain approvals and clearances from FHWA and the resource agencies (i.e., Corps of Engineers, Missouri Department of Natural Resources etc.), ensuring project compliance with state and federal regulations thus preventing project delays or stoppages.  The district will submit an RES at each project development milestone (see [[127.1 Request for Environmental Services#127.1.2 Project Development Milestones|EPG 127.1.2 Process]]) or at least once annually for all MoDOT projects.
 
 
 
===127.1.1.2 Process===
 
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|-   
 
|-   
|align="center"|'''DeRES'''
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|align="center"|'''[https://www6.modot.mo.gov/EnvironmentalRequest/Pages/Login.aspx RES and District Resource Staff]'''
 
|-
 
|-
|DeRES is a Lotus Notes mailbox that sends an electronic copy of the RES to a distribution listThe distribution ensures that RES submissions do not wait on an individual who may be out of the office for an extended period of timeIn addition to submitting the RES to DeRES, a copy should be submitted to the appropriate Design Liaison Engineer.  Use of electronic submissions is preferred to paper copies and allows for a faster response from the Environmental/Historic Preservation staff.
+
|RES is a Webform Application that sends an electronic copy to a selected group of Environmental/Historic Preservation staff for each district when submittedContact with district resource staff is further expedited by using the emails groups for those staffSW_RES, SE_RES, NE_RES, etc.  Use these email groups for Core Team Meeting invitations, project communication, and dissemination of information.  
 
|}
 
|}
The RES needs to be prepared and submitted when you have information ready for that stage of the project. You do not need to wait to submit the RES, for example, until you send in preliminary plans for approval. Prepare two copies of the RES, with attachments, sending one copy to the Lotus Notes mailbox DeRES and one copy to the Design Liaison Engineer assigned to your district.  When hard copies are submitted, the copies must be mailed separately.  If Environmental/Historic Preservation requires an electronic copy, they will request that the district submit the copy by emailSubmitted electronic copies  must include all applicable documentation and attachments and must be legible, do not need to be emailed seperately, but are rather emailed to Environmental/Historic Preservation and carbon copied to the Design Liaison Engineer assigned to your district. If electronic copies are submitted and it is determined by Environmental/Historic Preservation that a hard copy is required, Environmental/Historic Preservation will either produce a hard copy (if a legible copy can be made) or request that the district mail them a legible hard copy.  
+
The RES needs to be created, prepared and submitted when the information is ready for that stage of the project. Do not wait to submit the RES, for example, until the preliminary plans are sent for approval. When changes to a project occur, do not wait to send those with the new RES stage, update the current RES or ask the Environmental/Historic Preservation staff to edit the RESPrepare the RES and upload with attachments. Instructions can be found in the top banner of the application.  Once completed, select the “Submit Request to Env. Services.” This will send an email to the selected Environmental and Historic Preservation Staff assigned to that district.
 +
 
 +
The Environmental and Historic Preservation staff will examine the RES and the project location to determine what environmental or historic preservation concerns, if any, are associated with the project. An RES response will be prepared and submitted by e-mail to the sender of the RES, the project manager and the Transportation Project Designer, if one is input in SMS.  
  
Design Division staff will examine the RES and the project location to determine what environmental or historic preservation concerns, if any, are associated with the project. An RES response will be prepared and submitted by e-mail to the sender of the RES and the project manager. The Design Division keeps copies of all RES-related correspondence on file.
+
A response will be prepared and returned to the district in 30 days from the date an RES is received. This 30-day turn-around time could be affected by the completeness of the submitted RES, staff workload, and changing priorities. The RES response indicates identified concerns and advises the district of what actions remain to be accomplished by district Environmental and Historic Preservation staff. The goal of this process is to position projects to be compliant with environmental law and regulation before letting. When the RES response is received, read and respond to District Action Items identified in each resource section.
  
