LRRB INV #: SP&R #: ARTS Project #: TITLE OF PROJECT: MnDOT BMP's for Potentially Acid-Generating (PAG) Rock

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1 Version 1/23/2015 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND PROJECT PROPOSAL LRRB INV #: SP&R #: ARTS Project #: TITLE OF PROJECT: MnDOT BMP's for Potentially Acid-Generating (PAG) Rock PROJECT PROPOSED BY: Jason Richter, Chief Geologist; Materials & Road Research Lab Page 1 of 8 TOTAL BUDGET $_250,000 OVERALL PROJECT SCHEDULE SOURCE AMOUNT MnDOT State Research Funds $ DATE PLAN COMPLETED: March 2017 Office or District Funds... $ (allow time for review, approval and contract process) Federal SP&R ( %) $ PROJECT START DATE: July 2017 LRRB $ PROJECT LENGTH (MONTHS): 24 Other: $ PROJECT OVERVIEW AND GOALS Proposals to mine copper and nickel bearing bedrock in northeast Minnesota have created local awareness and concerns surrounding the environmental impacts related to potentially acid generating (PAG) minerals. PAG minerals can be found in glacial overburden and bedrock throughout Minnesota, particularly the northern half of Minnesota. Upon exposure to air and water, PAG minerals generate acidic and sulfate rich solutions which can impair surface water and groundwater and negatively impact aquatic and plant life. In transportation settings throughout the U.S., PAG rock has been responsible for structural failures due to corrosion and spalling as well as destabilization in rock, soil and fill slopes. MnDOT, MnDNR and other local government units have dealt with and will continue to deal with PAG rock, particularly when soil, rock and aggregate excavations exhume and expose PAG minerals. An available guidance manual, specifically for MnDOT, would help direct decision makers when PAG rock is anticipated on a project. This proposal is to develop a guidance manual specific to Minnesota and its geological formations so that PAG rock can be properly identified and characterized prior to construction, properly handled and mitigated during construction and properly monitored (if needed) following construction. Recent project experience by MnDOT and MnDNR will be incorporated into the manual (TH169 Eagles Nest and Vermillion State Park, for example) as well as methods and BMP's found in other states' guidance manuals (PennDOT and TennDOT, in particular). MnDOT PROJECT MANAGER OR TECHNICAL LIAISON Jason Richter Materials and Research Lab Maplewood jason.richter@state.mn.us APPROVALS OFFICE DIRECTOR OR DISTRICT ENGINEER Office or District: _Office of Materials and Road Research I hereby certify sufficient staff time will be scheduled for the Project Manager and staff to complete the project as outlined in the attached work plan, and commit any Office or District funds as listed above. DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH SERVICES SECTION Signature of Office Director or District Engineer: Glenn Engstrom Date: Signature of the Director of Research Services: Approval of work plan and any MnDOT State Research Program funds as listed above. Date:

2 Page 2 of 8 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND PROJECT PROPOSAL INNOVATION ROADMAP INFORMATION 1) What are the expected benefits to MnDOT from implementing the results of the project? What is the impact on the department? Construction Savings (Materials, labor, equipment, time, quality) Decrease Engineering/Administrative Costs (Planning/design costs, paperwork) Decrease Lifecycle Costs Environmental Aspects (Pollution, hazardous waste reductions, recycling) Quantitative benefit estimates (time, materials, and dollars) are not possible at this time since the scope and scale of future projects with PAG rock presence as well as the scale of needed mitigation measures is unpredictable. However, the benefits of an available guidance document become obvious when one considers that over a decade's worth of internal labor and inflationary construction costs were incurred on theth169 Eagles Nest project alone. Positive budgetary impact will accrue from optimized designs and efficient use of personnel/assets. be a positive perception from public and federal/state regulatory agencies for addressing a potential environmental risk. There will 2) What transportation problem is this project solving? What has been attempted in the past to solve this problem and what remains to be solved? PAG rock/minerals are present in overburden soils and bedrock, particularly in northern Minnesota. Upon exposure to air and water PAG minerals create acidic and sulfate rich solutions which can impair surface and groundwater and negatively impact aquatic and plant life. MnDOT will continue to encounter PAG materials during soil and rock excavations as well as in aggregates utilized on MnDOT projects. No guidance document specific to Minnesota exists which would help decision makers navigate this issue. Prior to the TH169 Eagles Nest project, the environmental risks related to the presence of PAG rock were never addressed during any phase of MnDOT projects. The development of a guidance manual which incorporates experiences from MnDOT, MnDNR and other state DOT's would help during the decision making process when PAG rock is anticipated on MnDOT projects. 3) Additional information about the project and goals: (Please see cover page of this Implementation Plan.) 4) How does the proposed project build upon previous research? If further research is proposed, why does similar previous research not solve the Minnesota transportation problem being addressed and why is further research needed? New research is not anticipated. This project will incorporate prior research and project experience from local agencies, other DOT's and the mining sector as well as recent MnDOT project experience. The MnDNR has performed and continues to perform research locally on Minnesota geologic formations. The effects of acid/sulfate generation have been researched globally for mining purposes. PennDOT and TennDOT have incorporated research and project related experience to develop manuals which address PAG rock/soil issues specific to their states 5) How will the results of the completed project be put into practice and deployed by MnDOT? Who needs to make a formal decision to implement and deploy, and who would be responsible for implementation and deployment? The project will develop the following end-user products: Manual, handbook or field guide Best practices guidance

