A newsletter from TxDOT's Environmental Affairs EENNVVISIONISIONISION Division Volume 5, Issue 1 Spring 1999 12 Pages Court ruling on transportation air quality impacts TxDOT operations and funding By BILL KNOWLES construction. The court ruling invalidated new, conforming transportation plans Environmental Affairs Division this EPA rule. when their current plans begin to lapse as A recent court ruling on how the Impacts from the ruling include: early as late 2000. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ¥ Without the flexibility allowed under ¥ Without the flexibility allowed under enforces its rules may significantly delay a EPA regulations with which to advance EPA regulation, projects could be delayed large number of transportation projects in projects, hundreds of millions of dollars in three to four years. Projects would not be several areas across the nation. critical Texas transportation projects, allowed to continue until the area’s On March 2, 1999, the District of primarily in metropolitan areas, could be conforming transportation plan is Columbia Circuit Court issued a ruling significantly delayed by the court ruling. approved by the EPA. invalidating several provisions of the TxDOT and the Federal Highway ¥ The court ruling will delay projects EPA’s Air Quality Conformity Administration (FHWA) are still that have already received federal Regulations. Central to the court ruling is evaluating the potential impacts, but early environmental clearance. Prior to the how regionally significant transportation indications are that the court ruling could court’s ruling, projects that met projects may proceed in the absence of a jeopardize up to 60 percent of federal requirements of the National conforming transportation plan (a plan highway funding in the state’s Environmental Policy Act were developed to meet federal air quality metropolitan areas. The first areas likely to grandfathered. standards) Ð an issue referred to as be impacted are Austin, San Antonio and ¥ This is not just a TxDOT issue. The “conformity lapse.” Tyler-Longview, which are expected to be court ruling impacts regionally significant Before the court ruling, the EPA designated non-attainment by EPA as non-federally funded projects, including regulations allowed for projects that had early as July 2000. Current non-attainment city and county projects. been part of a previously conforming plan areas of Houston, Beaumont-Port Arthur, ¥ Project delays could not have come at and that were environmentally approved to Dallas-Fort Worth and El Paso could be a worse time and will stall efforts to be “grandfathered” and proceed to impacted if they are unable to develop See COURT, Page 9

Environmental training In this issue offered to district staff Stormwater ENV will provide two making, and will also serve as a management tool environmental training improve their skills needed to to help decision makers make runoff education classes for district staff document decisions and the an informed, reasoned, kit created, starting in May. rationale for those decisions. legally defensible decision The first class, Other objectives of the and to help the interested and Page 5 “Transportation NEPA and course are: affected public respond — Decision making: Managing ¥ To provide an effectively. and Documenting the understanding of integrated, In addition to the Regency Process,” will be offered May shared decision making as a Transportation NEPA class, 18-21 in Austin. The training context for environmental ENV will offer the suspension is designed to help attendees documentation, and “Environment in Project bridge reopened, develop a better ¥ To produce, direct, Development” class July 26- understanding of NEPA contribute to or review 30. The class is offered for Page 6 (National Environmental environmental decision the second time this year due Policy Act) and documents that illuminate the transportation decision decision-making process and See ENV, Page 9 Page 2 ENVision Spring 1999 Neeley brings sense of humor to sometimes tedious jobs

By JIM DOBBINS environmental manual. understands how each aspect of the Environmental Affairs Division “I like the fact that I can influence environmental clearance process works ENV’s Melissa Neeley knew at an TxDOT’s environmental policy,” Neeley together and is an invaluable asset to early age that she wanted to work for said. “I think TxDOT’s environmental TxDOT. Her sense of humor is TxDOT, where her father, Bill Neeley, appreciated as she has a way of lightening made a career in the Yoakum District and seemingly serious situations.” later became director of the Materials and ‘Her sense of humor is ap- A notorious practical joker, Neeley has Tests Division. preciated as she has a way of been the good-natured target of a few Neeley joined the department in May lightening seemingly serious pranks. 1980, when she went to work for the situations.’ “When I first promoted Melissa to a Houston District as an environmental supervisory position in the old specialist Ð her first job following her Ð Ken Bohuslav Environmental Section, then located at college career at Texas A&M University, Promontory Point in Austin, she was where she earned a bachelor’s degree in efforts have improved so much over the extremely proud to have an office with a political science and a master’s degree in years because we have a better educated door, and made numerous, often taunting urban planning. work force. I am proud that TxDOT has comments to the effect that she had a door Neeley’s younger brother, David, also instituted policies and procedures that and others did not. One day after work, works for TxDOT, serving as a project have given this agency credibility with one of her employees, Wayne Young, took engineer in the Waco District’s Hillsboro regulatory agencies and the public, and I her office door off the hinges as a prank Area Office. hope that I have played a part in that and hid it. About 8:10 the next morning, “There was a time when Melissa acceptance.” Melissa was meeting with someone in her thought that you had to be an A&M In recent years, Neeley served as the office when she suddenly noticed that the graduate to work for the department,” said lead staff person on the Transportation door was missing. She knew at once who the younger Neeley. “She believed this in Enhancement Project