Environment

Preserving and protecting the environmental resources along the State Highway 130 corridor follows a long-established commitment to environmental protection by the Texas Department of Transportation.

In partnership with TxDOT, Lone Star Infrastructure is developing SH 130 in full compliance with all environmental laws and regulations. The environmental policy for SH 130 can be encapsulated in two words: zero violations. To achieve this goal, environmental impacts to resources such as wetlands, water quality, wildlife habitat, archeological and historical resources are being aggressively monitored ensuring that both the design and construction of SH 130 meet all applicable environmental requirements. Click here to see a copy of the official policy document.

To achieve the project's environmental goals, an independent environmental compliance team reviews design and monitors construction to achieve maximum avoidance and minimal impact on the environment. The team includes wetlands and wildlife biologists, archeologists and architectural historians and water quality, hazardous materials and noise specialists.

The functions of the compliance team are implemented through an Environmental Management System (EMS) designed to achieve the project's environmental objectives through careful planning, implementation and operation. The EMS calls for an environmental training program for all employees, as well as execution of procedures developed to guarantee compliance. Part of the EMS calls for the development of certain tools, such as the Project Mitigation Plan and the Construction Monitoring Plan which will provide the basis for sound environmental management throughout the duration of the project.

Environmental Compliance Inspectors (ECI) monitor all activities to ensure protection of sensitive resources and compliance with applicable environmental permits. Daily monitoring logs are compiled into weekly reports that will are reviewed by a multi-tiered environmental management team. Both TxDOT and LSI environmental personnel conduct spot checks of construction activity to ensure proper coverage of all areas. This system is guided by the underlying principle of continual improvement.

Through the SH 130 Comprehensive Development Agreement, TxDOT has created an organizational structure that extends objectives of the National Environmental Policy Act into the design and construction of the project. For example, the environmental compliance team scrutinizes the detailed design of the project to ensure it conforms to the findings in the environmental impact statement (EIS). Should the project's design result in impacts that differ from those documented in the EIS, the compliance management function will ensure modifications to the environmental documentation are made in a timely manner. These actions will allow the SH 130 project to remain in compliance with environmental regulations and to stay within the project schedule.

TxDOT and LSI, along with other resource agencies are taking extensive measures to protect the environment along the SH 130 corridor. Developing new wetlands, conducting archeological surveys in the right of way and installing bat roosts under certain bridges are just a few examples of the dedication to making SH 130 environmentally sound throughout the entire development process.