Lamar, Colorado to Fairview, Kansas

Pre-Acquisition Site Assessments

Construction Observation

Regulatory Compliance

Biological Assessment/Threatened & Endangered Species

Wetlands

Cultural Resources

Health & Safety Plan

Storm Water Management

Client: HC Peck & Associates

Completion: October 1998

Cost: $150,000

AT&T contracted to remove 400 miles of coaxial cable from Lamar, Colorado, to Fairview, Kansas. The cable was technologically out-of-date, and AT&T no longer wanted to maintain the right-of-way. AT&T contracted to HC Peck & Associates to complete the right-of-way work, and to obtain all necessary permits. HC Peck & Associates subcontracted to Pinyon to complete the environmental permitting, and to obtain approval from the appropriate agencies.

Pinyon obtained a permit from the Corps of Engineers (a Nationwide 12 permit) for wetland issues, and also obtained Obstruction in Stream permits from the State of Kansas. Pinyon identified and mapped threatened and endangered species, wetlands, cultural resources, and known areas of contamination. To identify potential areas of contamination, Pinyon first completed a transaction screen along the entire cable route. Pinyon also prepared a permit plan, and documented construction activities in sensitive areas. Prior to construction, Pinyon trained the construction crews in the permitting requirements, and in the identification of sensitive issues. A health and safety plan and an environmental response plan were also prepared.

Pinyon completed this project on time and under budget, and obtained all permits within the construction schedule.

Adams County, Colorado

EA Review

Wetland Delineations

Wetland Finding Amendment

Cultural Resources

Client: Turner, Collie & Braden

Completion: October 1999

Cost: $21,000

Pinyon provided environmental consulting services to Turner Collie & Braden, a design engineering firm, for the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) State Highway 270 Extension project. CDOT plans to extend State Highway 270 to the northwest and connecting it to the Boulder Turnpike.

In the fall of 1998, Pinyon reviewed a 1985 Environmental Assessment (EA) of the project alignment, and various environmental reports completed since that time. A summary of issues to update or complete was provided.

In May 1999, Pinyon delineated fourteen wetland areas including four jurisdictional, two mitigated, and eight non-jurisdictional areas in the vicinity of the I-76 and SH-270 interchange. A delineation report and an amendment to the original U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers (COE) wetland finding were prepared and submitted to CDOT.

Pinyon also worked with a historian and archaeologist, who evaluated several old buildings and a ditch as historic resources. The ditch dates to 1861. A cultural resources inventory and evaluation was prepared for review by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

Grand County, Colorado

Wetland Delineation

Project Planning

Client: HDR Engineering, Inc.

Completion: On-going

Cost: $8,000

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), with a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and funds from a local home-owners group, contracted HDR Engineering, Inc. (HDR), to perform water quality and sediment studies in Shadow Mountain Lake, and to design a plan to remove, mitigate and control sedimentation at the Colorado River delta at the reservoir inlet. Shadow Mountain Lake is a man-made reservoir lying between Lake Granby to the south and Grand Lake to the north. Siltation at the southwestern end of the reservoir, near the Pine Beach Recreation Area, has increased to the point that boats can no longer enter this area.Pinyon preformed a wetlands delineation in the project area using the U.S. Army's 1987 Wetland Delineation Manual. Once the project design has been completed, Pinyon will map and calculate the impacted wetland acreage in support of a 404-wetland permit. Based on the assumed area of impact, it is likely that a Nationwide 26 Permit application will be submitted for this project.

A Biological Baseline Report was prepared identifying wildlife that could potentially be impacted by the project. Observed wildlife species were inventoried during a visit to the project area, sensitive species lists for the county were reviewed, and known threatened or endangered species occurrences were obtained through informal consultation with the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW). Threatened or endangered species observed or potentially in the project area include the bald eagle, boreal toad, and potentially four fish species including the razorback sucker, bonytail chub, Colorado pike minnow, and humpback chub.

Pinyon recommended that further studies be performed including an evaluation under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) which would likely include an Environmental Assessment (EA); an evaluation of active bald eagle nest sites; a survey for other nesting raptors including osprey known to nest near the project area, a survey for the presence of the boreal toad and suitable habitat; a survey for the presence of endangered fish species; and formal consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service regarding sensitive species and water depletion effects on possible endangered fish species.