Department of Transportation Bureau of Policy & Planning

1. Department of TransportationBureau of Policy & Planning

2. Office of Intermodal and Environmental Planning Water & Natural Resources To seek to protect and enhance the natural environment as we develop transportation improvements… This unit is responsible for identifying and aiding in the protection of: • Wetlands and Watercourses • Wildlife, including listed species • Public Water Supplies including • Public Water Supply Watersheds and Reservoirs • Wells and Aquifer Protection Areas • Sole Source Aquifers • Water Company Lands • Farmland • Coastal Resources • Floodplains and Flood Hazard Areas • Wild and Scenic Rivers

3. Water Resources Unit • Support Unit for… • Highway Design • State Design • Consultant Design • Local Roads • Facilities Design • Bridge • State Design • Consultant Engineering • Aeronautics • Office of Rails • Maintenance • Aid in answering drainage complaints • Drainage Maintenance Plan Development • Construction • Processing of permit changes during construction • Wetland / Endangered Species Mitigation Area oversight

4. Water Resource Staff Provide: • Expert field survey work • Wetlands • Endangered Species • Construction Oversight of Mitigation Areas • Aid in developing scopes of work and man hours • Review of project design to avoid natural resources • Guidance through the permitting process on the State and Federal Levels • Permit and Plan reviews • Coordination with Regulatory Agencies • Development of Mitigation Plans • Testimony at DEP Adjudicated hearings • Special contract specifications • Long-term monitoring of Mitigation areas • Construction inspection for compliance with issued permits • Annual Training for Construction Inspectors • Annual Training for Maintenance Foreman

5. Key Project Involvement • Identify resources in project area • Work with Design Engineers to develop plans which meet the project purpose & need, but avoid and minimize impacts to resources • Permit and mitigate for unavoidable impacts • Coordination with Regulatory Agencies • Federal • US Army Corps of Engineers (US ACOE) • US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) • US Fish and Wildlife Service (US FWS) • National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) • US Coast Guard (USCG) • State • Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) • Inland Water Resources (IWRD) • Office of Long Island Sound Programs (OLISP) • Fisheries Division • Wildlife Division • Other entities • Department of Public Health • Water Companies • Municipalities • Public

6. State & Federal Permits State Level – DEP • Inland Wetlands & Watercourses • Individual and General Permits • Flood Management Certification • Stream Channel Encroachment Lines • 401 Water Quality Certification • Coastal Wetlands • Structures and Dredging • Tidal Wetlands • Certificates of Permission • Coastal Area Management • Stormwater Permit for Construction Activities • Federal Level – ACOE 404 • CT Programmatic General Permit (PGP) • Category 1 • Category 2 • Individual Permits

7. Submit request for an Environmental Review Form to OEP OEP will determine if the project is in or nearby a wetland? No permitting action required No Stormwater permit or wildlife coordination required Surveys to contact OEP. Wetland found? But, project disturbs> 1 acre or has endangered species Request a wetland delineation to Surveys Yes No Avoid and minimize wetland impacts throughout the design and permit application process Yes Submit project plans to OEP for review & comment PD Review 30% Review 60% Review Semi-Final Final Review Permit development and preparation process State Permit Process Federal Permit process OEP deems project plans complete or incomplete Category 3-Individual Permit If completed Submit draft copy for OEP review Submit to OEP for Category determination Coordinate with OEP & agencies at PMM OEP deems application complete or incomplete Revise permit Category 1 Category 2-Inland Category 2-OLISP Coordinate with OEP & prepare Permit application Revise permit If complete, ready for OEP signature Automatic 401 granted 401 Conditional CT addendum Separate 401 required Submit to ACOE via Form 4345 Submit to DEP, send public notices & letters to towns Permit denied. Respond to ACOE concerns ACOE deems application complete or incomplete Permit denied. Respond to DEP concerns No screening required DEP deems application complete or incomplete Get on meeting agenda Public Notice of Intent to issue permit Submit ACOE form 4345 – (State IW package separate) Submit OLISP permit package with ACOE information Public Notice of intent to issue permit Submit State permit application only No Public hearing requested? Public hearing requested? Yes No No Yes PMM Prepare for hearing Prepare for hearing Category 2 agreed upon by agencies No Corps’ makes decision / permit granted? DEP makes decision / permit granted? Yes Project must follow all Special Terms or Conditions of the permit.