A response will be prepared and returned to the district in 30 days from the date an RES is received.  This 30-day turn-around time could be affected by completeness of the submitted RES, staff workload, and changing priorities. The RES response indicates identified concerns and advises the district what actions remain to be accomplished by both district and design staff. The goal of this process is to position projects to be compliant with environmental law and regulation before letting.
+
Many projects will require RES submittals at all the major milestones or at least annually. An RES must be submitted at the Location/Conceptual stage for '''every''' project (typically when the project is added to the Scoping section of the STIP). This allows staff time to schedule and prioritize work identified in the desktop review any projects that may take longer to clear than others. The preliminary plans RES is the most important RES submittal for Environmental and Historic Preservation staff.  This is when there is enough design information to complete a large portion of the field work and permitting or clearances. 
 +
 
 +
Some projects involve activities that cause very little disruption to the natural and human environment, if any. An RES must be submitted at the Location/Conceptual stage (typically when project is placed in the Scoping section of the STIP), at preliminary plans stage, and then again at final design stage, at least 60 days before PS&E due date. The Project Manager will receive a notification 60 days before PS&E due date if a final design stage RES has not been submitted. However, an RES must be submitted for any project that has had no activity for a year since the last RES. The types of projects that may require only two RESs to be submitted are those that involve:
  
Most projects will require RES submittals at all the major milestones or at least annually.  Some projects involve activities that cause very little disruption to the natural and human environment.  These projects will require only one RES submittal, as long as the scope and location of the project does not change and project construction begins within one year of the submittal.  However, an RES must be submitted for any project that has had no activity for a year since the last RES.  The types of projects that require only one RES, to be submitted just before the final design stage, are those that involve:
 
 
* No excavation
 
* No excavation
 
* No soil disturbance
 
* No soil disturbance
 
* No new or additional right of way (including donated right of way)
 
* No new or additional right of way (including donated right of way)
* No easements
+
* No easements.
The examples below are not an exhaustive list but illustrate the type of project activities that, if conducted properly, are considered to have minimal environmental impact.  A single RES submittal is needed to alert environmental staff to the project location and schedule.  In a few cases, these projects may require that job special provisions (JSPs) be added to the construction contract or other special considerations; this is determined from the RES.
 
  
 +
The examples below are not an exhaustive list but illustrate the type of project activities that, if conducted properly, are considered to have minimal environmental impact.  The RES submittal is needed to alert Environmental staff to the project location and schedule.  In a few cases, these projects may require that job special provisions (JSPs) be added to the construction contract or other special considerations; this is determined from the RES. If a JSP is required, the JSP will be attached to the specific resource section of the RES and the District Action box will reflect that a JSP must be added to the contract. Once the district has acknowledged that the JSP is added to the contract, the resource will be cleared.
 +
<center>
 
{|border="1"  
 
{|border="1"  
 
|-
 
|-
|style="background:#99ff99" colspan="2" align="center"| '''Types of Project Activities that Require Only One RES Submittal*'''
+
|style="background:#cccccc" colspan="2" align="center"|'''Types of Project Activities that Only Require Two RES Submittals*'''
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| diamond grinding|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"|resurfacing
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| diamond grinding|| width="300 px" border="3"|resurfacing
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| traffic signals|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| pavement markings
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| traffic signals|| width="300 px" border="3"| pavement markings
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"|contract level course|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| contract mowing
+
|width="300 px" border="3"|contract level course|| width="300 px" border="3"| contract mowing
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| scrub seal|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| microsurfacing overlay
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| scrub seal|| width="300 px" border="3"| microsurfacing overlay
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| cold milling|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| chip and seal
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| cold milling|| width="300 px" border="3"| chip and seal
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| lighting installation|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| full depth pavement repair
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| lighting installation|| width="300 px" border="3"| full depth pavement repair
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| on-call guardrail repair|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| on-call fence repair
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| on-call guardrail repair, JOCs|| width="300 px" border="3"| on-call fence repair
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| crack pouring and sealing|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| rumble strip milling
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| crack pouring and sealing|| width="300 px" border="3"| rumble strip milling
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| snow/ice removal|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| epoxy bridge deck sealing
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| snow/ice removal|| width="300 px" border="3"| epoxy bridge deck sealing
 
|-
 
|-
|width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| striping|| width="400 px" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"|joint repair
+
|width="300 px" border="3"| striping|| width="300 px" border="3"|joint repair
 
|-  
 
|-  
|colspan="2" style="background:#cccccc" border="3"| *This list is for example only and does not include every possible project that may require only a single RES.
+
|colspan="2" border="3"| *This list is for example only and does not include every possible project that may require only two RESs.
 
