127.24 Speleological Findings

127.24.1 Construction Inspection Guidance

Occasionally, during construction of a highway, workers will encounter a cave and some may be environmentally signifcant. If a cave is encountered, the resident engineer must immediately notify the Environmental Section at the Central Office. Staff from the environmental section will coordinate with the resident engineer, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Missouri Department of Conservation, and the Missouri Speleological Survey to determine what actions need to occur. Staff from the environmental section will arrange to have the cave surveyed and mapped if necessary. Environmental staff will work with the resident engineer and the resource agenices to determine measures that can be implemented to minimize project impacts to the cave system. Environmental staff will also obtain the necessary clearances from the resource agencies to allow the project to continue.