Water Resource Management & Ecological Services

Environmental Reports & Permits

ESS has successfully completed hundreds of environmental impact reports and permit applications. Our project managers and technical staff take pride in their ability to assemble and translate complex environmental and design issues into accessible information and graphics. ESS serves as the client representative for public hearings, agency meetings, and citizen's advisory groups; provides expert testimony in regulatory proceedings; and facilitates the negotiation of final permits, approvals, and implementation plans. ESS also works with clients on permit compliance, inspection, reporting, and permit renewals.

Strategic Environmental Consulting

ESS cost-effectively navigates through complex permitting. We work with clients upfront to evaluate regulatory requirements then develop coordinated strategies for completing technical studies. Many ESS projects require permits within several environmental consulting disciplines. Our largest projects require comprehensive environmental impact reports and multiple permits from local, state, and federal agencies. ESS helps clients take advantage of opportunities for joint agency review and expedited processing. We also identify interrelationships between programs to ensure that potentially competing schedules or interests are addressed.

Environmental Impact Reports / Permits

ESS has worked on projects in many geographic jurisdictions and has working relationships with environmental agencies throughout the United States and internationally. Our experience includes permitting under numerous regulatory programs ranging from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to state and local programs regulating all aspects of environmental protection including CERCLA and state Superfund sites, wetlands, water, toxics, hazardous and solid waste, and air quality. ESS environmental consulting experience includes successful completion of the following environmental assessments and permits:

• Comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessments: Environmental Impact Statements/Reports under federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and state programs such as Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR); state Energy Facility Siting certifications (e.g. New York Articles VII and X); and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) certification of natural gas facilities
• Environmental Resource Protection: Local, state, and federal agency approvals for protection of natural resources including Wetlands, Coastal Resources, Water Quality, Air Quality, Solid and Hazardous Waste, Storm Water, Flood Management, Tidelands, Shellfish, and Soil Conservation
• Protected Species & Habitats: Local, state, and federal reviews for Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species; Special Aquatic Sites; Essential Fish Habitat; Wildlife Habitat; Scenic Rivers; Old Growth Forests; and Vernal Pools
• Historic & Cultural Resources: Reviews and consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act with State Historic Preservation Officers and national Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for local, state, and federally-listed historic sites, properties, districts, and archaeological sites
• Land Use: Reviews and approvals by or under Planning Boards, Regional Planning Agencies, Zoning Boards, state and local Boards of Health, Development and Land Use Districts, Economic Enterprise and Development Zones, Water and Sewer Authorities, Abutters, and Public Interest Groups
• Transportation: Reviews and approvals by state Departments of Transportation and local Departments of Public Works for New Traffic Generation, Public/Private Roadway Curb Cuts, Physical Alteration, Easement Agreements, Signalization, and Construction Activity
• Navigation: Reviews and approvals by the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, state Waterways Programs and local Harbormasters and Harbor Commissions for Dredging and Dredged Material Disposal, Coastal and Offshore Structures, Navigation Channels, Aids to Navigation, and Construction Activity