8:00 - 9:00 am

Registration and continental breakfast

9:00 - 9:10 am

Welcome

Frank Pafko, Director, Office of Environmental Services, Mn/DOT

9:10 - 9:30 am

Opening Remarks

Derrell Turner, Division Administrator, FHWA Minnesota Division
Tom Sorel, Commissioner, Mn/DOT
Moderator: Frank Pafko, Mn/DOT

9:30 - 10:30 am

General Session

Public Values/Public Trust and Transparency
Tom Sorel, Commissioner, Mn/DOT (1.8MB PDF)
Moderator: Frank Pafko, Mn/DOT
Commissioner Sorel will share his philosophy on these topics.

Context Sensitive Solutions Executive Action Plan
Janet D’Ignazio, ICF International (1.06MB PDF)
Moderator: Frank Pafko, Mn/DOT
The goal of this initiative is the integration of Context Sensitive Solutions principles, philosophy and benefits into Mn/DOT’s daily practices. The recommendations and status of the Action Plan will be discussed during this session.

10:30 - 10:45 am

Break

10:45 - 12:15 pm

General Session

Project Management During Crisis – What happens during the first week of a crisis
Jon Chiglo, Mn/DOT– 35W Bridge
Dave Redig, Mn/DOT District 6 (521.8MB PDF)
Moderator: Frank Pafko, Mn/DOT

12:15 - 1:15 pm

Lunch

1:15 - 2:15 pm

General Session

Public Involvement & Lessons Learned
Linda Figg, Figg Engineering
Moderator: Frank Pafko, Mn/DOT

Building a bridge is a monumental undertaking, and building one after a crisis requires the confidence and support of the public. The public involvement process on the new I-35W Bridge began with bringing together community members in a day-long FIGG Bridge Design Charette™ to help define the final bridge aesthetics. Involvement continued during construction, with Sidewalk Superintendent Talks, the project website, kiosks, self-guided tours, and educational programs for students. All of these community involvement opportunities helped the public have a sense of pride and confidence in the new bridge.

2:15 - 2:25 pm

Break

Concurrent Sessions

Session 1: NEPA/MEPA 101
Dave Gamble, FHWA Resource Center, Baltimore (6.83MB PDF)
Jennie Ross, Mn/DOT (81KB PDF)
Moderator: Cheryl Martin, FHWA

This session provides a basic understanding for the application of the FHWA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) project development and decision-making process. The requirements of the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act and differences with NEPA will also be discussed.

Session 2: Question & Answer Session from the General Session Panel: Project Management During Crisis
Jon Chiglo, Mn/DOT
Dave Redig, Mn/DOT District 6
Moderator: Kristen Zschomler, Mn/DOT

This session will provide an opportunity for further discussion.

Session 3: The New Revised NPDES & DNR General Permit
Brett Troyer, Mn/DOT (55.8MB PDF)
Peter Leete, DNR/Mn/DOT Liaison (64.9MB PDF)
Moderator: Lori Belz, Mn/DOT

This session will cover the latest changes and revisions to MPCA’s NPDES Permit and DNR’s General Permit. It will clarify what additional changes you must do on your project to be in compliance with either permit.

Concurrent Sessions

Session 4: Section 4(f) Updates and Project Examples
Dave Gamble, FHWA Resource Center, Baltimore (2.8MB PDF)
Moderator: Cheryl Martin, FHWA

This session will cover recent developments in the area of Section 4(f) and include specific project examples.

Session 5: Crisis Avoidance - Erosion Control (Art of Rapid Response)
Dwayne Stenlund, Mn/DOT (27.6MB PDF)
Moderator: Jeanne Witzig, Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc.

Context Sensitive Construction: Delivering on the environmental promises made while reacting to the unexpected during construction.

Session 6: Question & Answer Session from the General Session: Context Sensitive Solutions Executive Action Plan
Janet D’Ignazio, ICF International
Moderator: Scott Bradley, Mn/DOT

This session will provide an opportunity for further discussion.