3 Page 3 of 8 Manual/Best Practice Guide- Manual will provide guidance at all stages of project (particularly, scoping and predesign) so that decision makers ensure that PAG rock is properly identified, characterized, handled, mitigated and monitored. New Spec- Spec revisions similar to B.7 (taconite) may need to be created for other specs such as Revisions to 2106 and 3149 may also be needed. Decision Making Process- The decision making process could change in some districts where PAG rock is present to prevalent. Project considerations could range from applying basic mitigation methods to fully avoiding potential project sites. Technical advisory panel or project steering committee: Jason Richter (TL) Duane Hill (MnDOT) Michael Kalnbach (MnDOT) Dan Squires (MnDOT) Nancy Frick (MnDOT) Zachary Wenz (MnDNR) Dennis Martin (MnDNR) John Heine (UMD-NRRI) Rens Verburg (Golder Associates) Steve Gale (GaleTec Engineering) Mehgan Blair (Barr Engineering) MnDOT specialty offices: Bridge Maintenance Materials MnDOT Districts and District functional groups: District 1, District Engineer Additional key practitioners or management champions: Duane Hill (project champion) Project Managers Management group: CMG, PCMG Practitioner committee: MEO SEO Other cooperating program or agency: Other stakeholders: Others who may be interested, not listed above: DNR MPCA MnIT involvement (software, data management, or technology devices): none Items for State contract or Approved Products list: none Intellectual Property or licensing: none

4 6) What future efforts or steps will be needed to derive full benefits from the expected results of this project? MnDOT is committed to the following future steps: Richter and Contractor: Present manual to target audience (primarily, PM's, materials/soils engineers) Richter and Contractor: Present manual to national audience Utilize the PAG Best Practices Manual on future projects in certain geological areas Page 4 of 8 7) Communication Plan Catch phrase for marketing: Taking the Burn Out of Acid Rock *or* Turn Down the Acid Rock! Target audience for early communication (in addition to those named above): Internal (primarily, Districts 1, 2 and 3): Project Managers Materials Engineers Soils Engineers Early Communication plan: Small group discussions Facilitated focus groups Brainstorming meeting Online survey Telephone interviews One-on-one meetings Webinar Videoconference meeting exchange Target audience for rolling out the innovation: Internal: Project Managers, Materials Engineers, Soils Engineers, Geology Unit, Design, Construction, Inspection, Environmental Documentation External: Consultants, MN Government Agencies (DNR, PCA, DOH), MN Counties, Federal Agencies (EPA, ACOE), other state DOT's Roll-out message, methods and activities: The message is that the PAG rock issue has reached Minnesota and is on the local environmental radar. Consequently, in certain areas of the state its presence should be considered during project planning, particularly, when soil and rock excavations and aggregate usage are proposed. Ultimately, it will be communicated that a tool/manual is being developed to help decision makers navigate this issue. We would also share our experience from the TH169 Eagles Nest project to communicate how the PAG rock issue can complicate, delay and drive up costs of projects if not addressed early.