Evaluation the perpetrator was and came barreling out spite of the fact that our dad is a graduate Committee, which evaluated nominees for of her office shouting his name. Everyone of the University of Houston!” the Statewide Transportation else was in on the joke and had a good Neeley’s TxDOT career was Enhancement Program (STEP). STEP laugh,” Bohuslav said. interrupted by a two-year stint with a provides a conduit for obtaining federal Neeley played second base on the consulting firm, where she discovered, as funding for community projects that are short-lived ENV co-rec softball team in she puts it, “money isn’t everything and transportation related, such as renovating the Austin City League Ð a team likened to ethics do matter.” historic train stations or building hike and the “Bad News Bears” of movie fame. Neeley joined ENV’s predecessor, the bike trails. Neeley was instrumental in the “We were awful, I don’t think we won Environmental Section of the Design formation and success of the Continuous a single game,” said Tom Bruechert, an Division, in March 1987. Here, the Improvement Team on Environmental ENV Project Management Section field Yoakum native quickly earned a Coordination, which met with area supervisor who played on the team. reputation as an invaluable, “can-do” representatives of each district to “We couldn’t hit, field, catch or run the employee. determine who (ENV or the district staff) bases. I remember once when a line drive Elvia Gonzalez, a field area supervisor is responsible for each environmental was hit right at Melissa, she somehow in ENV’s Project Management Section, clearance task. Neeley also was managed to catch the ball. She was so has worked with Neeley for a number of instrumental in the development of the excited that she caught it, because years. Environment in Project Development typically, no one on the team made a catch “Melissa is very knowledgeable about class, a course that provides TxDOT like that. I think it made her night and we the NEPA (National Environmental Policy employees with an overview of the were all pleased for her.” Act) and the planning process,” Gonzalez environmental clearance process. Neeley is active in her church, where said. “She is very good at meeting short ENV Deputy Director Ken Bohuslav she is president of the congregation, sings deadlines and producing quality has worked with Neeley since she joined in the choir, and plays the bells. She documents. She also has a wonderful the Environmental Section of the Design volunteers her time with a number of sense of humor, which helps tremendously Division. charitable concerns, including Habitat for when the pressure is on.” “Melissa’s experience in transportation Humanity, literacy programs and annually Neeley enjoys the challenges of her environmental regulation is as broad as participates in the Austin Crop Walk, present position as the division’s anyone in TxDOT,” Bohuslav said. “She which raises funds to help feed the poor environmental planner, where, among has experience with a district, a here and in the developing world. Neeley other duties, she drafted TxDOT’s consultant, the Environmental Section of is the doting aunt of seven nieces and environmental rules and wrote the the Design Division and ENV. She three nephews, ages 2 through 17. ENVision Spring 1999 Page 3 Archeologists find pre-historic site on Milam County bridge project By JIM DOBBINS Environmental Affairs Division A practice used to search for archeological evidence in places where more traditional methods are ineffective produced results recently in Milam County. The procedure, which uses a backhoe to dig trenches in areas where traditional shovel tests are ineffective (see “Why do archeologists dig so many trenches?” Ð Winter 1998-99) has located three prehistoric Native American encampments on the banks of the Little River, just east of Cameron. The campsites are estimated to date to around 3,000 B.C. Steve Ahr is the ENV archeologist in charge of the project. “The area where the finds were made is located in the flood plain of the Little River,” Ahr said. “Because of the many layers of sediment found Jim Abbott, an archeologist with ENV’s Cultural Resources Management in flood plains, most archeological Section watches for artifacts as a trench is dug at the Texas 36 bridge. sites, when they are still intact and Trenches have uncovered evidence of a prehistoric camp adjacent to the have not been washed away, are bridge project. usually deeply buried. This is why the traditional shovel test, where holes about three feet deep are dug, is the trenches. let the loose dirt fall out, after which ineffective in this case. In order to “This was our second or third time they would look through soil to see effectively search for any signs of digging trenches for archeologists,” what else they could find. The whole archeological sites, trenches ranging Parsons said. “Each trench on this experience was new to me Ð I thought in depth from three to 12 feet were project was about 10 feet long, and it was very interesting to see what the dug with a backhoe. This is a our crew was on site for about 10 archeologists found.” becoming a common method of days. The backhoe operator would dig “The next stage will be further looking for archeological sites. What the trench then the archeologists testing of the sites,” Ahr said. makes it so attractive in places like would look through the dirt to see if “Blocks about six feet by six feet will flood plains is that it opens a there were any artifacts. I find the be excavated and evaluated to ‘window’ to increase our confidence work interesting, knowing that people determine if additional study is level in determining if an were there long before us.” warranted. These areas will be archeological site is present.” Among the artifacts identified are excavated sometime this summer. The sites are located in a flat, stone-lined campfire pits, charcoal, “The major benefit of trenching is wide, grassy area adjacent to the flint chips left over from tool making, that it locates deeply buried sites. If Texas 36 bridge. Plans call for a stone knives, scraping tools (used for any of these sites had been missed by parallel structure to be erected and cleaning animal hides) and deer-size our archeological survey and later the original bridge replaced as part of bones. found