Conduct Hazardous Materials (HazMat) investigations and sampling to identify potential contamination in work areas and document risks.
Use Ecology's Facility/Site Atlas to identify Ecology regulated facilities (Federal Superfund/NPL sites, SHWS/CSCS, LUST and USTs) and solid waste facilities (landfills and transfer stations) in or adjacent to the project area.
Inspections & sampling
Contact the HazMat Program to schedule the following inspections, assessments, and sampling during design to identify potential HazMat concerns:
- Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) - If the Discipline Report identified a need.
- Phase II ESA - If the Phase I ESA indicated potential contamination or if WSDOT will acquire a property.
- Underground storage tanks (UST) – To have USTs in the project area assessed.
- Lead based paint sampling - If your project may contain paint from before 1980.
Transaction screening
Use the Transactional Screening Template (PDF 223 KB) to identify environmental concerns for real estate acquisitions that deal with easements and that are needed to support the appraisal of those easements.
Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
Conduct a Phase 1 ESA for all real estate transactions where property is being acquired, and for permanent or temporary easements. Use the Phase 1 Template (PDF 321 KB) to identify environmental liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA …i.e. Superfund) and/or corresponding state law prior to the real estate transaction.
Asbestos good faith inspections
For all WSDOT capital construction projects, the Project Engineer, Environmental Manager, Hazardous Materials Specialist, or AHERA Building Inspector must complete and sign an Asbestos good faith inspection form (PDF 2.7MB) that states either Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) may be disturbed by the project and an asbestos GFI will be conducted, or ACM is not expected to be disturbed and a project specific asbestos GFI will not be conducted.
A copy of this completed form (and any additional asbestos GFI report if one is required) must be provided as part of the bid package to notify contractors of the presence or absence of ACM prior to bid opening. Additional information can be found at the Asbestos good faith inspection guidance (PDF 160KB), updated January 2023.
Geotechnical investigations
Geotechnical crews must follow the Geotechnical Design Manual which includes policies and procedures for managing HazMat in Chapter 3: Field Investigation, Appendix 3-E, and Appendix 3-F. Crews should use the Contaminated geotechnical drilling waste decision tree (PDF 788KB) to decide how to best manage geotechnical drilling waste that may be contaminated.
Environmental coordinators, work through the Environmental assessment checklist for geotechnical drilling activities (PDF 106KB) with the Project Engineer and HazMat Program to ensure that the requirements for geotechnical drilling activities have been met.
Document impacts
Use the Hazardous Materials ERS/ECS guidance for WSDOT projects (PDF 37KB) to answer the HazMat questions in ERS and ECS.
Use the following tools to write a HazMat Discipline Report for NEPA/SEPA compliance:
- Guidance & Standard Methodology for WSDOT HazMat Discipline Reports (PDF 71KB) – How to prepare a HazMat Discipline Report for WSDOT projects.
- Standard Impacts and Mitigation Measures (PDF 83KB) – Identify mitigation measures to include in Section IV of the discipline report based on common impacts.
Prepare a SPCC plan for any project
Find out how to prepare and review Spill prevention, control, & countermeasures (SPCC) plans as part of the Stormwater Pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) on the Stormwater & water quality webpage.
Include inadvertent discovery language in the contract
Ask the Project Engineer to incorporate inadvertent discovery contract requirements if the project:
- Is aware of contamination within the site boundaries but will not disturb or discharge it due to work activities or contract requirements.
- Has reason to expect contamination may be encountered during construction due to proximity of known contamination to project boundaries or work activity.
Manuals
Environmental Manual Chapter 447: Hazardous Materials (HazMat) & Solid Waste (PDF 275KB)
Geotechnical Design Manual Chapter 3: Field Investigation – to manage HazMat during geotechnical surveys.
Report a spill
Ecology’s Report a spill of oil or hazardous materials website
Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan (SPCC) flowchart (PDF 54KB)
Links & templates
Ecology’s Facility/Site Atlas and What's in My Neighborhood - to identify Ecology regulated facilities (Federal Superfund/NPL sites, SHWS/CSCS, LUST and USTs) and solid waste facilities (landfills and transfer stations) in or adjacent to the project area.
Asbestos good faith inspection form (PDF 2.7MB) - To determine if there are any asbestos contained materials ACM for each project.
Contaminated geotechnical drilling waste decision tree (PDF 788KB) - To decide how to best manage geotechnical drilling waste that may be contaminated.
Environmental assessment checklist for geotechnical drilling activities (PDF 106KB) - To ensure that the requirements for geotechnical drilling activities have been met with the Project Engineer and HazMat Program.
Hazardous Materials ERS/ECS guidance for WSDOT projects (PDF 37KB) - To answer the HazMat questions in ERS and ECS.
Guidance & Standard Methodology for WSDOT HazMat Discipline Reports (PDF 71KB) – How to prepare a HazMat Discipline Report for WSDOT projects.
Standard Impacts and Mitigation Measures (PDF 83KB) – Identify mitigation measures to include in Section IV of the discipline report based on common impacts.
Track & manage commitments
Environmental Manual Chapter 490: Tracking environmental commitments (PDF 208KB) - During design in our Environmental Manual – To track commitments.
Environmental Manual Chapter 590: Incorporating environmental commitments into contracts (PDF 434KB) –To manage commitments.
Commitment tracking system (CTS) web application - track and manage environmental commitments. Find instructions on how to use CTS on the CTS help menu.
Report a spill
Ecology’s Report a spill of oil or hazardous materials website
General support
Contact the HazMat Program to schedule inspections, assessments, and sampling of and for help documenting impacts to hazardous materials.
Haz Mat Lead
Jamie Butler
360-570-2587
Jamie.Butler@wsdot.wa.gov