Environmental Compliance & Inspections of Gas Pipeline and Power Line Construction

Overview:

KERAMIDA has assured the environmental compliance of the construction of over 1,000 miles of gas pipelines and electric cables in 7 states to date, serving the power needs of 4 million customers. Our compliance work also includes the environmental oversight of the installation of thousands of electric poles.

This major Power Industry client is one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the U.S., serving approximately 3.5 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers across seven states. KERAMIDA was awarded a six-year contract to conduct third party environmental inspections to ensure compliance with applicable environmental and natural resource permits and regulations for construction and field operations.

Project Details:

The environmental inspection and compliance monitoring services include:

• Communicate and coordinate with engineering, permitting, and construction teams and subcontractors in order to assure projects are conducted and completed in the manner they are permitted and designed.

• Provide Certified Stormwater Inspectors in every state.

• Oversee contractor implementation of environmental conditions and mitigation measures as set forth in the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan, Environmental Construction Plan, Environmental Construction Standards and all other permits, clearances, or other authorizing documents.

• Conduct daily field inspections of active construction and document contractor compliance with project requirements.

• Initiate corrective action for problem area and non-compliance activities, and ensure all repairs are completed within a timely manner or per agency requests.

• Coordinate and prepare SW Permits, SWPPPs, Wetlands Permits, and Environmental Construction Plans (ECPs).

• Provide planning, delineations, field-staking, and workarounds, during construction and help prepare, process, document, and obtain variance requests.

• Oversee installation of all project signage and environmental flagging, and ensure work remains within designated work areas and outside of sensitive resource areas.

• Oversee installation, maintenance, and removal of erosion and sediment control measures, including photo documentation and reporting.

• Supervise the delineation of work areas, flagging and fencing of sensitive resource/exclusion areas.

• Oversee crossings of wetlands and streams, including any deviation from plans and photo documentation before, during, and after construction and restoration.

• Communicate requirements for cultural or natural resource specialists and coordinate mobilization of resource monitors (biological and cultural) to specific areas as required.

• Oversee implementation of the Unanticipated Discovery Plan, including notification to NRP and establishing and maintaining the exclusion zone.

• Conduct field audits with photo documentation, including audits of Contractor spill and fire containment kits, and erosion controls.

• Inspect for evidence of spills and other contamination and, if detected, facilitate contractor spill response, including reports listing material(s) involved, quantity, and location.

• Oversee compliance with topsoil segregation requirements, dust control measures, water quality requirements, sensitive resource protection measures, and other project-specific measures.

• Evaluate spoils disposal locations for compliance with applicable regulations.

• Verify weed-free certificates.

• Approve imported soil for trench padding.

• Ensure restoration of contours and topsoil.

• Monitor and document reclamation and habitat restoration efforts, including installation of the appropriate seed mix and mulch per project specifications. Restoration will include reseeding of native prairie, streams, and wetlands.

• Coordinate water sampling (lab analysis) of hydrostatic test discharges.

Wildlife Sweeps

KERAMIDA regularly provides personnel to perform flora and fauna wildlife sweeps as required by site specific permitting for client sites or by other client request.

Sweeps are typically on foot through sensitive areas. The sweeps may include miles of walking in varying terrain and conditions and the identification and preparation of Exclusion Zones. Client project sites may be construction, greenfield or brownfield. KERAMIDA staff are cross trained in many field-related specialties including but not limited to:

• Herpetology sweeps:

  • Turtles

  • Snakes (poisonous/non-poisonous)

  • Amphibians

  • Amphibians and reptiles are documented, handled or relocated per permit requirements

• Endangered Species Act

• Migratory Bird Act

• Macro fauna identification

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