Assignment 4 environmental-1

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1 T EXAS A&M U NIVERSITY Z ACHRY D EPARTMENT OF C IVIL E NGINEERING CVEN 349: C IVIL E NGINEERING P ROJECT M ANAGEMENT Spring 2023 Assignment 4 TOTAL POINTS: 100 DUE DATE: 9:35AM Thursday March 23, 2023 OBJECTIVES Familiarization with the environmental review process and regulations associated with civil engineering projects and understand the ramifications to project management. DELIVERABLES Submit this assignment in via the Turnitin Link in the Assignment Folder in Canvas by 9:35AM Thursday March 23, 2023. RESPONIBLE PARTIES/REQUIREMENT FOR PROPER DOCUMENTATION This is an individual assignment that requires the use of resources identified in class as well others to complete the questions. Some resources have been identified and I encourage you to seek out others. In all cases, you must properly document sources of information, use proper citations, and identify assumptions you make to answer the questions . If you have questions on how to properly reference and cite material, ask your TA or I. Remember, the objective of this assignment is to become familiar with the environmental review process and regulations associated with civil engineering projects. Cutting and pasting material without proper citations will not achieve this and more importantly, is at a minimum, a zero for the assignment. PART I (30 points) As discussed in class the Trump administration undertook a variety of changes to the major federal environmental rules and regulations that impacted civil engineering projects. Some of these were significant changes whereas others are described as tweaks to current practices. The Biden administration has reversed many of these and proposes additional changes. a) Investigate what are the proposed changes to the federal environmental laws by the current administration. The proposed changes that the current administration does to the federal environmental laws is by clearing the limits. President Trumps attempted to eliminate existing policies, canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and taking care by the Executive Order 13771. (1) On the other side, President Biden is cannot unilaterally eliminate these rules but trying to get the EPA pass the regulations in order to fight for the climate change and pollution. Biden believes that the Green New Deal is a crucial framework made the pollution and climate challenges we face right now.(2) b) Describe the proposed changes to at least two of the following: 1. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 2. Clean Water Act (CWA) Made their initial formulation like treated small ponds and seasonal streams, interlinked water system. (1) 3. Clean Air Act (CAA) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation by preserving and implementing the CAA (2) 4. Endangered Species Act (ESA).

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY ZACHRY DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CVEN 349: CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT Spring 2023 2 c) Describe what the Trump administration had seen as problems with the current environmental regulations that you have chosen to assess. Based on President Trump ’ s point of views, he thinks that the environmental regulations are important and consequential to the economy and for the environment of the US. (1) d) How could the proposed changes by the Biden administration impact the project development process? In other words, what are the benefits of environmental regulations? The benefits of environmental regulations is if the impact that the project development can process to the world, it will have more efficient, cost effective, make the environmental more clean without any pollute. (1) Source Documents: ▪ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting- public-health-and-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-climate-crisis/ ▪ https://www.enr.com/articles/48739-skirmishing-continues-over-trump-revisions-to-nepa-rules ▪ https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/what-do-next-four-years-have-store-for-wildlife A look at all of Biden ’ s changes to energy and environmental regulations. John Timmer ▪ https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/01/a-look-at-all-of-bidens-changes-to-energy-and-environmental- regulations/ (1) The Biden Plan for a Clean Energy Revolution and Environmental Justice. Democratic National Committee ▪ https://joebiden.com/climate-plan/# (2) PART II (20 points) Civil engineers and project managers should understand environmental requirements, the requirements of applicable regulations, and have an understanding of organizational responsibilities for the various parties associated with the development of a project. As a recently hire civil engineer for an engineering design and construction firm you have been asked to provide an assessment of a 350,000 sq. ft. state of the art ethanol processing plant to be built in Houston, Texas by a major oil company to produce ethanol for their petroleum products. You have been told that the facility in addition to other pollutants has the potential to emit 250 tons per year of the criteria pollutant carbon monoxide. Your supervisor has asked you to research the environmental considerations for such a project and has provided the following minimum questions to be answered: a) What are the laws and regulations apply for such a project? The laws and regulations are CAA, CWA, NEPA, Pollution prevention Act, Resources Conservation and recovery act, Emergency planning and community right to know act. b) What are the potential penalties involved? The potential penalties involved depend on the infraction and environmental laws, mostly you will be fines money up to 40 to 50 thousand dollars and in jail for like a year. c) What are the responsibilities of affiliated parties? The responsibilities of affiliated parties are the engineering and all the construction firm have to has the correct permits. Take responsibility to keep the project working on the right path and take everything under control without any mistake. Have to precise in planning and creating the way the project should process and making sure the owners are responsible to operate with the plan.(1) d) Given EPA’s limits on carbon monoxide pollution , how does this impact the proposed plant? What should we recommend to the owner? Given limits on carbon monoxide will impacts how much the plant can produce ethanol. We should recommend to the owner to low down or limit the CO2 when produce ethanol. It would make the environment safer and cleaner.

