Natural Resources

When you need assistance with wetlands, streams, and ecological projects, S&ME’s team of environmental professionals provide solutions that meet your economic needs without jeopardizing environmental protection.

Our knowledge of current regulations, strong working relationships with regulatory agencies, and varied project experience work to help you find innovative answers to your natural resources concerns. Our services include the following.

Jurisdictional Waters Assessments and Permitting

S&ME assists clients in assessment and management of jurisdictional waters under the Federal Clean Water Act and state equivalents by providing:

  • Wetland delineations in accordance with local, state, and Federal criteria
  • Preliminary wetland assessments and regulatory evaluations
  • Wetland and stream functional assessments
  • Stream evaluations including biological, chemical, hydrologic, geomorphologic, and aquatic toxicology assessments
  • Mitigation bank formation
  • Land use cover and forms classification system mapping
  • Stream and wetland impact permitting (Sections 404/401) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state regulatory agencies
  • Coastal and benthic marine surveys
  • Wetland and stream mitigation plans
  • Mitigation monitoring

Protected Species Assessments and Ecological Surveys

We assist clients in assessment and management of protected species under the Federal Endangered Species Act and state equivalents as well as ecological studies by providing:

  • Threatened and endangered species assessments, terrestrial and aquatic ecology studies, and habitat evaluations
  • Formal and informal consultations with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and state natural resource agencies
  • Bat acoustic surveys
  • Migratory bird surveying and monitoring for compliance with Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
  • Candidate and Habitat Conservation Plans
  • Botanical surveys

NEPA and SEPA Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, and Categorical Exclusions

S&ME’s environmental professionals have training and experience with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and State Environmental Policy Acts (SEPA). Armed with that training and experience our NEPA professionals navigate the process to provide a defendable NEPA document in a timely and efficient manner, whether it’s a Categorical Exclusion or an Environmental Impact Statement for a highly controversial and complex project. Our team of NEPA professionals is supported by technical professionals experienced in all resources typically addressed through the NEPA process.

S&ME professionals have managed NEPA compliance efforts either through federal contracts, acting as an extension of staff for the lead agency, or through third-party contracts on permit or funding efforts for numerous federal and state lead agencies in multiple states. Our team has experience covering all aspects of NEPA compliance including:

  • Overall project management
  • Development of alternatives screening analysis
  • Public involvement
  • Data collection, interpretation, and review
  • Development of description of existing conditions
  • Evaluation of project impacts
  • Cumulative effects assessment
  • Development of mitigation plans
  • Agency coordination
  • Addressing Environmental Justice issues
  • Addressing comments and conflict resolution
  • Facilitation of inter-agency coordination teams
  • Assistance with development of decision documents (FONSI/ROD)

Linear Corridor Studies

S&ME is a diversified engineering and environmental firm that offers the supporting services required by utility companies to deliver their products to market. With our understanding of local, state, and federal regulatory environment, S&ME offers value to our linear corridor projects for utility (electric, gas, water, sewer, and fiber) companies.

Our clients benefit from S&ME’s decades of experience in permitting and engineering linear utilities and associated facilities. We have personnel experienced in natural resources, environmental permitting, engineering, environmental inspections, and construction services. We understand the regulatory environment our clients face and assist to achieve successful outcomes.

The support we deliver provides our clients with integrated, cost-effective, and timely services which assist the companies in satisfying all of their permitting and engineering needs. We collaborate with our clients to help solve complex problems so they can safely and reliably deliver quality product to their customers.