Implementation of policies specified in §2.2 of this title (relating to Environmental Policy Statement) will be consistent with the following guidelines.

1. (1) Communication. The department will:

   1. (A) provide an interdisciplinary approach to the department's work through communication, which includes public information and education; early notice to the public; memorandum of understanding; and consultation and coordination with environmental and transportation interest groups, environmental agencies, resource agencies, businesses, communities, and other similar entities;
   2. (B) coordinate with a broad range of federal and state environmental, natural resource, and transportation agencies and organizations to accurately assess the current environment and potential environmental issues; and
   3. (C) heighten the awareness of all employees toward environmental issues, policy, preservation, and enhancement of the environment through training and similar means.

2. (2) Systems planning. The department will encourage:

   1. (A) use of transportation management systems, multimodal systems, interagency activities, and public/private partnerships to achieve innovative, environmentally sensitive solutions to transportation problems;

   2. (B) the metropolitan planning organizations and local government to:

      1. (i) promote the integration of land use, transportation, and environmental planning; and
      2. (ii) take a leadership role in the identification and consideration of environmental concerns during the development of regional transportation plans;
   3. (C) the input of environmental/resource agencies, groups, and the public throughout the systems planning stage to ensure full consideration of environmental issues in the development of transportation plans and improvement programs and to allow for environmental enhancement, when practicable; and
   4. (D) transportation corridor preservation in order to avoid or minimize future negative social, economic, and environmental impacts.

3. (3) Project development. The department will:

   1. (A) take into account all applicable environmental requirements of law and policy in reaching conclusions that reflect the public interest;
   2. (B) ensure that a systematic, interdisciplinary, and public approach is used to evaluate social, economic, and environmental impacts, both direct and indirect, associated with the department's transportation projects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including Texas Civil Statutes, Article 6673g, as added by Acts 1991, 72nd Legislature, Chapter 551, §17;
   3. (C) develop comprehensive environmental documents which address balancing social and other environmental concerns with economic issues;
   4. (D) develop comprehensive environmental documents that address measures and techniques to avoid, minimize, or mitigate for adverse environmental impacts and, when practicable, measures and techniques to enhance the environment;
   5. (E) objectively evaluate the full range of reasonable transportation alternatives that address existing and projected transportation needs including, but not limited to, the no-build option, traffic operations options, improvements to the existing system, and new construction;
   6. (F) individually customize each environmental assessment or environmental impact statement to appropriately address the nature, scope, and complexity of the transportation project; and
   7. (G) consolidate environmental considerations into the department's work and improve procedures for thorough and expeditious environmental review and timely decisions on transportation projects.

4. (4) Protection and enhancement. In the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of transportation facilities, the department will:

   1. (A) proactively address environmental issues;
   2. (B) develop plans, to the extent possible, that consider the transportation system as a whole from an aesthetic perspective;
   3. (C) be a leader in identifying and implementing measures to avoid, minimize, or compensate for adverse environmental impacts with emphasis placed on environmental preservation and enhancement;
   4. (D) strive to preserve significant historic, archaeological, and natural resources and implement all practicable measures to minimize unavoidable adverse effects; and
   5. (E) ensure the use of all reasonable and feasible mitigation measures, state-of-the-art analysis, and technology to minimize noise impacts in accordance with established noise abatement requirements and technology.

5. (5) Administration. The department will:

   1. (A) implement a construction phase field study of projects to evaluate the accuracy of the environmental documentation and to address any newly discovered impacts;
   2. (B) ensure that environmental commitments made during the planning, location, design, and environmental and public involvement phases of project development are implemented during project construction, maintenance, and operation;
   3. (C) support coordinated environmental research and conduct a program of related environmental information dissemination;
   4. (D) ensure that all necessary actions are taken to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the adverse effects that may result when the department handles, maintains, uses, stores, safeguards, or transports dangerous chemicals or hazardous materials; and
   5. (E) support, when practicable, the implementation of federal and state environmental programs, such as the recycling programs applicable to all department operations, roles, and missions.

Source Note:The provisions of this §2.4 adopted to be effective March 8, 1995, 20 TexReg 1339.