2010 Annual Report - Maryland State Highway Administration

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Compliance % VII Environmental Compliance and Stewardship Improved water quality - meadow plants and trees decrease stormwater runoff better than mowed turf, resulting in better groundwater recharge and reduced sediment in bodies of water; Improved air quality – the growth of more trees and plants will result in the further removal of carbon dioxide, which will replenish oxygen and reduce the effects of greenhouse gas emissions; Wildlife habitats - meadow plants and trees attract small animals, birds and insects that are an important part of our ecosystem; Greater cost-savings - meadows and trees require low maintenance and with no annual reseeding, fertilizer or pesticides costs. Protecting Wildlife Near the Hampstead Bypass Project SHA continued its conservation grazing project of using goats and sheep within eight acres of meadows and bogs that surround the Hampstead Bypass in Carroll County. FY 2010 marked the second year of a $10,000 pilot project in an area in which traditional mowing methods could have led to a major disruption of the habitat or even injury or death of the bog turtle, listed as threatened by the Federal Endangered Species Act. SHA is allowing goats and sheep to graze in the fields, providing vegetation management during the mowing season which is just before the bog turtles begin hibernating for winter. To further protect the turtles SHA installed special fencing near the northern end of the bypass to deter the turtles from crossing the roadway. In another section, SHA is cultivating a field of white turtlehead (Chelone glabra) plants, a Maryland native species. The plants are the main habitat for survival of the official state insect, the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly. Listed as a rare species by DNR, the population of this butterfly has been further diminished in recent years by loss of natural habitat and this cultivation is an effort by SHA to increase the butterfly's population. Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly. Bioretention pond at Lutherville Elementary School. As noted above, SHA and ACF Maryland Chapter planted American chestnut trees on nearly three acres of land at the Bypass, with the goal to re-establish the tree. Improving Water Quality and Protecting the Chesapeake Bay SHA’s contributions toward restoration efforts for the Chesapeake Bay are extensive, ranging from participating in policy discussions to providing project funding and other support to other agencies for environmental enhancement activities. In FY 2010, SHA continued to participate in watershed registry meetings with the EPA, FHWA, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and MDE to collaborate on watershed mitigation and enhancement activities. In addition, SHA’s annual compliance rating with the NPDES requirements remains at 100 percent. 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% NPDES Compliance 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Calender Year 66 STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION | FY 2010 Annual Report
Non-Compliance findings Percentage Number of Stormwater Facilities Percentage Environmental Compliance and Stewardship VII Stormwater Management Facilities 2500 100% 2000 80% 1500 60% 1000 40% 500 20% SWM facilities are an integral component of the NPDES requirements, and SHA is working to attain 90 percent functionality statewide by 2012 in its inventory of SWM facilities. In FY 2010, SHA achieved 87 percent. SHA’s SWM program uses best management practices to safeguard the water quality of local waterways and the health of aquatic ecosystems. SHA is working with EPA to develop the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), the maximum amount of pollution the Chesapeake Bay can receive and still meet water quality standards, and a model for quantifying SHA pollutant load reductions to demonstrate TMDL compliance. 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 Unmitigated Non-Compliance Findings for SHA Facilities FY09 Q1 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Fiscal Year FY09 Q2 Number of Stormwater Facilities Percent in Complaince FY09 Q3 Actual FY09 Q4 FY10 Q1 Fiscal Year FY10 Q2 Target FY10 Q3 Erosion and Sediment Control Quality Assurance 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Fiscal Year Non-Compliance findings % ESC Compliance 0% 99% 98% 97% 96% 95% FY10 Q4 100% Environmental Compliance at SHA Buildings SHA completed Phase I environmental compliance audits at 29 maintenance facilities and initiated Phase II audits under a voluntary self-audit/self-disclosure agreement with EPA. Despite a 60 percent increase in the number of inspected or audited facilities under Phase 2 (from 29 to 48 facilities), SHA achieved outstanding performance in FY 2010, as demonstrated by a continued decrease in the number of findings and the number of findings remaining to be resolved. At the beginning of FY 2008, SHA had 1,447 findings; at the close of FY 2010, SHA had only 106 remaining findings. Erosion and Sediment Control (E&S Control) SHA complies with state E&S control permits and ensures that projects are built and maintained to meet or exceed permit conditions. Although achieving 100 percent compliance can be a challenge because of the complexity of construction projects and weather conditions, SHA achieved a 99.69 percent rating on construction projects. However, SHA continues to strive for 100 percent compliance because it recognizes that even a single non-compliance finding can be detrimental to the environment and may raise concerns for the public and regulators. SHA increased its E&S control inspection efforts in FY 2010 and moved to electronic data entry for inspection reports and documentation. An SHA quality assurance toolkit consolidates information into a single location, allowing the team to work independently with instant access to critical information. Inspection reporting is now completed in real-time, with access to reports by all management and system users. In FY 2010, a total of 3,194 inspections were performed on SHA construction projects, with the above-noted 99.69 percent compliance. SHA Environmental Marketing Plan SHA initiated an agency-wide environmental marketing plan in order to raise awareness of the substantial contributions SHA makes to environmental protection and enhancement. In FY 2010, the Marketing Plan Team completed the Message Map and a draft priority list of programs and projects for the website packaging. STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION | FY 2010 Annual Report 67
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2010 MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY ADMINIS
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i Glossary of Terms and Acronyms A
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I Overview of State Highway Adminis
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The Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the
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II Excellence in Our People and Our
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14 STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION | F
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Page 20 and 21: III Highway Safety Distracted/Drows
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Page 30 and 31: IV Mobility and Congestion Relief T
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Page 36 and 37: All of Maryland’s 23 counties, ex
Page 38 and 39: Number of Hours V System Preservati
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Page 42 and 43: Percent of SHA Roads That Have an A
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Page 62 and 63: Highway beautification involves imp
Page 64 and 65: VII Environmental Compliance and St
Page 66 and 67: Acres of Wetland Miles of Stream VI
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2010 Annual Report - Maryland State Highway Administration

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