9. Project Permitting Process • Pre-Application • OEP works directly with designers throughout the design process • Delineation requests • Avoidance and minimization in design • Determination of which permits are required • Draft permit review • Search for Mitigation if required • Field reviews • Pre-application meetings • Structure Type studies • Application submittal • Submit permit applications to Regulatory Agencies • Working Meetings • Presentations • State level DEP Permit review includes: • Engineering review (Hydraulics & Drainage) • Environmental Analyst review (wildlife, wetland ecology) • Fisheries review • Public Notice periods • Federal level permit review includes: • Input from all agencies • Public Notices for Individual Permits

10. Permitting Timeframes Straight-Forward Projects • Permitting adds an average 18 months to the design process (vs. a project without permits) • Draft application to Office of Environmental Planning (OEP) • 2 – 4 months preparation including OEP review and responses to comments • Application submittal to DEP • 12 – 18 months for DEP review, DOT responses to comments and permit approval Complicated Projects • Mitigation Plans • Add another 6 – 12 months • Find consensus among regulatory agencies • Purchase of private property is often required • DEP Adjudicated Hearings • 2 - 4 months preparation • 4 - 6 months for the actual process

11. Permit Processing Timeframes at DEP & ACOE State Level – DEP • Inland Wetlands & Watercourses • Individual Permit - 1 to 2 years • General Permits - 6 months • Flood Management Certification • Individual – 18 months • General – In-house sign-off • Stream Channel Encroachment Lines – 6 months to 2 years • 401 Water Quality Certification – Tied to 404 process • Coastal Wetlands • Structures and Dredging - 6 months to 2 years • Tidal Wetlands - 6 months to 2 years • Certificates of Permission – 3 to 6 months • Coastal Area Management – 1 to 3 months • Stormwater Permit for Construction Activities • Individual permit – 6 months • General permit – Register 30 days before construction Federal Level – ACOE 404 • CT Programmatic General Permit (PGP) • Category 1 – In-house sign-off • Category 2 – Tied to DEP process • Individual Permits – Tied to DEP process

12. Wetland Permits Processed Annually Through Office of Environmental Planning: State level: Approximately 50 permits/year • Inland Wetlands & Watercourses - 25 • Individual Permits - 20 • General Permits – 5 • Flood Management Certifications - 45 • General- 3 • Coastal Wetlands - 10 Federal level: Approximately 40 permits/year • CT Programmatic General Permits (PGP) • Category 1 - 15 • Category 2 - 20 • Individual Permits - 5

13. Project Hurdles • Listed Species • Both State & Federal Listings • Species are not necessarily wetland dependent • Incidental Take Process through Office of Policy & Management (OPM) required for Threatened or Endangered Species on State level • Section 7 Coordination on Federal level • DEP Adjudicated Hearings • Usually arise late in the permitting process • Requested by Public (25 signatures) • Requested by First Elected Official • Due to Significant Impact

15. Mitigation Aspects • Wetland Mitigation • New Guidelines from ACOE with ratios • Restoration • Enhancement • Creation • Preservation • Listed Species Mitigation • Extensive Field Studies • Habitat Creation, Enhancement • Preservation • ROW Issues

16. Water Resource Compliance • Provide Guidance on Stormwater Policy Issues • Permit Compliance during Construction • General & Special Permit Conditions • Time of Year Restrictions • In-stream work and / or due to protection of Listed Species • Water Handling / Constructability • Erosion Controls • Best Management Practices • Liaison between Construction and Regulatory Agencies • Review and Processing of Technical Plan Revisions, de minimus changes