El Dorado Offshore’s Post

As biological consultants, we often focus on wildlife and habitat concerns. However, we understand that project managers juggle many responsibilities, including: ✔ Environmental Compliance  ✔ Worker safety  ✔ Project timelines and budgets  ✔ Equipment and material logistics  ✔ Regulatory requirements from various agencies When you understand that each of these areas also requires its own unique permitting processes, it's clear why many project managers feel overwhelmed. The permitting process can be overwhelming and a significant source of stress and potential delays. We've seen projects hit unexpected roadblocks due to overlooked permits or last-minute discoveries that require additional authorizations. For instance, a seemingly straightforward project can suddenly require a Section 10 incidental take permit if a protected species is found on site, potentially adding months to your timeline. Each permit comes with its own set of requirements, timelines, and potential pitfalls: Environmental Assessments (EAs) or Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) may be required, often involving lengthy public comment periods. Permits might need to be obtained from multiple agencies—federal, state, and local—each with its own procedures and timelines. The specific surveys required can vary widely depending on the project location and potential species present, affecting scheduling and budgeting. Knowing all of this, here’s our advice: ✔ Engage in early consultation to identify all potential permitting needs, helping to avoid surprises down the line. ✔ Align biological surveys and assessments with the project timeline, considering optimal survey windows and agency processing times. ✔ Leverage established relationships with regulatory agencies to help streamline the permitting process. ✔ Translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable steps for the team. Time is money in construction and development, butwith the right expertise the permitting process can go from a potential obstacle to a well-managed part of your project plan. #PermittingProcess #EnvironmentalCompliance #ConstructionChallenges #BiologicalConsulting

Opportunity

I just filed for public office for the first time...oh boy! I'm running for Freeborn County Soil & Water Conservation District 5 (SWCD). Why am I running? First, I intend to spend a lot of time listening and learning and ensuring any preconceived notions I may have are correct or stand to be corrected, which is how I've operated in my watershed roles already. Second, I believe the Shell Rock River Watershed District (SRRWD) and SWCD can better collaborate to provide more value and effective services to our region. Each organization has its strengths, equipment, projects, professionals, and other resources that don't need to be duplicated across both organizations. Third, and maybe most importantly, I am concerned about the power grab that extremists in our state are using against citizens, industry, and farmers. I am the Vice-Chair for the SRRWD Board of Managers, where I am on several subcommittees, and am on the Minnesota Watersheds Board of Directors where I am on several more important subcommittees. I've put in my nomination for the Board of Water and Soil Resources earlier this year, grew up in a farm family and have farmed at points in my career, as well as serving ag businesses as a consultant, and I understand the needs of farmers. I've been an Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Manager for several major businesses, and when I started Provenio Consulting, did environmental and safety consulting, until I decided to focus solely on the safety side. I'm a former firefighter and serve on the MN Homeland Security and Emergency Management's Regional Review Committee for District 1 (SE MN) where we review each county's emergency response plans related to hazmat releases. So, I am very familiar with environmental regulations related to water quality for ag and industry. I have also been a Dogsled Guide and Outfitter in the Boundary Waters where I enhanced my love of nature and clean water, and we live on Fountain Lake, where I've had a direct role in helping to pursue major water quality projects, such as dredging and developing wetland restoration projects. I love our lakes, understand the needs of farmers (who are the backbone of our local economy and way of life), am very familiar with industrial practices (I train many of our local industrial hazmat teams), and the risks of chemical releases and the impacts of many types of chemicals in our waterways. I do not believe that anybody in District 5 is better suited to fill this role because of my breadth of experience. By expanding my role in water, and getting into more local and state boards and focus groups, I intend to bring common sense, knowledge, and feistiness to the rooms where the extremists are hurting Minnesotans, especially running farmers almost out of business and raising the cost of projects by hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, per project, by introducing red-tape and using our court systems against citizen-run projects. I would appreciate your vote.

