APPENDIX A

Survey Questionnaire

NCHRP PROJECT 20-05 SYNTHESIS TOPIC 55-16

Use of Sustainable Materials for ESC Practices

State Department of Transportation Survey

Dear State DOT Stormwater Professional,

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is preparing this synthesis on the Use of Sustainable Materials for ESC Practices. This is being done for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), under the sponsorship of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify, document, and summarize practices used by state DOTs to reduce the use of plastics in ESC practices. The results of this questionnaire will be incorporated into a synthesis of highway agency practices, with the intent of helping agencies evaluate and improve their strategy for reducing, or eliminating, ESC practices containing plastics. If your state DOT does not have a policy in place regarding plastics in ESC practices, you will only have a few questions to answer.

Typically, staff within the construction, environmental, or materials/test divisions would be appropriate to fill out this survey since it asks detailed questions about ESC products and polices for selecting practices. It is our understanding that you are one of your State DOTs primary contacts regarding ESCs, however we realize these responsibilities may be shared across various offices in your state DOT, so you may consider seeking additional guidance from colleagues in completing this questionnaire. If you are not the appropriate person to complete this survey, please forward it to the correct person at your agency and CC Dr. Blake Whitman in the email.

Please complete and submit this survey by February 19, 2024. This survey was designed to take approximately 15 minutes and it is set up so you can exit and return to the survey if you need to allocate your time over several sessions. If you have any questions or problems related to this questionnaire, please contact Dr. Blake Whitman.

Questionnaire Tips

• If you are unable to complete the questionnaire, you can return to the questionnaire at any time by reentering through the provided survey link as long as you access the questionnaire from the same computer and browser. Reentering the survey will return you to the last completed question.
• Survey navigation is conducted by selecting the “Back” (previous) or “Next” button at the bottom of each page.
• Until you submit the survey, you may revise your answers at any time.
• There is no time limit once you begin the survey.
• The back button on the browser should not be used.
• All fields that have an asterisk are required.
• For reference, a PDF of the questionnaire is attached to the original email. If you did not receive the PDF questionnaire, one can be requested by contacting Dr. Blake Whitman.

Thank you for sharing your time and expertise with the DOT community.

Guidance

This questionnaire seeks to synthesize the use of sustainable materials for ESC measures used during construction. For the purpose of this questionnaire, please consider the following definitions:

Definitions

• Approved / Qualified Products List: a document or database maintained by a government agency or organization that lists products or materials that have met certain predefined standards or qualifications. These lists are often used in procurement and public projects to ensure that the products or materials used meet specific quality, safety, and performance requirements.
• Biodegradable: the ability of a substance to be broken down and decomposed by natural processes into simpler, environmentally benign substances.
• Elimination: the process of eliminating the use of harmful substances or practices that have a negative impact on the ecosystem.
• Erosion: the process of detachment and transport of soil particles by water, wind, gravity, ice, or other natural forces.
• Permanent ESC Measures: measures used to reduce the dislodgement and transport of soil during construction and after site stabilization that are intended to have permanent durations.
• Plastic: a synthetic or semi-synthetic material made from polymers, which are long chains of molecules built from smaller units called monomers.
• Plastic-containing ESC Practices/Products: products, practices, or materials that may include plastic substances, such as: netting, socking, geosynthetics, skimmers, pipe, fasteners, geogrid, etc.

• Recycling: the process of collecting, sorting, processing, and transforming used or waste materials, known as recyclables, into new products or materials.
• Reduction: the process of decreasing or minimizing the consumption of resources, energy, or waste production to mitigate environmental impacts.
• Sediment: soil particles transported or deposited by the action of wind, water, gravity, or ice, as a product of erosion.
• Sustainability: the responsible use and preservation of natural resources to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• Temporary ESC Measures: measures used to reduce the dislodgement and transport of soil during construction activities and will be removed upon final stabilization.

Questionnaire

1. Contact Information
   1. First Name: [enter answer here]
   2. Last Name: [enter answer here]
   3. Title: [enter answer here]
   4. Email: [enter answer here]
   5. Phone Number: [enter answer here]
2. Select your state DOT from the drop-down list. [state drop down menu]
3. Does your state DOT have an approved/qualified products list (or equivalent) for ESC products?
   1. Yes, both ESC products (Continue to Question 4)
   2. Yes, only erosion control products (Continue to Question 4)
   3. Yes, only sediment control products (Continue to Question 4)
   4. No (Continue to Question 6)
4. Does your state DOT have an evaluation process for ESC products submitted for inclusion in the approved/qualified products list (or equivalent)?
   1. Yes, both ESC (Continue to Question 5)
   2. Yes, only erosion control products (Continue to Question 5)
   3. Yes, only sediment control products (Continue to Question 5)
   4. No (Continue to Question 6)
5. How are ESC products considered for inclusion in your state DOT’s approved/qualified products list (or equivalent)? Select all that apply.
   1. Independent third-party testing (ASTM testing)
   2. In-field demonstrations and evaluations
   3. Material properties evaluation
   4. Review of product specifications
   5. Other – Write In
6. To the best of your knowledge, how often are plastic-based materials used for the following temporary and permanent ESC measures used during construction? Select all that apply.
   
