Example Projects

Big Project - Programmatic Environmental Permitting Support

California High Speed Rail Authority's (CHSRA) Construction Package 1 (CP-1) spans approximately 30 miles across Madera and Fresno Counties. CP-1 is a Design-Build project, which means that design and construction often occur simultaneously. As the design changes, the environmental impact changes, which cascades lots of paperwork and notifications between several stakeholders in the project.

Sam collaborates with the design-builder, construction manager, and CHSRA to optimize the process of environmental permit applications, amendments, regulatory reporting, and close-out. This ensures proactive protection of biological and water resources at water crossings such as canals, ditches, creeks, rivers, wetlands, vernal pools, tunnels, and under/overcrossings. Permit support includes the following:

USFWS Biological Opinion
NMFS Biological Opinion
CDFW 2081 Incidental Take Permit
CDFW 1602 Master Streambed Alteration Agreement
SWRCB 401 Water Quality Certification
USACE 404 Dredging and Fill
USACE 408 Civil Works
CVFPB Encroachment Permit
NDPES Construction General Permit (SWPPP)
SWRCB Porter Cologne Act (WDR)

Big Project - Multi-Permit Water Resource Permitting Field Support

California High Speed Rail Authority's (CHSRA) Construction Package 1 (CP-1) spans approximately 30 miles across Madera and Fresno Counties. CP-1 is a Design-Build project, which means that design and construction often occur simultaneously. As the design changes, and as construction phases progress, the compliance requirements change drastically from site to site.

Sam provides BMP inspections and water quality sampling across the entire alignment to ensure compliance with interdisciplinary and overlapping water resource regulations.

Medium Project - Industrial SWPPP

Pacific Steel Group (PSG) is a reinforcing steel fabricator with industrial facilities in California and Washington. As PSG expanded and sought to standardize their stormwater compliance program, Sam increased level of support to help reach key compliance milestones for California Industrial General Permit Order 2014-0057-DWQ and Washington Industrial Stormwater General Permit.

As QISP, responsibilities included preparing and revising facility Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP), supervising site monitoring, stormwater sampling, reviewing laboratory analytical test results, regulatory reporting, pollution exceedance responses, and corrective actions. He advised the PSG facilities manager on site-specific permit compliance measures at 6 facilities, liaised between PSG and regulatory agencies, and guided PSG through permit actions including stormwater permit acquisition, ongoing compliance, and termination of coverage. He developed training, template deliverables, workflows, analytical data management spreadsheets, and project trackers for various permit required activities. In addition, he provided field and office training for PSG staff, site monitors, and administrative staff for all project tasks.

Small Project - Drainage Studies

Private landowners across California's Emerald Triangle (Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties) are implementing sustainable and ecologically-friendly cannabis cultivation practices in their pursuit to go legal.

Sam served as Qualified Professional for the Flowra Platform, completing drainage studies for several small independent cannabis cultivators, supporting their applications for CDFW LSA (FG Sec 1602) permits to maintain water crossings within private properties.

Small Project - Construction SWPPP

Fresno County Public Works constructed a 10-foot wide gravel equestrian/pedestrian trail for a distance of approximately 1.12 miles along Fancher Creek in southeast Fresno, California. Ground disturbance necessitated coverage under the NPDES Construction General Permit (2009-0009-DWQ).