during construction, the work a highway improvement project that “We dug an average of six trenches on the project would have been halted will upgrade the current two-lane a day,” said Richard Vansa of the and a series of expensive steps would undivided highway into a four-lane Milam County Maintenance Section, have followed. With trenching, divided thoroughfare. who operated the backhoe during the TxDOT can avoid costly mistakes,” John Parsons is the maintenance survey. “If the archeologists found Ahr said. supervisor at the Milam County anything of interest, they would have These highway improvements are Maintenance Section, who provided me hydraulically shake the backhoe scheduled to let for contract in the backhoe and crew for excavating bucket to break up the dirt clods and September 2001. Page 4 ENVision Spring 1999 Hazardous materials research project kicks off By ERIN TRUJILLO has and must continue to install storm specification requirements to construct Environmental Affairs Division sewers in contaminated environments. storm sewers in contaminated Increasingly, districts encounter When contamination is encountered, environments. The results of this research contamination during the installation of certain steps must be taken to avoid project should not only help during storm sewers, especially in urban and adverse impacts to the environment and preliminary engineering of storm sewers developed areas. In response, the ENV’s protect human health. Projects with storm or drainage systems for depressed Hazardous Materials Management Section sewers pose an even greater financial risk roadways, but will also be valuable when proposed an applied research project to to TxDOT if contamination is not handled unanticipated contamination is TxDOT’s Research Management quickly, effectively and according to encountered during construction or when Committee. applicable regulations. For example, there contamination infiltrates previously In February 1999, the Construction are higher equipment and material costs, installed storm sewers. Division’s Research and Technology reflected in higher downtime rates, The researchers and TxDOT Project Transfer Section executed an agreement associated with the installation of storm advisors kicked off the project by meeting with the University of Texas at Arlington sewers. During the installation of storm on April 5 to discuss the San Antonio (UTA) and Texas Transportation Institute sewers, it is often not practical for the District’s experience with constructing (TTI) to conduct an applied research prime construction contractor to relocate storm sewers and drainage structures in project entitled “Design, Construction and to another area while the contamination is contaminated sites. UTA/TTI’s final Maintenance for Storm Sewers in dealt with. report is expected in October 2000. For Contaminated Environments.” The purpose of the research project is more information, districts can contact the TxDOT is making efforts to improve to look at previous case studies and director for this research project, Erin the identification of contamination at the current practices, provide information on Trujillo, Environmental Affairs Division, site of transportation projects prior to existing or new techniques and materials, at 512-416-3232, or GroupWise to construction. However, it is often develop evaluation tools to make cost- “etrujill”. impossible to avoid these areas. TxDOT effective decisions, and develop general

Section 7 meeting Four biological assessments may be annual event in progress is most ever A Feb. 22-23 workshop attended by TxDOT district and division staff and U.S. TxDOT now has four biological assessments under way, the most at any one Fish and Wildlife Service personnel was so time. successful that it may become an annual “TxDOT has only conducted maybe half a dozen biological assessments in event. the past 15 years and we have four under way right now,” said Bill Hood, a The meeting’s goal was to increase biologist in ENV’s Biological Resource Management Branch within the Natural understanding of the process for handling Resources Management Section. Endangered Species Act, Section 7 For most of TxDOT’s hundreds of projects, compliance with Section 7 of the consultations. The meeting focused on Endangered Species Act is resolved through informal consultation with the U.S. coordination between the two agencies on Fish and Wildlife Service, or no consultation is needed at all. A biological transportation projects involving endangered assessment is called for in the relatively few instances when formal consultation species. Attendance was deliberately kept is needed for a project. Formal consultations require a biological assessment, low to increase one-on-one interaction. which involves field work and a report on the level of impact the project will According to Ken Holmes, supervisor of have on the species. ENV’s Biological Resources Management “The majority of projects don’t require a biological assessment, or even Branch, TxDOT’s environmental informal consultation, because in most cases it’s obvious and easy to show that coordinators don’t have many opportunities no endangered species issues are present,” said Ken Holmes, supervisor of the for interaction on a regular basis with the Biological Resources Management Branch. federal agency’s staffers. The biological assessments now in progress are: “This allowed face-to-face discussions ¥ Navasota ladies trusses, Texas 40 project, Bryan District between the staffers for the two agencies. ¥ Black-capped vireo, along U.S. 277, Laredo District, Val Verde County We wanted to keep it small,” Holmes said. ¥ Texas Wild-rice, Blanco blind salamander, Texas blind salamander, The Section 7 consultation process and Fountain darter, San Marcos gambusia, and several cave invertebrates, Interstate real case project histories and related issues 35 near San Marcos, Austin District, Travis County were examined. ¥ Barton Springs Salamander, U.S. 290, Austin District, Travis County If you didn’t have a chance to attend this ENV is working on the biological assessments for the Bryan and Laredo year, you may get another opportunity. districts. The Austin District prepared the biological assessments for its “The plan is to repeat this annually and projects. have different people come in from the