Environmental Planning and Permitting

Industries and governments are working to abate pollution of land and water, and minimize the impacts of development to the biosphere. As a result, resource development must be not only internally efficient but also environmentally sound.

EarthFax has provided environmental planning and permitting services on numerous projects. Supported by our expertise and that of our subcontractors in the collection of baseline data and the prediction of project impacts, as well as our facility design experience, we have prepared numerous permit applications for mining operations, chemical manufacturing facilities, petroleum refineries, oil and gas pipeline operations, land development, waste-water and storm-water discharges, and underground injection of waste water. We have also prepared multiple pollution-prevention plans and major portions of several Environmental Assessments and Impact Statements.

On numerous occasions, EarthFax has been called upon to act as a liaison between the client and the appropriate regulatory agencies. In these capacities, we have been able to maintain professional working relationships with regulatory agencies while continuing to look after the needs of the client. We have also provided expert witness testimony on environmental matters before regulatory boards and in civil litigation.

Following are a few highlights that describe our experience with environmental planning and permitting:

Preparation of SPCC and OPA-90 Plans for a Pipe Line Company

EarthFax evaluated four pump stations associated with a major U.S. petroleum pipe line company to ensure compliance with Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (“SPCC”) regulations and the requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (“OPA-90”). These stations pump crude oil through 20- and 24-inch diameter pipe that extends 940 miles from Casper, Wyoming to St. Louis, Missouri.

Coal and Mineral Mine Permitting

EarthFax has prepared applications to obtain operating permits for several coal mines in Colorado, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. We have also prepared documentation for gold, silver, uranium, sandstone, limestone, shale, gypsum, and potash mines in the western United States to obtain the necessary permits to operate.

Support of Environmental Impact Statements Related to Control of Great Salt Lake Flooding

The level of the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah rose significantly during a period of above-normal precipitation in the early to mid 1980s. Two successive rises of the lake (approximately 5 feet each) in 1983 and 1984 were the two largest rises of the lake in historical record. These increases caused flooding of several facilities near the lake and threatened others.

Additional Environmental Planning and Permitting Services

Facility construction no longer goes directly from design to building permit. There is often an environmental permit that needs to be obtained or an environmental assessment that needs to be performed along the way. EarthFax has assisted several clients with these permitting and assessment needs.