New Paradigm for State Department of Transportation Environmental Initiatives: New York State’s Guidelines and Procedures

Abstract

Public-works agencies have an obligation to enhance the environment as opportunities arise. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has developed an environmental initiative to make an affirmative contribution to the environment, using the department’s organizational strengths. The environmental initiative is a paradigm shift applicable to all departments of transportation (DOTs). Conventional reactive regulatory compliance can reduce unnecessary environmental damage and sometimes gain grudging regulatory agency cooperation; however, it is not a positive, satisfying way of doing the people’s work. Through proactive steps, NYSDOT has become an important part of the state’s environmental solution (often at little or no additional cost) and has changed its working relationships with environmental agencies and groups. As these agencies and groups have become partners, instead of adversaries, permit-approval times have improved, mitigation costs have declined, morale has improved, and cost-effective environmental benefits are being realized. Procedures are outlined to apply the engineering capabilities of a DOT to the environmental-stewardship responsibilities shared by all governmental organizations.

Promoting Environmental Stewardship in Transportation: Maintenance and Operations at the New York State Department of Transportation

“…The first phase of the Environmental Initiative, as described in McVoy et al (1), has been considered a success. NYSDOT has gone beyond the original concept of the initiative to adopt an overarching stewardship approach, whereby the department's environmental ethic integrates and progresses other concepts such as contextsensitive solutions, Quality Communities, and public outreach.…”