Environmental Compliance and Wetland Delineation
Confidential Electric Utility Provider • Midwest United States
Solution Overview
Client:
Confidential electric utility provider
Business Challenge:
- Complex permitting and design considerations for linear construction project
Solution:
- Turnkey solution for natural resources and stormwater compliance support
Results:
- Provided client with continuous support throughout all stages, helping to facilitate project completion without compliance issues
Challenge
The client’s 138 kV transmission line project required complex permitting due to adjacent wetland areas, necessitating a partner capable of assisting with wetland, stormwater, and environmental compliance requirements.
Solution
Apex Companies provided environmental compliance services to this utility company—one of the largest electric power providers in the US with over 40K miles of transmission lines—on the project, located in the Midwest.
Our services to this utility company included working closely with the organization and its project stakeholders to complete wetland delineation and surveys. Apex inspected gravel pad removal and restoration at site structures and confirmed the proposed access route configuration along the wetland buffer zone, as well as wetland delineation and survey at the station laydown area. Apex assisted with delineation and inspected construction access ensuring all erosion and sediment control measures were followed. This included seeding and strawing dirt stockpiles and initiating access work in the project site’s vicinity. Our team also designed and monitored the best management practices (BMPs) including timber mats, fencing, and filter sock functioning to ensure the site’s compliance.
Apex made the following recommendations:
- Moving dirt spoils north from their present location in order to avoid conflict with construction and prevent encroachment on a potential wetland area to the west of the access path.
- Relocating dirt spoils north, near structures and access points and installing fence and filter socks.
- Seeding and strawing all dirt spoil areas adjacent to access routes as soon as feasible.
- Restoring adjacent wetland areas to pre-construction conditions after removal of BMP.
Because the project was completed linearly, the construction stages varied. Apex provided guidance during the different stages through the life cycle of the project construction.
Results
Apex has years of experience providing environmental review of pre-selected substation locations for this company’s utility projects. Apex provides feedback and suggestions for alternate routes and layouts to adjust the project plan to simplify the regulatory approval process. We have provided a range of environmental services including managing, maintaining, and installing electric transmission lines and substations across the country. This includes wetland delineation, cultural resources desktop analyses, and threatened and endangered species habitat assessments involving stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) development.