districts,” Holmes said. ENVision Spring 1999 Page 5 Kit aims to raise awareness about storm water pollution By MARY PEREZ “No Dumping – Drains to Waterways” Materials for contractors include rain Corpus Christi District designed to be placed on storm water gauges with a printed reminder on when What do rain gauges, water inlet inlets. Door hangers shaped like fish are to check Storm Water Pollution Preven- decals, fish-shaped door hangers, toy used in conjunction with the inlet decals tion Plan (SW3P) controls in the field tattoos, water quality handbooks and to educate the public on storm water. and posters with information on erosion wildflower seed packets have in com- Wildflower seed packets with a message and sediment control. Additional SW3P mon? If you answered Storm Water on the benefits of planting to prevent training is planned. Education, collect $200 and advance to erosion are also available. A slide show Educational materials aimed at GO! and display book for use at public TxDOT employees include storm water Municipalities with a population of events is planned. test kits for dry weather field screening 100,000 or more are required to have a Educational tools for of drainage outfalls. Jay McCurley, federal Environmental Protection children include Dallas District NPDES Coordinator, Agency (EPA) National Pollutant provided in-house Dry Weather Field Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Screening training in September 1998. permit for storm water discharges. In Plans are also in place to train employ- 1998, EPA delegated the permitting ees on other SW3P issues. program to the Texas Natural McCurley introduced some of Resource Conservation Commis- the public information materials at sion (TNRCC). In cities with a seminar in Dallas sponsored by populations of 100,000 or the local council of govern- more, TxDOT is considered ments. an operator of a Municipal “The EPA was present and Separate Storm Sewer was favorably impressed System (MS4) and is with our materials,” McCur- required to permit our ley said. discharges. In many of The El Paso District is these cities, TxDOT is a coordinating with the city co-permittee. In locations of El Paso to install curb where TxDOT is not a co- markers on Earth Day, permittee, the department according to Mary Telles- has an individual NPDES Goins, with the El Paso permit. Throughout the District. state, TxDOT is co-permittee Jean Beeman, ENV’s with 13 cities and has, or will public information officer, have, individual permits in and her staff worked with the Austin, Beaumont, Dallas, General Services Division to Irving, Mesquite, and Plano. produce and distribute these All permits require TxDOT to materials to the districts. implement a public education pro- The efforts of this group have gram. About a year ago, representa- made implementing storm water public tives from several TxDOT districts and education much easier. the Environmental Affairs Division “We would have never been able to (ENV) formed an informal public temporary tattoos with accomplish what we have done as a education committee to make the best the message “Use your brain, only rain group individually in our own districts”, use of the department’s financial down the drain,” and the distribution of said Becky Kureska, PIO for the Corpus resources and time. Meetings were held the TNRCC’s “Wet Instruction Hand- Christi District. throughout 1998 and public education book” that covers the basics of water Anyone interested in obtaining storm activities were identified to target the education, water quality and hands-on water educational materials or partici- general public, children, contractors and water quality activities. A Tex and Dot pating on this committee should contact TxDOT employees. activity book on storm water is also Jean Beeman at 512-416-3171, or Items available for distribution to the planned. GroupWise to “jbeema0”. public include decals with the message Page 6 ENVision Spring 1999 TxDOT reopens renovated Regency suspension bridge

Gov. Bush, thousands of locals welcome old bridge back to life By JIM DOBBINS Environmental Affairs Division The rare and historic Regency suspension bridge has received a new lease on life, thanks to a TxDOT renovation project. Spanning the Colorado River, connecting San Saba County Road 653 and Mills County Road 127, Regency Bridge connects the two counties near the old settlement of Regency. Built by the Austin Bridge Company of Dallas in 1939, the bridge has connected local communities for 60 years. The span is known to many Texans as the bridge pictured in the opening of each episode of the “Texas Country Reporter” television show. About 100 vehicles cross the bridge on a typical day. Master of Ceremonies, Bob Phillips (left) of the television show Situated on a high bluff over the Colorado “Texas Country Reporter,” introduces Gov. George W. Bush, as San River, Regency Bridge is composed of four Saba County Judge Harlen Barker (near right) and Mills County welded-steel towers (two on either end) topped by Judge Randy Wright (far right) applaud. cast-steel saddles supporting three and a quarter- inch cables that suspend the 343 feet long main span. Three Highway Administration (FHWA) through their off-system approach spans give the bridge a total length of 403 feet. The federal aid bridge replacement and rehabilitation program. Under bridge’s wooden deck is 16 feet wide. Regency Bridge is one of the program, TxDOT paid for 10 percent of the initial cost of six historic suspension bridges left in Texas and one of only two renovation, FHWA picked up 80 percent, and Mills and San Saba still open to vehicle traffic. Counties each covered five percent of the cost, initially estimated Regency Bridge was designated a Texas Historic Engineering at $300,000. Site in 1975 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Julie Lane, an ENV project manager who oversees the places the following year. In 1993, the process to rehabilitate the Brownwood District, where Regency Bridge is located, has bridge was begun when funding was sought from the Federal Continued on next page ENVision Spring 1999 Page 7

The turnout for the March 1 Regency Bridge dedication was huge, with hundreds more people coming than ex- pected. A 1918 Liberty truck (above) preserved by the San Antonio District served as stage for the ceremony.