|}
 
|}
 +
</center>
  
==127.1.2 Project Development Milestones==
+
Job Order Contracts (JOCs) are allowed one RES submittal, a Final RES, submitted annually for each renewal cycle, because they do not change significantly.
 +
 
 +
==127.1.2 Project Development Milestones==
 
Indicate the project’s current development milestone on the RES.  The milestones are:
 
Indicate the project’s current development milestone on the RES.  The milestones are:
  
===127.1.2.1 Initial Screening Stage===
+
===127.1.2.1 Location/Conceptual Plan Stage===
 
RES attachments required:
 
RES attachments required:
* 8½" x 11" location map (county map) and
+
* location map (county map)  
* topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name.
+
* topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name;
At the initial project screening stage, Design Division staff will conduct initial constraints screening.  When the RES response is prepared for this milestone, the NEPA [[127.26 Environmental Classification| environmental classification]] for the project may be determined.  Depending on complexity, FHWA needs to review some projects before a NEPA classification can be assigned.  Also at this stage, project core team members from the Design Division staff are selected.
+
* if available, plan sheets showing any alternatives,
 +
* kmz file is preferred, if available.
  
===127.1.2.2 Location/Conceptual Plan Stage===
+
At the location/conceptual plan stage, a desktop review is done of the project.  Very simple projects may gain [[127.14 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Classification and Documents|NEPA approval]]. For more complicated projects, NEPA may be approved in the next stage of design. If NEPA has been completed and approved, Environmental staff will update the NEPA Approval/Proceed to A-date Request field on the RES. If right-of-way or easements are anticipated for a project, landowner permissions should be obtained during this timeframe. Indicate in the RES the desired A-date to assist staff at scheduling work.
 +
 
 +
For the types of projects listed above as having “minimal environmental impact” and that may have many separate locations (i.e. more than 10) it is recommended that the Environmental and Historic Preservation office be contacted to discuss whether it may be possible to lump all locations onto one RES location form.
 +
 
 +
===127.1.2.2 Preliminary Plans Stage===
 
RES attachments required:
 
RES attachments required:
* 8½" x 11" location map (county map) and
+
* location map (county map)
* topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name;
+
* topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name
* if available, preliminary plan sheets showing alternatives.
+
* plan sheets showing alternatives
At the location/conceptual plan stage, we should have obtained or be well on the way toward gaining [[127.14 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Classification and Documents|NEPA approval]] for a particular project. If NEPA has been completed and approved, environmental staff update the NEPA Approval Date field on the Right of Way and Construction Program [http://caddnet/index.php?title=Project_Status Project Status] software at this time. Other issues on-going at this stage include resource agency coordination and identification of potential wetland mitigation sites.
+
* kmz file is preferred, if available
 +
* Bridge Memo, if available
 +
* right of entries
 +
 
 +
At this milestone, field work for permits and clearances are completed. All NEPA approvals need to be in hand before final design activities are begun or risk the loss of federal funds. Preliminary plans design and approval may occur prior to NEPA approval. Preliminary plan and final plan definitions are found in [[:Category:235 Preliminary Plans|EPG 235]].
 +
 
 +
Also at this stage, preparation of permits begin. If new ROW or easements are anticipated, continue obtaining landowner permission for staff access to complete required surveys.
  
===127.1.2.3 Preliminary Plans Stage===
+
===127.1.2.3 Right of Way Plan Stage===
 
RES attachments required:
 
RES attachments required:
* 8½" x 11" location map (county map),
+
* location map (county map)
* topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name, and
+
* topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name
* 11" x 17" preliminary plan sheets showing alternatives.
+
* right of way plan sheets
At this milestone, preliminary plans are approved and the project moves to detailed design.  All NEPA approvals need to be in hand before preliminary plans are approved.  Detailed design of the project cannot proceed without first obtaining NEPA approval or risk the loss of federal funds.  Also at this stage, preparation of [[127.4 Wetlands and Streams#127.4.1.2 Laws and Regulations|Section 404]] permits begins, so the permit application is submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) between this milestone and right-of-way plans milestone.
+
* kmz file is preferred, if available
 +
* Bridge memo, if available.
  
