CalTrans Partnering Program

By Dale Steele

CalTrans Environmental Program

An growing transportation program generates a considerably larger review and coordination workload. Caltrans recently created a new resource partnering program to fund resource management agencies in the creation of new positions to assist with priority transportation program work. Other activities of this new program include the exploration of new partnering opportunities with interagency resource groups and non–profit land trusts during mitigation and conservation activities.

To date, funding has established over 20 positions in both resource and regulatory agencies with identified staffing and workload issues. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Organizations selected this Caltrans program as one of 10 transportation projects in a seven state area to be part of a pilot program. This national pilot program hopes to find new ways to streamline and accelerate the delivery of transportation improvements while achieving better environmental protection.

Eight initial partnering contracts have been approved for a three–year period with an option for renewal, and agencies are currently filling the new positions. The partnering agencies include the California Coastal Commission, Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Carlsbad office), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, State Historic Preservation Office, National Marine Fisheries Service (Santa Rosa office), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Sacramento office), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Los Angeles office). Caltrans also created a full–time position to manage this statewide collaborative effort.

The Partnering Program will help ensure the availability of adequate staff for early and substantial involvement in Caltrans' project scoping and planning activities. Timely input from resource and regulatory agencies will enable Caltrans to address environmental issues in a more effective manner. These new staff positions will also provide various opportunities to develop more programmatic ways of dealing with routine activities and other tools to increase effectiveness while protecting environmental resources.

Other work within the Partnering Program includes regional field reviews and meetings between key Caltrans district management and representatives of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The program will foster the discussion of planned conservation actions and mitigation needs. Further coordination will likely include the development of Caltrans mitigation in cooperation with the acquisition of TNC "portfolio" sites. Biological criteria factors identified these portfolio sites to be in critical need of preservation.

The initial goal is to develop pilot efforts between Caltrans and TNC for larger landscape–scale conservation planning. The science behind these conservation efforts may be used to propose appropriate coverage for larger–scale mitigation planning by Caltrans.

The Program has been very well received by participating agencies and other interested organizations as additional funds become available. Transportation agencies in other states have shown considerable interest and this effort may be a national model for others to follow. For more information, please contact Dale Steele (916-653-8257 or Dale.Steele@dot.ca.gov).