(Continued from Page 6) visited the bridge many times over the rehabilitation in November 1997. The renovation in Colorado. Walter Lambert, years. work included replacing the wooden deck, an engineer on the Royal Gorge project, “I consider myself lucky to have this floor beams and hangers, and cleaning and developed a system to overcome the district because it is very meaningful to painting the metal towers. However, as problem, which we adapted for use on me,” Lane said. “My mother and father work progressed, it was discovered that Regency Bridge. We created an above- grew up there and both sets of my the cable anchors, which held the cables in ground anchorage system then inserted the grandparents still live there today. I was place that support the weight of the span, individual wire strands from each of the able to spend summers and Christmas were corroded and needed replacing. The four cables - 475 strands per cable - one at vacations in San Saba on the farm of my additional work added another $735,000 a time into each anchor. This was easily father’s parents. Just down the road from to the renovation effort, of which TxDOT the biggest challenge that we faced on the that farm is my family’s cemetery which paid for 20 percent of the cost and FHWA project.” overlooks a very pastoral setting. My dad, covered the remaining 80 percent. “The anchoring of the four cables took Charles Terry, retired from TxDOT as Charles Walker, a bridge design about three months to complete,” said Carl state bridge engineer in 1995. I remember engineer in the Design Division, worked Johnson of the Lampasas Area Office, hearing about the Regency Bridge as I was on the renovation plans for Regency who was the project inspector on the growing up and I was taken out to see that Bridge. bridge renovation. “There was a learning bridge several times. In recent years, my “During the initial restoration phase, curve involved, so as the work evolved, it dad and I would visit the bridge and we discovered that the cables were went faster, but there were 1,900 wires lament over its deteriorated condition. I’m corroding near the cable anchors, each that had to be individually anchored! I very glad to see the Regency Bridge buried near the four corners of the bridge,” found the project very interesting to work finally restored and I was pleased to play a Walker explained. “Fortunately for us, a on - the contractors were great to work small part in its rehabilitation.” similar problem had arisen during the with and wanted to do a good job on the SFW Construction of Killeen began the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge See REGENCY, Page 9 Page 8 ENVision Spring 1999 U.S. 77 project uncovers historic cemetery Graves of settlers and Indians may lie hidden at site of Spanish mission By AL McGRAW Environmental Affairs Division A recent discovery by TxDOT archeologists indicates that a portion of the historic Catholic cemetery of the Spanish Colonial mission of Nuestra Señora del Refugio may be within the right of way of U.S. 77 in Refugio County. Archeological monitoring of construction on U.S. 77 uncovered about 20 grave outlines and archeologists expect more as they continue their investigation. (see “Remains of Refugio mission left undisturbed by U.S. 77 widening” Ð Fall 1996) Mission Refugio is in the modern city of Refugio near Corpus Christi. The former mission, known as Our Lady of Archeologists excavate mission-period features along the east right of way Refuge or Nuestra Señora del Refugio, was built for Karankawa Native of U.S. 77. Burials were recently found nearby in the west right of way. Americans who once inhabited portions of (See related photo, Page 9) the Texas coast. First established in 1793, the mission was relocated several times, rebuilt on the ruins of the earlier Other activities included an initial finally near the Mission River in 1795. settlement and slowly evolved into the historical background review, The Refugio mission was the last to be existing town throughout the past century. archeological testing along the right of established in Texas and survived after the By the early 1900s, a portion of the former way that identified several colonial-era area became part of the Mexican Republic. mission site had become buried under trash pits, a determination that these pits Its focus was to Christianize local Alamo Street, the thoroughfare that met the criteria for eligibility for the Karankawa Native American groups. The preceded modern U.S. 77. National Register of Historic Places, and mission’s religious and cultural influence While the significance of the mission the use of a data recovery program to continued even after the mission was was not forgotten in the region’s history, mitigate the effects of the highway project closed in about 1824. the location of the various structures and upon those features. The Native Americans who were features of the mission slowly faded from As a result of historical research, attracted to the Refugio Mission consisted the historical record. The location of the TxDOT staff notified several Native of bands of hunters and gatherers whose cemetery appears to have been adjacent to American groups and the Catholic Church subsistence relied heavily on fishing and and extended away from one wall of the about the possibility of uncovering human other marine resources in the area’s bays church, possibly the front or a main remains related to the 1836 battle during and estuaries. Commonly known as the entrance. highway construction near the church. Karankawa, these Native Americans were Church burial records from the 19th Because of this possibility, a provision for distinguished by their life-style and Century indicate that the cemetery archeological monitoring was included in distinctive language from other Native contains the remains of former mission the construction