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY ZACHRY DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CVEN 349: CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT Spring 2023 3 Source Documents U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7. (2007). “ Environmental Laws Applicable to Construction and Operation of Ethanol Plants. Available at: http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=P100L386.txt (1) PART III (25 points) A current national discussion that will significantly impact future civil engineering and construction jobs are the various efforts to increase our energy security and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Significant oil and gas discoveries in North America and advanced technologies to extract these resources. The extraction processes as well as the transportation of these resources require a review and assessment of potential environmental impacts. a) Describe the basics of the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline (why is it needed, what is it, where, who owns, etc.). Keystone XL Pipeline proposed by TC energy then TransCanada in 2008. Designed to transport the planet ’ s fossil fuel and tar sands oil from Canada to Texas to produce plants. (1) b) What are the identified and potential environmental issues? The way the pipeline transport is one of the safe ways to do but because of the length of pipe are connected, it hard to fix and find the right way to replace the pipe when it needs to be. c) What laws guide the planning, design, and construction of the proposed pipeline? All the US laws like CAA, CWA, NEPA, etc … since we are working on with air and water a lot. d) What is the status of the environmental review process and how does that impact design, construction, and costs of the project? It will either be giving you a Finding of No significant impact, or it will be significant to find out the extent and minimize the safety of environmental impact. e) What are the pros and cons of going through the environmental review process? In your opinion, is the process reasonable and justifiable? Pros: the impact on the environment will be a problem when building all the projects, cutting down the trees and forest will lead to climate change. Cons: will cost us a lot of money and delay on the project will give you a big problem. I think the process is reasonable and justifiable because we need to make things change based on times goes by and the needs of human but we still have to protect the environment and minimize the potential of pollution happening to our communities. Source Documents: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/trump-administration-approves-keystone-pipeline-on-u-s-land http://www.keystone-xl.com/ https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/13/reuters-america-update-2-tc-energy-eyes-further-hurdles-not-ready-to-commit- to-keystone-xl-pipeline.html?&qsearchterm=keystone%20 https://www.nrdc.org/stories/what-keystone-xl-pipeline (1)

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TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY ZACHRY DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CVEN 349: CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT Spring 2023 4 Part IV (25 Points) Identify a real-world construction project that is either in the planning or construction phase of development. This could be a campus building project, a TxDOT project near campus or home, the proposed high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston, etc. a) Use photos (can be from properly cited on-line sources) to identify at least two environmental issues. Environmental issues can be but are not limited to: design features to mitigate or address environmental concerns (e.g. condominium project setback requirements from coastal dunes); alteration of construction practices (e.g. use of a hybrid bulldozer to minimize air pollution contributions); actual problems during construction (e.g. siltation of a stream due to the failure of erosion control measures). Project I: I-10 – KENDALL EXTENSION The project purpose is to improve safety and traffic operations along the I-10 corridor, in order to accommodate future growth in the area be expected to increase by 88% over the next 30 years. The environmental issue in this project since it going to occur from state highway 46 to Fair Oaks Pkwy, a long distance would get a lot of traffic when we block the road or lane, produce lot of pollution and dust on the air. Also we will have to expand the Balcones creek area, will lead to many problems about the flood and leveling the ground for the project so engineers like us will need to make sure all the safety precautions will prepare and the planning need to be efficient and precise.(1) Project II: Loop 1604 Improvements project The project purpose is to Expand LP 1604 from US 90 south to I-35 from the existing 2-lane roadway to a 4-lane divided roadway with shoulders and pedestrian accommodations as needed. The problem is based on the situation we will need to a lot of heavy equipment and this is a big problem when we will have to do it at a populated area. It could be an environmental issue when we are using

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY ZACHRY DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CVEN 349: CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT Spring 2023 5 all the machine and equipment, so TxDot engineers need to think about using some hybrid fuel for produce more clean air and limit of using the heavy machine and equipment during the rush hours. (2) b) Identify the environmental rules and/or regulations that most likely mandate or guide the issues you have photographed (no need to be exact or too specific). Does the photo document compliance or non-compliance? In either case, what are some of the responsibilities of a project manager specific to this issue? The photos document shows compliance based on all the rules like CAA, CWA and NEPA. Some of the responsibilities of a project manager specific to this issue like the air quality requirements, solid waste and other safety precaution if needed. (3) c) Using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered Species Website ( https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/ ) to identify, what Threatened and Endangered Species may exist in proximity of the project (use the County and State search function to narrow the list in proximity — Exceeded Job Requirements is OK to copy and paste the list)? Zizania texana Texas wild-rice Grus americana Whooping crane Perimyotis subflavus Tricolored bat pecki Peck's cave amphipod Heterelmis comalensis Comal Springs riffle beetle Stygoparnus comalensis Comal Springs dryopid Beetle Fusconaia mitchelli false spike Cyclonaias necki Guadalupe Orb Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald eagle Danaus plexippus Monarch butterfly Obovaria retusa Ring pink (mussel) d) Per the Endangered Species Act, what needs to happen if one of listed Threatened or Endangered Species is thought to exist on the project site? What happens is a bulldozer runs over an Endangered Species during construction? If one of the listed exist on the project site, we will have to apply to get a permit and make sure that the plan needs to be fix and take under control in order to pass the inspections. If some thing bad happens like bulldozer runs over, we will be fined up to 50 thousand dollars and worst can be in jail up to one years.(4) Source Documents: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2005). Managing Your Environmental Responsibilities: A Planning Guide for Construction and Development (Meyers Guide). Available at: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/managing-your-environmental-responsibilities-planning-guide-construction- and-development (3) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (December 8, 2015 update). Endangered Species Act – Overview. Available at : http://www.fws.gov/endangered/laws-policies/index.html (4) I-10 KENDALL EXTENSION https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/sat/notices/120815- presentation.pdf (1) Loop 1604 Improvements Project https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/sat/lp1604-us90- i35/092817-presentation.pdf (2)

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY ZACHRY DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CVEN 349: CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT Spring 2023 6

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