Learn about GAO Tek’s Environmental Testers.

A day in the field as an Environmental Control Officer, observing the rehabilitation process on an open pit (Rooikoppie) mine. When done concurrently, rehabilitation can be a beautiful thing. This might seem like a ploughed field, but no, it is a mine site. #EnvironmentalControl #RehabilitationProcess #MiningIndustry

Highlighting the importance of comprehensive pipeline pigging! Detecting issues early, maintaining pipeline integrity, and optimizing performance are vital steps in ensuring safety and environmental protection. By prioritizing pigging, we proactively mitigate the risk of accidents, safeguarding communities and ecosystems. Let's work together to prioritize #PipelineSafety and #PreventAccidents.

How can utilities balance operational efficiency with environmental protection? Read on to see how Anza EC handled their situation with a solution that deepened ties within their community and protected nature while still providing uninterrupted service to their members. https://hubs.ly/Q02kKdyR0

•• Update's on summer •• Update's on winter •• Update's on reaning •• Update's on year •• Update's on environmental's •• Update's on surrounding's •• Update's before summer •• Update's before winter •• Update's before reaming •• Update's before year •• Update's before environmental's •• Update's before surrounding's •• Update's on summer baground •• Update's on winter baground •• Update's on reaning baground •• Update's on year baground •• Update's on environmental's baground •• Update's on surrounding's baground •• Update's on summer background •• Update's on winter background •• Update's on reaning background •• Update's on year background •• Update's on environmental's background •• Update's on surrounding's background

Now that three years of environmental assessments at the sanctuary site have been completed, we are fast-tracking work at the site in order to be ready to receive Wikie and Keijo at their earliest opportunity. As we have recently learned, there will be no such opportunity for Wikie’s brother Inouk, who died in their tank at Marineland Antibes last week. And we should note that bringing the surviving two orcas from France to the sanctuary is, of course, contingent on an agreement among Marineland Antibes, the French government, and the Whale Sanctuary Project. Our accelerated plan for Wikie and Keijo includes the design and fabrication of a large bay pen (larger than the space they have at Marineland Antibes) that can accommodate them while the perimeter net that surrounds the full 100 acres of sanctuary space is being completed. Our contractors on the west coast are pressing ahead with detailed plans and engineering designs for the bay pen. Once the sanctuary is complete, the bay pen will serve as an initial space for other new arrivals, where they can become accustomed to the tides and flows of the ocean and where we can have them under observation before they are released into the full area of the sanctuary. Also, and in accordance with the results of our environmental assessments that were completed last year, site engineers are working to determine where best to locate the land-based infrastructure, including potable water, septic systems, and power, along with precise locations for the building foundations, parking areas, foot paths, etc. We will also be setting up temporary land-based facilities to accommodate staff until full construction is complete. In a public statement in early February, we proposed to Marineland that rather than sending Wikie, Inouk and Keijo to an aquarium in Japan, they collaborate with the Whale Sanctuary Project and with the French government to retire the whales to the sanctuary in Nova Scotia. Such a collaboration would begin with a team of independent veterinarians being invited to conduct full health and behaviour assessments. This would lead to medical treatments as needed and then to training programs for the whales to become accustomed to the many routines that will be involved in transport and acclimating to a new environment. There is also at least one court case pending in France that will likely not be heard until late in the year. This means that Wikie and Keijo will likely not be able to move before the end of this year. And since they should not be moved during the winter months, our plan, assuming that Marineland Antibes is open to a collaborative effort between their team and ours, will be to bring them to the sanctuary in the spring of 2025. Meanwhile, the French government has been in discussions with us for the last three months and has expressed clear interest in our proposal to work with Marineland Antibes to retire Wikie and Keijo to the sanctuary.

Dawson Westurn’s career and education reflect a strong commitment to natural resource management, utility vegetation management, and safety advocacy. Learn more about the ACRT Pacific vegetation management inspector! 🌲