plans. This monitoring American hunter-gatherers in South Texas inhabitants, soldiers, early settlers, and led to the discovery of the graves. such as the Coahuiltecos. The Karankawa Native American converts. Although TxDOT halted construction in the area are known to have inhabited portions of partial burial records exist, lineal of the burials and initiated coordination to the eastern and central Texas coast since descendants cannot be determined yet, nor address legal, regulatory, church, technical the 16th Century. The Karankawa can individual burial records be associated and community concerns. TxDOT directed disappeared from the historical record by with specific graves. TxDOT staff will try its archeological contractor to develop a the mid-19th Century following the re- to find descendants by identifying families proposal to remove the burials. The population of the region by Hispanic and in the area with the same surnames as proposal calls for the removal of all Anglo-American settlers. those listed in the burial records. human remains and burial objects in the Later, the former mission site and its The cemetery was found during on-site highway right of way. After the cemetery was the site of a bloody battle archeological monitoring and is the most excavations, archeologists will attempt to between a Mexican army and a small recent find in an intensive program of identify the ethnicity of the remains. group of Texans in March 1836. Like continuing historical and archeological Initial estimates based on the known other early towns that were destroyed studies being completed under Section 106 and projected areas of burials suggest that during the Texas Revolution, Refugio was of the National Historic Preservation Act. there may be fifty or more graves. ENVision Spring 1999 Page 9 The Environmental Affairs Division has met with and briefed the EPA: Ruling Texas Transportation Commission (Continued from Page 1) concerning the issue. Texas unclog traffic congestion. Texas is transportation officials are urging experiencing rapid growth and Congress to step in. In an April 13 transportation infrastructure letter to members of the Texas improvements are critical to meeting Congressional Delegation, the Texas TxDOT goals of mobility and safety. Transportation Commission asked Traffic on Texas highways has more Congress for a legislative remedy via than tripled in the past 30 years, from codifing into law the EPA rules struck 40 billion annual vehicle miles down by the court. traveled in 1967 to 130 billion in The court ruling is the result of a 1997. TxDOT projects a 45 percent suit brought against the EPA by the increase in traffic during the next 18 Environmental Defense Fund. years. only spoken with by phone. ENV: Classes Both classes are designed for staff (Continued from Page 1) who work in the environmental, in part to a large influx of new district planning or design areas of TxDOT. environmental staff. For more information about any of The Environment in Project these classes, contact Jean Beeman, Development class provides trainees ENV, 512-416-3171, or GroupWise to with an overview of the environmental “jbeema0”. issues addressed during project development, environmental analyses, Bat brochure honored the need for public involvement, and The brochure “Bats ‘N’ Bridges” the preparation of environmental written by ENV’s Jim Dobbins and The modern Our Lady of Refuge Catholic documents for transportation projects. designed by Richard Goldsmith, both Church believed to have been built on the Because the class is primarily taught of the Communications Branch, won foundation of the Spanish mission in Refugio. by ENV staff, it gives new district a Best of Texas Certificate of Merit in staff a chance to meet with their (See related story and photo, Page 8) the 1998 Texas Public Relations Best division counterparts that may have of Texas competition. Regency: Suspension bridge rebuilt (Continued from Page 7) maintenance supervisors Keith Miller, families, neighbors, communities and bridge, and I found it personally satisfying Ronnie Vaughn and their crews.” towns. The bridge has always been as the bridge was built by the company I San Saba County Judge Harlen Barker important to the people of the surrounding worked for before I joined TxDOT.” echoed Passmore’s sentiments. area as a means of transporting their goods Besides the new, sturdier anchorage, the “We could not have saved this bridge from the ranch or farm to the market, bridge’s wooden deck was replaced by glue without TxDOT’s help,” Barker said. getting supplies, and providing access to laminated timbers, which are stronger and Mike Belvin, Brownwood District shopping in the larger nearby towns. weather better than the original deck. environmental coordinator, said he “It was truly amazing that day to stand The bridge was rededicated March 1, especially enjoyed working on the project beneath the bridge, which seemed so tall when Governor George W. Bush and a “because of the cooperation of all parties from that perspective, and feel a sense of number of local dignitaries reopened the involved. It’s great seeing the end result and pride in that majestic structure and in what bridge before a crowd of more than 2,000 knowing that we all worked together to get has been accomplished. It was difficult not citizens. Bob Phillips, host of “Texas it done.” to be moved by the fact that so may people Country Reporter,” served as master of “The area under the Regency Bridge played a part in helping to preserve this ceremonies. Brownwood District Engineer where people gathered was an old fishing significant structure, thereby preserving an Lynn Passmore was among those who camp that was used for the ceremony,” said important part of Texas history. The fact addressed the crowd. Lane, who attended the rededication that an expected crowd of 300-400 people “We didn’t do