===127.1.2.4 Right of Way Plan Stage===
+
At the right-of-way plan stage a majority of the permits and clearances should be obtained. Staff continue to monitor the project for changes in location and scope, relying heavily on the district to highlight all changes in project scope or location, and further ensure that all permits or approvals are in hand or have been requested. If right-of-way or easement amounts change at this stage, re-work may be needed and the project schedule may be at risk.
 +
 
 +
===127.1.2.4 Final Design Stage===
 
RES attachments required:
 
RES attachments required:
* 8½" x 11" location map (county map),
+
* copy of final plans.
* topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name, and
+
At final design stage, all environmental and historic preservation concerns are addressed as well as all permits and approvals obtained to enable project letting.  Permits and approvals shall be attached to the RES.
* 11" x 17" right of way plan sheets.
 
At the right-of-way plan stage, the Design Division staff continue to monitor the project for changes in location and scope, relying heavily on the district to highlight all changes in project scope or location, and further ensure that all permits or approvals are in hand or have been requested.
 
  
===127.1.2.5  Final Design Stage===
+
[[image:127.1.jpg|center|1050px]]
RES attachments required:
 
* 11" x 17" copy of final plans.
 
At final design stage, all environmental and historic preservation concerns are addressed as well as all permits and approvals obtained to enable project letting.  If issues have been addressed and permits/approvals acquired, environmental staff can update the All Environmental Issues Finalized field on the Right of Way and Construction Program [http://caddnet/index.php?title=Project_Status Project Status] software.  This field covers all environmental issues that do not have their own stand-alone field within the software (e.g., threatened or endangered species, public lands, or socioeconomic concerns).  Cultural Resources and Section 404 have separate fields that can be updated by the project manager.
 
  
  
 
[[Category:127 MoDOT and the Environment|127.01]]
 
[[Category:127 MoDOT and the Environment|127.01]]

Revision as of 15:24, 6 March 2023

Forms
Request for Environmental Services (RES) Form. (This is the new electronic system.)
How to Complete the Request for Environmental Services

127.1.1 Introduction

127.1.1.1 Overview

The Request for Environmental Services (RES) provides the Design Division staff the necessary information to obtain approvals and clearances from FHWA and the resource agencies (i.e., Corps of Engineers, Missouri Department of Natural Resources etc.), ensuring project compliance with state and federal regulations thus preventing project delays. The district will submit an RES at each project development milestone (see EPG 127.1.2 Project Development Milestones) for all MoDOT projects.

127.1.1.2 Process

RES and District Resource Staff
RES is a Webform Application that sends an electronic copy to a selected group of Environmental/Historic Preservation staff for each district when submitted. Contact with district resource staff is further expedited by using the emails groups for those staff. SW_RES, SE_RES, NE_RES, etc. Use these email groups for Core Team Meeting invitations, project communication, and dissemination of information.

The RES needs to be created, prepared and submitted when the information is ready for that stage of the project. Do not wait to submit the RES, for example, until the preliminary plans are sent for approval. When changes to a project occur, do not wait to send those with the new RES stage, update the current RES or ask the Environmental/Historic Preservation staff to edit the RES. Prepare the RES and upload with attachments. Instructions can be found in the top banner of the application. Once completed, select the “Submit Request to Env. Services.” This will send an email to the selected Environmental and Historic Preservation Staff assigned to that district.

The Environmental and Historic Preservation staff will examine the RES and the project location to determine what environmental or historic preservation concerns, if any, are associated with the project. An RES response will be prepared and submitted by e-mail to the sender of the RES, the project manager and the Transportation Project Designer, if one is input in SMS.

A response will be prepared and returned to the district in 30 days from the date an RES is received. This 30-day turn-around time could be affected by the completeness of the submitted RES, staff workload, and changing priorities. The RES response indicates identified concerns and advises the district of what actions remain to be accomplished by district Environmental and Historic Preservation staff. The goal of this process is to position projects to be compliant with environmental law and regulation before letting. When the RES response is received, read and respond to District Action Items identified in each resource section.

Many projects will require RES submittals at all the major milestones or at least annually. An RES must be submitted at the Location/Conceptual stage for every project (typically when the project is added to the Scoping section of the STIP). This allows staff time to schedule and prioritize work identified in the desktop review any projects that may take longer to clear than others. The preliminary plans RES is the most important RES submittal for Environmental and Historic Preservation staff. This is when there is enough design information to complete a large portion of the field work and permitting or clearances.

