MDOT Land and Water Resources
"Minimizing Harmful Impacts to Maryland's Natural Environment"
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is committed to delivering a transportation program that protects and improves the land and water resources of Maryland. MDOT projects are reviewed by resource and regulatory agencies for impacts to:
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Trees
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Water
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Wetlands
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Wildlife
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Aquatic Life
We work closely with Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, as well as other state and federal agencies to find ways to reduce our impact to natural resources.with Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, as well as other state and federal agencies to find ways to reduce our impact to natural resources.
MDOT is committed to improving the water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. As part of the Bay Restoration efforts, all Maryland Department of Transportation Business Units incorporate environmental Best Management Practices (BMPs).
In particular, to effectively reduce pollution in stormwater runoff from highway projects the MDOT State Highway Administration Bay Restoration viewer allows the public to view completed and proposed highway projects implementing BMPs such as tree planting, removing impervious areas (e.g. abandoned roadways, concrete ditches, raised concrete medians), stream restoration, subsoiling, street sweeping, capturing sediment and debris in catch basins, and incorporating grass swales and bio-swales to naturally remove pollutants and filter stormwater.
By implementing these BMPs, MDOT supports Maryland’s pledge to meet pollution reduction goals and U.S. EPA targets to restore the Bay by 2025.
*View this map in a separate window:
http://bit.ly/MD_BayRestoration
When impacts cannot be avoided, MDOT is required to provide mitigation. This may mean restoring a stream or planting trees. Planting trees is one of the most cost-effective water quality treatment strategies for reducing pollutants into Maryland's waters. Mitigation could also include building a wildlife passage to allow deer or fish to pass over or under our systems.
Additionally, MDOT actively supports habitat restoration such as MDOT MPA's efforts to repurpose dredged materials for the expansion of Poplar Island . Due to this effort, Poplar Island provides habitat for a variety of birds, mammals, and aquatic life.