Environmental compliance is a multi-million-dollar priority
While monitoring workplace safety is critical, construction managers have to be equally vigilant about another priority: environmental violations. A workplace injury can shut down a job site for an hour, maybe a few days, or, perhaps, longer. But environmental compliance violations will typically put a project on hold for weeks or even months. In fact, it’s not uncommon for construction managers to first learn about environmental permits when a regulatory agency delivers a fine. Fines for Clean Water Act violations, for example, can start at several thousands of dollars per day and soar to a $1 million per day.
From the perspective of protecting sensitive environmental resources, EEG’s experts look at all aspects of construction projects ranging from transmission lines and substations to oil & gas pipelines and mining. EEG construction experts, environmental planners, legal professionals and regulatory specialists give clients a regulatory agency’s view of environmental needs. EEG tailors site-specific, environmental plans; creates and carries out Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP); installs erosion and sediment controls, and puts in place best management practices (BMPs) like the ones it undertook for PacifiCorp. Several years ago, PacifiCorp was constructing a 168-mile, 345-kV transmission line across southern Utah. As the project progressed, construction managers knew crews would have to work year-round to finish the line. Part of their work crossed into a protected winter habitat. So, EEG researched and crafted a wildlife management plan and then submitted it to authorities who approved a year-round construction extension that kept construction on track.
EEG knows how to conduct environmental surveys, permitting and public hearings, but that’s only part of efficiently moving along a construction project. EEG also applies its know-how proactively to collaborate with stakeholders on and off the job site. Combining smart plans with a sense of urgency is how EEG successfully shepherds a complex construction project through any environmentally sensitive location.
Does your team have environmental compliance and construction know-how? What’s your plan for responding to environmental non-compliance in the material yard or miles down the right of way? EEG has dedicated, onsite environmental pros who are on call 24 hours a day with the answers you need.