   Note: Consider all materials used in the installation of the measure. For example, construction exit pad geotextile underlayment, sediment basins skimmers, etc.

7. What alternatives to plastic-based ESC products has your state DOT used? Select all that apply.
   1. Net-free rolled erosion control products
   2. Alternative netting materials (e.g., coconut/coir, jute, cotton, hemp, wool, loose weave netting, etc.)
   3. Alternative textile materials (e.g., coconut/coir, jute, cotton, hemp, wool, etc.)
   4. Non-plastic-based tackifiers for anchoring straw
   5. Biodegradable ESC materials
   6. Slash mulch berms
   7. Earthen berms and swales
   8. Seeding, hydroseeding, and mulch stabilization
   9. Compost
   10. Rock Mulch
   11. Construction aggregates (e.g., recycled concrete, stone, rip-rap, etc.)
   12. Bonded fiber matrix/fiber reinforcement matrix

7. 13. None
   14. Other – Write In
8. Does your state DOT have specifications and/or test procedures to ensure compost does not include microplastics? (Only shown if “i. compost” is selected in Question 7)
   1. Yes
   2. No
   3. Not sure
9. Is your state DOT actively reducing the use of plastics and/or imported materials (i.e., not “Made in the U.S.A.”) in erosion and sediment products?
   1. Yes
   2. No
   3. Not sure
10. Are the types of materials (e.g., plastic, jute, hemp, coconut/coir, etc.) and/or domestic origin of materials (“Made in the U.S.A.”) considered when selecting ESC products?
    1. Both material and country of origin considered
    2. Only material type considered
    3. Only country of origin considered
11. Does your state DOT have guidance, initiatives, policies, and/or specifications on the following for ESC materials used throughout the construction process? Select all that apply.

Please consider the following descriptions:

• Existing Details and Specifications: your state DOT has developed and published details and specifications.
• Formal Policy: your state DOT has developed documented guidelines and/or initiatives that are recognized across the agency.
• Policy being Developed: your state DOT is currently developing formal guidelines and/or initiatives.
• Informal Guidance / Preference: your state DOT has no formal guidelines, but preferences may be given by stormwater practitioners.
• None: no informal or formal policy exists nor is planned in the near future.
  
  

12. Are alternatives to plastic-based materials currently being used or considered for the following measures? Select all that apply.

13. Indicate your state DOT’s experience with the following challenges associated with the use of alternatives to plastic-based materials/products.

14. Rank your state DOT’s motivation for reducing the use of plastic-containing materials in ESC measures used during construction. Rank each of the following from most motivating to least/not motivating. All items must be dragged from left to right.
    1. Reduce carbon footprint
    2. Microplastic waste concerns
    3. Water quality concerns
    4. Wildlife concerns / entanglements
    5. Equipment entanglements
    6. Policy from state regulatory agency

14. 7. Public perception
    8. Aesthetics
    9. Permit requirements
15. Does your state DOT require contractors to use certain amounts of non-plastic-based alternatives in ESC materials/products.
    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. Not sure
16. Does your state DOT require and/or incentivize ESC materials to be reused or recycled once they have been removed from service on construction sites?
    1. Yes, required
    2. Yes, incentivized
    3. Yes, incentivized and required
    4. No, neither
    5. Not sure
17. Is guidance provided to contractors and construction personnel on the proper disposal of ESC materials, including plastics? Select all that apply.
    1. Yes, through formal training efforts
    2. Yes, through written guidance
    3. Yes, through specifications and/or contractual requirements
    4. No specific guidance provided
    5. Not sure
    6. Other – Write in
18. Is your state DOT allocating, or planning to allocate, additional funding to domestically source sustainable materials for ESC measures used during construction?
    1. No
    2. Yes, currently providing additional funding
    3. Yes, future increase in funding allocation planned or anticipated
    4. Not sure
19. To your knowledge, is your state DOT involved in or aware of any ongoing research and development related to sustainable or eco-friendly ESC materials?
    1. Yes
    2. No
    3. Not currently, but planned in near future
    4. Not currently, but may be interested in supporting research in this area
    5. Not sure
20. This synthesis will also include case examples discussing current state DOT practices for using sustainable materials in ESC practices. During the development of the case examples, additional follow-up questions may be required to develop a better understanding of current approaches for incorporating sustainable materials into erosion and sediment practices. Would

20. you be willing to participate in a follow-up interview? Note, interviews will take no longer than one hour to complete and will be in virtual video format.
    1. Yes, I am willing to participate in a follow-up interview (Continue to Question 22)
    2. Yes, I am willing to participate in a follow-up interview and I also recommend inviting my co-worker (secondary contact) to the follow-up interview, they also have a strong understanding of this topic (Continue to Question 21)
    3. No, I am not willing to participate in a follow up interview (Continue to Question 22)
21. Co-Worker Contact Information
    1. First Name: [enter answer here]
    2. Last Name: [enter answer here]
    3. Title: [enter answer here]
    4. Email: [enter answer here]
    5. Phone Number: [enter answer here]
22. You have reached the end of the survey, are you ready to submit your responses?
    1. Yes, submit my responses (survey complete)