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Beginning June 1, 2006, consultants on contract with Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) must be approved to write WSDOT Biological Assessments (BAs) through a process that demonstrates their qualifications to write BAs. In addition to the qualification requirement for writing WSDOT BAs, BA authors will need to ensure their documents adhere to strict quality control standards in order to maintain their status as a qualified WSDOT BA author. WSDOT is implementing this process to demonstrate quality control and accountability to the regulatory agencies, the public, and the legislature. |
The primary goal of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is to provide safe, efficient, dependable and environmentally responsible transportation facilities and services. The need to provide transportation for the state requires that WSDOT assume the role of developer. As a developer, the Department must obtain permits from federal, state and local agencies when projects pass through sensitive areas, such as wetlands or stream corridors. As a state agency, WSDOT is committed to preserving, protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources.
As transportation projects are planned and designed, WSDOT biologists evaluate the potential for adverse impacts to natural resources. If a potential impact is identified, fieldwork is completed to determine the nature of the resource and recommend ways to avoid or minimize impacts. The most common assessments address wetlands, streams and threatened and endangered species.
Some of the tasks WSDOT biologists are frequently involved in include project impact assessment, wetland inventories, wetland delineations, stream surveys, biological assessments for threatened and endangered plant or animal species, wetland mitigation planning and design, wetland mitigation monitoring, mitigation banking, fish passage assessment and enhancement, maintenance and evaluation of wildlife mortality data, environmental research, interagency coordination and training.
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Biology contact: Paul Wagner |
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