this alone,” Passmore ceremony. “Some local schools had sent turned into a sea of over 2000 that day said. “We are grateful for the vision and their students on a field trip so that they proved without a doubt that people are dedication of everyone who made this could witness the historic event. The interested in their past.” project a reality. We received incredible Goldthwaite High School band was dressed Two earlier bridges situated nearby both support from the Bridge Section of the in their black and gold uniforms and failed in spectacular fashion. A 1903- Design Division and the Environmental provided the music. Some folks brought constructed truss bridge collapsed in 1924 Affairs Division. We appreciate the work lawn chairs, and people were talking and under the weight of a herd of cattle, sending done by our district employees: Howard visiting with their friends and neighbors. It one cowboy and countless animals to their Holland, area engineer and project manager; seemed as if everyone knew everyone, and death. A second low-water crossing built in Carl Johnson, project inspector; roadway rightly so - Regency Bridge unites friends, 1931 was destroyed in a 1936 flood. Page 10 ENVision Spring 1999 ENV welcomes bumper crop of seven new staff members Seven new staffers joined ENV recently and two HMM’s Operations and Maintenance Branch where her Project Management Section (PM) staff members moved duties will include LPST and underground injection to TxDOT’s Transportation Planning Division (TPP). well cleanup programs. Orlando Jamandre Jr., a project manager and Rodney Concienne, moved from ENV’s Natural socioeconomic specialist for ENV since November 1995, Resources Management Section (NRM) to HMM. left PM in mid-February to move to TPP where he is Concienne came to ENV in July from the Texas Natural now a metropolitan planner. Resource Conservation Commission’s Remediation Greg Wood, who joined ENV in August 1990 as an Division’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. He is now in archeologist and later became a project manager, also HMM’s Operations and Maintenance Branch as an moved to TPP as of March 1. Wood is now reviewing environmental specialist. projects from all districts for long-range project status Sue McClenahan started with NRM’s Biological and is working on revisions to the Texas Transportation Resource Management Branch on March 22. Plan. McClenahan came to Austin from Las Cruces, New Kathie Dupuis joined PM Feb. 22 and will assume Mexico. She has been a wildlife student at New Mexico responsibility for the Amarillo, Laredo, Odessa and State University and expects to finish her master’s Tyler districts. Dupuis has a bachelor’s degree in degree in November. Her master’s degree research is environmental management/biology from the University on burrowing owls. She has also worked on a research of Texas at Austin and a master’s in environmental project involving bald eagles on one of Ted Turner’s management/geography from Southwest Texas State ranches in New Mexico. University. She worked for TxDOT in the summer of Manjunath Venkat joined NRM’s Water Resources 1998 conducting black-capped vireo surveys. Management Branch April 1. Venkat will handle Shonda Taylor joined PM on March 8 and will handle wetlands and non-point source pollution permit issues. the Abilene, Atlanta, Corpus Christi, and Lufkin Before joining ENV Venkat spent 3 1/2 years with the districts. Taylor has a bachelor’s degree in Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission environmental science with a minor in technical writing (TNRCC). At the TNRCC Venkat was a trustee for the from Louisiana Tech University. She recently earned her state under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment master’s in soil and environmental science from Prairie Program, determining the need and amount for View A&M. Her research involved the comparison of restitution or restoration after events such as oil spills. natural and constructed wetlands. He also worked for a year in another TNRCC division Amy Lash has joined PM on March 1 and will handle where he handled wetlands issues. He was also with the the Waco, Lubbock, El Paso and Beaumont districts. state of California’s Water Resources Control Board Lash received a bachelor’s degree in science in for four years. Venkat has a master’s degree in geography/geology from Southwest Texas State environmental biology from Baylor University, a University. She previously worked for the City of Austin bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from as a planner. Bangalore University in his native India, and he did ENV’s air quality specialist, Bill Knowles, of PM, is postgraduate work in England for one year. He and his now Bill Knowles, P.E., after he received his board wife, Andrea, have a 2-year-old son, Rohan. certification as a professional engineer in February. Peter Dedek joined the Cultural Resources Don Hill, P.E., of ENV’s Hazardous Materials Management Section’s Historical Studies Branch April Management Section (HMM) was promoted to 1 and will initially handle the Dallas, Lufkin and supervise that section’s new Operations and Atlanta districts. Dedek has a bachelor’s degree in Maintenance Branch. Hill started with TxDOT and ENV interior design and housing economics and a master’s in early 1993. Prior to that he was deputy chief of the degree in interior design and historic preservation, both Environmental Management Branch at Bergstrom Air from Cornell University. He is working on his Force Base. dissertation to finish his doctoral degree in historic Sheran Wright joined HMM March 1. Wright is a preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. recent University of Texas at Austin graduate with a His dissertation will be about U.S. Route 66. He bachelor’s degree in civil/environmental engineering. worked for one year at the Southwest