5 Jason Richter (MnDOT Chief Geologist) would be most effective at delivering the message. Page 5 of 8 Presentation to a conference Roll-out timing and responsibilities: Jason Richter and/or contractor will perform roll-out. Marketing/communication products/events not necessary. Primary internal target audience can be reached during either MEO/SEO meetings or GES's annual district meetingsvery little lead time needed. This product will be very attractive to a national/international audience- 6 to 12 months needed for conference planning. PROJECT WORK PLAN INFORMATION SCOPE: Briefly summarize the scope of work of this project. This includes an overall description of how the project will be conducted. Please summarize coordination with other projects or other work that is necessary for completion of this project, such as specialized help or input including data, materials, equipment, facilities, etc. Scope: The contractor will develop a guidance document/manual similar to those published for other state DOT's, such as PennDOT and TennDOT. The manual will be specific to Minnesota geology and will help MnDOT assess environmental risks and take appropriate steps when PAG rock is anticipated in proposed project areas. The contractor will identify geologic environs/formations in Minnesota where PAG rock could be encountered or has been encountered so that, preferably, a GIS-based risk-screening tool can be developed which will guide the user towards a proper characterization, mitigation and monitoring strategy for a specific project area. The developer/consultant will draw upon prior MnDOT and MnDNR project experience and research, protocols from other DOT's as well as mining sector experience and research. Statistical analyses of data generated from the TH169 Eagles Nest Project will be very useful. Budget: $250,000 for 18 months. (Estimate determined from proposals submitted for PAG Research Needs Statement (#469).) Contracting: Barr Engineering may be best suited as prime contractor. It would be helpful if the Economic Geology Group of UMD-Natural Resources Research Institute could be included via sub-contract to provide geologic/geochemical/geostatistical expertise and review- both Barr Engineering and UMD-NRRI have worked on the TH169 Eagles Nest project and have extensive and local familiarity with the PAG rock issue in MN. Procurement process unknown at this time. TASKS: List the major tasks in the sequence necessary to complete the project, including the elements listed below. Scope: Schedule: Budget: For each task, give a task title, describe the work that will be included the in task and who will perform the work (consultants, contractors, university researchers, MnDOT personnel, or others). Purchase orders for equipment can be included here as a task to be completed by MnDOT. For each task there should be at least one deliverable, such as a report, test results, equipment, software, etc. Indicate a realistic duration for each task, and proposed start and end dates. The contract execution date will be unknown at the time this work plan is prepared, so it is important to note any hard schedule requirements for task start or ending dates, such as for seasonally-dependent work. For each task, provide the total cost to complete the task. Tasks performed by MnDOT personnel may have zero-dollar budgets for the purpose of this work plan. Task 1: Review and compile methods of PAG rock screening, characterization, mitigation and monitoring utilized by MnDOT, MnDNR and other local/national/international government agencies Time: MnDOT & Barr Engineering: 3 months Cost: $35,000). Task 2: Identify geologic environs/formations within MnDOT ROW where PAG rock may be encountered within

6 future MnDOT ROW Time: UMD-NRRI: 6 months Cost: $70,000 Page 6 of 8 Task 3: Develop GIS coverages using highway, bedrock, overburden, water resource and aggregate data which would enable PAG rock risk evaluation Time: Barr Engineering: 3 months Cost: $35,000 Task 4: Assemble and statistically analyze TH169 Eagles Nest data for making recommendations related to PAG rock characterization Time: UMD-NRRI: 1 month Cost: $10,000 Task 5: Draft guidance manual Time: Barr Engineering: 6 months Cost: $70,000 Task 6: Review and finalize guidance manual 1. Time: Barr Engineering UMD -NRRI, MnDOT: 4 months 2. Cost: $20,000 Task 7: Final Report Publication and editorial review Time: 2 months Cost: $10,000 SCHEDULE SUMMARY: List each task, start and end dates, or attach a Gantt chart. Approximately 24 months

7 Page 7 of 8 DETAILED BUDGET FOR ENTIRE PROJECT DOLLAR AMOUNT (OMIT CENTS) FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019/20 TOTALS DIRECT COSTS CONSULTANT, CONTRACTOR AND TESTING COSTS (list each contract and its expected cost) $100,000 $150,000 $250,000 EQUIPMENT (itemize by vendor) SUPPLIES TOTAL DIRECT COSTS TOTAL PROJECT COSTS $100,000 $150,000 $250,000 BUDGET BY SUMMARY TASK AND CONSULTANT/VENDOR: (List task number and dollar value for each task in the work plan. If the project includes consultant contract or vendor P.O., provide breakdown of task budget. Insert additional rows as necessary.) Task Number Task Description Consultant, Vendor or Contractor Name Cost 1 Review and compile methods of PAG rock MnDOT $35,000 screening, characterization, mitigation and BARR Engineering monitoring utilized by MnDOT, MnDNR and other local/national/international government agencies Identify geologic environs/formations within UMD - NRRI $70,000 2 MnDOT ROW where PAG rock may be encountered within future MnDOT ROW Develop GIS coverages using highway, bedrock, BARR Engineering $35,000 3 overburden, water resource and aggregate data which would enable PAG rock risk evaluation Assemble and statistically analyze TH169 Eagles UMD - NRRI $10,000 4 Nest data for making recommendations related to PAG rock characterization Draft guidance manual BARR Engineering $70,000 5 Review and finalize guidance manual BARR Engineering $20,000 6 UMD NRRI MnDOT 7 Final Report Publication Barr Engineering $10,000 $250,000 TOTAL PROJECT COSTS

8 COMMENTS/JUSTIFICATION Page 8 of 8