Untitled Document

Letters

Pictures of success

David S. Ekern
Idaho Transportation Department

Congratulations.

Last year was another winning year for roadside vegetation. Your agency’s entry in the 2003 Photo Opportunity competition held by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) newsletter, Greener Roadsides, has been selected for recognition. The purpose of the competition is to honor photography submitted by state departments of transportation which depicts roadside vegetation programs that protect remnant native vegetation, use native wildflowers and grasses in landscaping, control invasive species, and demonstrate overall good stewardship in managing highway rights-of-way.

Winning photographs were chosen in seven categories:

1) Planted native wildflowers and native grasses;
2) Planted non-native wildflowers;
3) Protected native plant community remnants;
4) Public awareness efforts;
5) Close-ups;
6) Restoration and management; and
7) Invasive species

Photos submitted by your department earned a first in category 7 (invasive species). We will follow this letter with an award crystal honoring your department’s winning entry that we will forward through our FHWA division office.

We will feature the winning photographs in FHWA presentations, public awareness pieces and next year, an Earth Day planner. A special edition of Greener Roadsides, due to be published soon, will showcase the first-place winning photos.

Photos from Idaho will be accompanied by a full-color article on your state’s roadside vegetation program.

Again, congratulations on your state’s excellent effort.

Mary E. Peters
Administrator, FHWA

Collaboration on Milepost 31 project

Jim Carpenter
Idaho Transportation Department

David Mabe, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries Idaho State Director, and I would like to thank you and your staff for your prompt and professional response to the concerns raised regarding the Milepost 31 project. Your staff rapidly responded to my requests for additional information so that we could quickly complete the necessary work to keep this project on track.

Zach and Shawn are among the finest Environmental Planners I work with, and their willingness to work with NOAA fisheries is what is needed to smoothly complete Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act.

Additionally, the staff you assembled on the project location for my site visit was exactly what was needed for the task at hand.

This type of interagency cooperation is a model for how Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act is supposed to occur under unforeseen circumstances. Again,, thanks to you and your staff for the fine work.

Nikki Leonard
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
Boise

TRANSPORTER HOME

MILESTONES