Pennsylvania She worked for Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. for Heritage Preservation Commission. five years as an environmental technician. Wright is in ENVision Spring 1999 Page 11 Riverside Campus Earth Day event draws 200 staffers By JIM DOBBINS by CRM's Steve Sadowsky Environmental Affairs Division More than 200 Austin division and office employees celebrated Earth Day (April 22) at the first Archeology Al Ann ever TxDOT Gardenfest at Find the names of these archeological terms and Riverside Annex. Anthropology The event was hosted by the staff members listed in the column at right in the Apache Landscape Section of the Design puzzle below. Names may be horizontal, vertical, Archeology Division (DES), the Recycling diagonal, and in reverse order. Letters may be used Artifact Section of the General Services more than once. (Answers on Page 12.) Barbara Division (GSD) and the Burial Environmental Affairs Division Mound (ENV). Gardenfest’s centerpiece Caddo was 10 yards of ‘Dillo Dirt CHUY SAT I HC IWNOHMD Cemetery donated by the City of Austin’s Cherokee Water and Wastewater Utility and ORCACHEROKEE I A I HN a drawing for six trees donated by Chert TreeFolks. Also available for UDHRYGOLOPORHTNAO Chuy inspection were samples of Comanche various recycled materials used in SNEERCSVIANI SAHCM Copane TxDOT transportation projects, Coushatta free gardening and landscaping HAYEEVLME SCALEROY Daymond tips, information on the City of Dennis Austin’s rain water harvesting AOSETUVAHLTEROMUA rebate program, and literature Diane describing TxDOT’s TT IUEBOI INTENAIDD Excavate environmental efforts. Flint “I thought we had a very high THNAMVAPTNYETHDGT Fossil degree of interest in Gardenfest,” Hasinai said Barrie Cogburn, a DES ALNGEMANWGONSMDRE Jim landscape architect. “Having the Jumano ‘Dillo Dirt on hand allowed ANEHCNAMOCSWI TEEP Karankawa TxDOT engineers a first hand opportunity to look at a biosolids- XTDNUOMLA I RUBHNTE Kiowa based compost, which is called for Lain in Statewide Special Specification HCMI ACOEEULOCEDPE Lipan 1009, issued last year. At many Mescalero transportation project sites, we YAOWTEFL I NTUHTAOR Midden have problems with erosion due to UFORABGHT IACAAINI Nancy the poor quality of the topsoil and Pat the difficulty of getting vegetation Provenience established. Our engineers can I I CHK I DRAYAPOVRAN specify the use of composts like Rockart ‘Dillo Dirt to get vegetation KTCODDACWPTCOAEMG Ruins Screen established quicker and help NRMYMSBOAUAHACVUN overcome the problems caused by Shovel test erosion.” AAESHANHKWTTDXEJ S Steve Travel and Information Susie Division (TRV) photographer UK I PROVEN I ENCETUC Tepee ring Michael Amador used the ‘Dillo Tigua Dirt and free gardening tips to TU I BTONKAWAL I S SOF tackle some landscaping projects Tim at his home. Others, like TRV YTAOCJULRU INS I I TN Tonkawa photo librarian Anne Cook, used Trash pit the compost to nurture some OREMT IGUAWLDENUTY Two freshly planted bedding Waco vegetation. AOEULMI KKROCKARTO Wichita See EARTH DAY, Page 12 Page 12 ENVision Spring 1999

Environmental Affairs Division 125 East 11th Street Austin, Texas 78701-2483

Address correction requested

CHUY SAT I HC IWNOHMD Earth Day: ‘Dillo dirt, trees given away ORCACHEROKEE I A I HN (Continued from Page 11) safe! Employees used anything Ð paper UDHRYGOLOPORHTNAO “I was very pleased with the turnout for sacks, flower pots, five-gallon buckets, SNEERCSVIANI SAHCM the event,” said Dick Peterson, the City of wheel barrels, and boxes to load whatever HAYEEVLME SCALEROY Austin’s xeriscape coordinator. “I found amount of compost they could carry. In the AOSETUVAHLTEROMUA quite a bit of interest in the city’s rainwater end, there were three and four guys TT IUEBOI INTENAIDD harvesting rebate program, and expect a shoveling ‘Dillo Dirt into the back of their THNAMVAPTNYETHDGT number of additional participants as a direct pickup trucks.” ALNGEMANWGONSMDRE result of Gardenfest. For me, it was time Lucky winners of the trees were Rory ANEHCNAMOCSWI TEEP well spent.” Meza, DES; David Messineo, XTDNUOMLA I RUBHNTE “Some aspects of Gardenfest were a Transportation Planning and Programming HCMI ACOEEULOCEDPE sight,” said Sam Reyes of GSD’s Recycling Division (TPP); Danette Palenske, DES; YAOWTEFL I NTUHTAOR Office, who helped organize Gardenfest. Kevin Pruski, Construction Division; Peggy UFORABGHT IACAAINI I I CHK I DRAYAPOVRAN “Well-dressed folks were rolling up their Thurin, TPP; and Noemi Rios, GSD. KTCODDACWPTCOAEMG sleeves and tucking their ties inside their “I won a Monterey Oak,” said Pruski, a NRMYMSBOAUAHACVUN transportation engineer. “I transplanted the shirt for a chance to shovel free ‘Dillo Dirt. AAESHANHKWTTDXEJ S We had a line of cars and trucks waiting to tree into a larger pot to allow it to grow a bit UK I PROVEN I ENCETUC load the ‘Dillo Dirt after lunch. If anyone bigger. Ultimately, I will plant the tree in TU I BTONKAWAL I S SOF arrived at the office the next day and found my front yard.” YTAOCJULRU INS I I TN the office trashcan missing, I think I know Did you miss out on Gardenfest? Look OREMT IGUAWLDENUTY why Ð not a single empty container was for Gardenfest II in April of next year. AOEULMI KKROCKARTO

Division Director ENVision is a publication of the Goldsmith, phone 512-416-2743 or Dianna F. Noble, P.E. Environmental Affairs Division, via GroupWise to “rgoldsmi”. Texas Department of Transportation, Is ENVision going to the right Deputy Division Director 125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas, person in your organization? Please Ken Bohuslav, P.E. 78701-2483. contact us to correct an address or to We welcome ideas for stories and suggest additions to the mailing list. Communications Director standing features. Submit those to Jean Beeman the above address, attention Richard RECYCLED PAPER SOY-BASED INK Editor Richard Goldsmith