Social Hour (Sponsored by Consultants)

7:15 - 8:00 am

Continental Breakfast

8:00 - 10:00 am

General Session

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Transportation Sources in Minnesota
Julian Marshall, University of Minnesota (9.03MB PDF)
Moderator: Charleen Zimmer, Zan Associates

The 2007 Minnesota Next Generation Energy Act established goals for reducing statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15% by 2015, 30% by 2025, and 80% by 2050, relative to 2005 levels. The Center for Transportation Studies (CTS) investigated strategies for meeting those reductions in Minnesota's transportation sector, which produces approximately 24% of total state GHG emissions. The study focused on three types of emission-reduction strategies: those that improve vehicle fuel economy, those that reduce the number of vehicle-miles traveled, and others that decrease the carbon content of fuel. Overall, the

Climate Change Issues Related to Transportation
Tim Sexton, Washington State DOT ( PDF)
Moderator: Charleen Zimmer, Zan Associates

The Washington State DOT is very pro-active when it comes to addressing climate change. This session will cover a wide variety of their efforts; from cost effectiveness to funding strategies, from HOV initiatives to legislative rules, from a statewide scope to project level analysis.

10:00 - 10:15 am

Break

10:15 - 11:15 am

Concurrent Sessions

Session 7: Environmental Documents Improvement
Jeanne Witzig, Kimley Horn & Associates, Inc. ( 108KB PDF)
Moderator: Jennie Ross, Mn/DOT

Mn/DOT/FHWA recently convened a series of focus groups to identify ways to improve the content and readability of environmental documents. This session will provide a summary of the findings, and how this information will be used to develop future guidance and training for document preparers.

Session 8: Contaminated Property Management
Nancy Radle, Mn/DOT (66.7MB PDF)
Moderator: Brian Kamnikar, Mn/DOT

This session will provide information and skills you can use to protect your construction budget from unexpected contamination issues on your project. Presentation will consist of case studies and solutions.

Session 9: 404 Permits Update and Relationship to NEPA
Tim Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (25.3MB PDF)
Moderator: Sarma Straumanis, Mn/DOT

This session will describe the relationship between NEPA and Section 404 permits. In addition, an update on Section 404 permit requirements will be presented.

11:20 - 12:20 pm

Concurrent Sessions

Session 10: The Basics of Noise and Noise Mitigation
Peter Wasko, Mn/DOT, Metro Division
Mel Roseen, Mn/DOT
Moderator: Cheryl Martin, FHWA

• View Presentation (260KB PDF)

This session will discuss basic principles of acoustics as well as noise mitigation practices that address Mn/DOT and FHWA noise policies and procedures.

Session 11: The New Project Scope & Cost Management Office
Jean Wallace, Mn/DOT
Peter Harff, Mn/DOT
Moderator: Rick Dalton, Mn/DOT Metro District

• View Presentation (7.26MB PDF)

What’s this new office all about? Get an overview of the newest office on the Mn/DOT org chart and learn how the new Mn/DOT project scoping and cost estimating processes relate to the NEPA/MEPA process, including identifying what project information is required to meet scoping and cost estimating needs.

Session 12: Addressing Climate Change in Transportation Environmental Documents – Washington State DOT Experience
Tim Sexton, Washington State DOT (2.2MB PDF)
Moderator: Marilyn Jordahl-Larson, Mn/DOT

This session will discuss how the Washington DOT is working toward addressing climate change at the project level, background and lessons learned, other agency involvement, and types of Green House Gases (GHG) analysis based on project level documentation.

12:20 - 1:15 pm

Lunch

1:15 - 2:15 pm

Awards Presentation

Frank Pafko, Director of Environmental Services, Mn/DOT (8MB PDF)

2:15 – 2:30 pm

Closing Remarks & Adjourn

Frank Pafko, Director of Environmental Services, Mn/DOT