Some projects involve activities that cause very little disruption to the natural and human environment, if any. An RES must be submitted at the Location/Conceptual stage (typically when project is placed in the Scoping section of the STIP), at preliminary plans stage, and then again at final design stage, at least 60 days before PS&E due date. The Project Manager will receive a notification 60 days before PS&E due date if a final design stage RES has not been submitted. However, an RES must be submitted for any project that has had no activity for a year since the last RES. The types of projects that may require only two RESs to be submitted are those that involve:

  • No excavation
  • No soil disturbance
  • No new or additional right of way (including donated right of way)
  • No easements.

The examples below are not an exhaustive list but illustrate the type of project activities that, if conducted properly, are considered to have minimal environmental impact. The RES submittal is needed to alert Environmental staff to the project location and schedule. In a few cases, these projects may require that job special provisions (JSPs) be added to the construction contract or other special considerations; this is determined from the RES. If a JSP is required, the JSP will be attached to the specific resource section of the RES and the District Action box will reflect that a JSP must be added to the contract. Once the district has acknowledged that the JSP is added to the contract, the resource will be cleared.

Types of Project Activities that Only Require Two RES Submittals*
diamond grinding resurfacing
traffic signals pavement markings
contract level course contract mowing
scrub seal microsurfacing overlay
cold milling chip and seal
lighting installation full depth pavement repair
on-call guardrail repair, JOCs on-call fence repair
crack pouring and sealing rumble strip milling
snow/ice removal epoxy bridge deck sealing
striping joint repair
*This list is for example only and does not include every possible project that may require only two RESs.

Job Order Contracts (JOCs) are allowed one RES submittal, a Final RES, submitted annually for each renewal cycle, because they do not change significantly.

127.1.2 Project Development Milestones

Indicate the project’s current development milestone on the RES. The milestones are:

127.1.2.1 Location/Conceptual Plan Stage

RES attachments required:

  • location map (county map)
  • topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name;
  • if available, plan sheets showing any alternatives,
  • kmz file is preferred, if available.

At the location/conceptual plan stage, a desktop review is done of the project. Very simple projects may gain NEPA approval. For more complicated projects, NEPA may be approved in the next stage of design. If NEPA has been completed and approved, Environmental staff will update the NEPA Approval/Proceed to A-date Request field on the RES. If right-of-way or easements are anticipated for a project, landowner permissions should be obtained during this timeframe. Indicate in the RES the desired A-date to assist staff at scheduling work.

For the types of projects listed above as having “minimal environmental impact” and that may have many separate locations (i.e. more than 10) it is recommended that the Environmental and Historic Preservation office be contacted to discuss whether it may be possible to lump all locations onto one RES location form.

127.1.2.2 Preliminary Plans Stage

RES attachments required:

  • location map (county map)
  • topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name
  • plan sheets showing alternatives
  • kmz file is preferred, if available
  • Bridge Memo, if available
  • right of entries

At this milestone, field work for permits and clearances are completed. All NEPA approvals need to be in hand before final design activities are begun or risk the loss of federal funds. Preliminary plans design and approval may occur prior to NEPA approval. Preliminary plan and final plan definitions are found in EPG 235.

Also at this stage, preparation of permits begin. If new ROW or easements are anticipated, continue obtaining landowner permission for staff access to complete required surveys.

127.1.2.3 Right of Way Plan Stage

RES attachments required:

  • location map (county map)
  • topographic map showing project limits—include quadrangle name
  • right of way plan sheets
  • kmz file is preferred, if available
  • Bridge memo, if available.

At the right-of-way plan stage a majority of the permits and clearances should be obtained. Staff continue to monitor the project for changes in location and scope, relying heavily on the district to highlight all changes in project scope or location, and further ensure that all permits or approvals are in hand or have been requested. If right-of-way or easement amounts change at this stage, re-work may be needed and the project schedule may be at risk.

127.1.2.4 Final Design Stage

RES attachments required:

  • copy of final plans.

At final design stage, all environmental and historic preservation concerns are addressed as well as all permits and approvals obtained to enable project letting. Permits and approvals shall be attached to the RES.

127.1.jpg