Services We Provide
The foundation for good site planning and effective land usage starts with an accurate delineation of jurisdictional wetlands and streams. A thorough understanding of relevant regulations and local environmental conditions as they relate the soils, vegetation and hydrology can drive financial decisions on how or whether to move forward with property purchase and development. Our 16+ years of experience in the region, particularly in the coastal plain, means you’ll be working with a consultant who knows the difference between marginal areas and true wetlands and between man-made ditches and streams. Our familiarity and relationship with regulatory agencies means that you will also be working with a consultant who can get projects through the approval process in a timely manner.
Having wetlands and streams present on a property does not necessarily mean a project cannot move forward. Unavoidable impacts to wetlands and streams can be permitted using the various Nationwide Permits and corresponding Water Quality Certifications, Regional General Permits, or through use of an Individual Permit. Our permitting experience includes residential and commercial developments, roadways, and utility projects. We provide cost- and time-effective permitting by utilizing development codes, working with you to develop project purpose and need for impact justification and working with the project team to facilitate site planning to limit permitting exposure so that your project goals can be realized. This also includes mitigation planning to address those unavoidable impacts.
Coastal projects present a unique challenge. Projects in such dynamic areas require excellent engineering and an understanding of these environments and regulations that apply to very specific areas. The Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) was developed in NC as required to comply with the federal government’s Coastal Zone Management Act. CAMA regulations focus on tidal and navigable surface waters and adjoining coastal wetlands that contain particular vegetation. We provide delineations of coastal wetlands and normal high water lines for determining the location and extent of Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC), as well as permitting services for projects that encroach into an AEC.
Planning and design of stormwater and wastewater treatment systems begins with determining the suitability of the native soil to provide the necessary treatment of the runoff, effluent or discharge. Seasonal high water table evaluations, hydraulic conductivity testing and soil characterizations are all services that we can provide that, in turn, provide you or your designer with the soil data needed for effective design of treatment systems.
The presence of federally-listed threatened and endangered species on a property is usually driven by the presence of suitable habitat for a particular species. Understanding what those habitats are and how to identify their presence/absence can be the difference between a No Effect determination and having to perform species-specific surveys with follow-up consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. That adds considerable cost and time to a project which is not typically accounted for during early planning. We can help you plan for such situations, provide habitat assessments and, if needed, species surveys and regulatory agency consultations.
Restoring disturbed sites to pre-disturbance conditions often requires multiple technical disciplines but starts with understanding the baseline environment you’re trying to recreate and how to get there. We can work with and/or coordinate other design professionals to accomplish these tasks, whether it be for mitigation purposes or as a stand-alone restoration effort.
From Phase I Environmental Site Assessments to preliminary wetland and stream assessments to custom due diligence packages, we can offer multiple services to help during property transactions or while screening multiple sites to find one that best fits your project.
Once you’ve broken ground, construction equipment is moving and grading is ongoing, compliance monitoring of your NPDES permit will become a necessity. Balancing compliance monitoring requirements with the ultimate goal of building the project can be tricky. We can be there to help you and your contractors maintain compliance and keep the project moving forward.
