Environmental Support & Permitting

RTEA’s unique collaborating partners have extensive knowledge of CEQA, NEPA, SHPO (Section 106) and working with the Native American Heritage Commission requirements.  RTEA manages environmental specialty services such as: biologists, historians, geologists, historical structural engineers, archaeologists and paleontologists.

The specialists will investigate, conduct studies and establish recommended environmental mitigations, coordinate meetings with environmental regulatory agencies to establish a complete submission and application for permits.  The environmental mitigations for transit rail and transportation projects typically include land use, biological resources, cultural resources - archaeologists, paleontologists, air quality, water resources, wetlands, SWPPP, historic places and historical interests, hazardous & contaminated material handling, containment & disposal, noise & vibration, traffic management and utility relocations with the community life, traffic congestion and the consideration of such places being considered in compliance with environmental and historic preservation laws. 

RTEA can prepare and review all of the most common types of environmental documents, including Cultural Resources sections of Environmental Impact Reports (EIR), Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Section 106 compliance documents, and other documentation necessary under local, state, and federal regulations and guidelines. Cultural Resources documentation is frequently required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) as well as other statutes.

Skilled expertise is inclusive of tangible and intangible aspects of cultural systems, both living and dead, that are valued by or representative of a given culture or that contain information about a culture i.e. sites, structures, districts, objects, and historic documents associated with or representative of peoples, cultures, and human activities and events, either in the present or in the past. 

Tangibles include:

• Preparation and Review of Environmental Documents
• Inventory Surveys
• Planning and Research
• Monitoring
• National Register of Historic Places Evaluations
• Literature and Records Searches
• Archival Historical Research
• Oral History Documentation

Biological Resource Studies

Biological resource protection is governed by a number of laws, including the Federal Endangered Species Act (FESA), Executive Order 13112, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the California Endangered Species Act, and the California Fish and Game Code.  These laws cover a range of biological resources, but in general protect the diverse range of wildlife and plant species that exist in California, as well as the habitats that sustain them.  As part of the environmental documentation process, it is necessary to evaluate whether a project is in compliance with these laws, and often concurrence must be obtained from the responsible agency. 

RTEA conducts the necessary background research, performs field surveys, and prepares technical documents required for a project. RTEA is experienced in the preparation of technical documentation meeting the requirements of transportation agencies such as Caltrans and FHWA, as well as resource agencies like the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). RTEA prepares wetland delineation reports, Natural Environmental Study reports, Biological Resource Analyses, and Biological Assessments.

RTEA team biologists have performed surveys (including protocol-level surveys) at project sites for the following listed species within the past two years:

·         Least Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus)

·         Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)

·         California Red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)

·         Arroyo Toad (Anaxyrus californicus)

·         Southern California steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

RTEA also provides coordination assistance in the approval of technical analysis and consultation with resource agencies.  For projects that require consultation under Section 7 of the FESA, RTEA coordinates submittals of supporting documentation and provides management support needed to obtain Concurrence Letters and Biological Opinions from the USFWS and NMFS.  RTEA’s familiarity with the regulatory procedures required allows us to streamline the process and avoid project delays.

Wetland Delineation

RTEA biologists regularly perform jurisdictional wetland delineations using methodology for identifying wetland resources found in the Corps’ 2008 Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Arid West Region, which is a supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual (Environmental Laboratory 1987).  RTEA team biologist is trained in wetland delineation, and have certificates for performing jurisdictional delineations using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s methodology.  Depending on the lead agency’s needs, RTEA will be able to perform wetland delineations using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s methodology or USFWS' methodology on an as-needed basis.

 Regulatory Permitting

Regulatory permits are commonly required for projects located in the vicinity of a waterway or wetland, including US Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 permits, Regional Water Quality Control Board Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and California Department of Fish and Game 1602 Streambed Alteration Agreements.  In addition, projects located within the California Coastal Zone may require Coastal Permits from the California Coastal Commission, as well as regional and local agencies. 

RTEA has prepared many regulatory permit applications, and our familiarity with permitting procedures allows us to facilitate the process by identifying the need for permits early, preparing complete and accurate application packages, and understanding the often complex issues involved with environmental permitting.  Particularly for projects involving a water body, environmental permitting can involve multiple jurisdictions.  RTEA helps clients navigate through the process in the most straightforward way possible.

During final design, RTEA coordinates with the project engineers to obtain detailed project information, then prepares the permit application, along with the appropriate supporting documentation, and submits the application to the appropriate lead agency or directly to the resource agency.  RTEA then acts as a liaison between the project team and the agencies, providing additional information and attending sites visits and meetings, if required. During and after construction, RTEA documents the completion of any required mitigation measures and provides documentation to the client and/or resource agencies.

Mitigation/Construction Monitoring

A high level of effort is put into the proper identification of avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures to reduce project impacts, and it is extremely important that these measures are implemented successfully through the construction phase.  RTEA conducts mitigation monitoring to ensure that all necessary measures are incorporated into construction documents, that all construction personnel have a clear understanding of the environmental requirements, and that required measures are implemented through and following the construction phase.

During final design of a project, RTEA conducts plan checks to ensure that environmental requirements, including mitigation measures and permit requirements, are included in the appropriate documents.  During pre-construction meetings, RTEA provides an overview of existing protected resources and mitigation requirements for construction staff, and is available for questions about these requirements.  RTEA biologists also perform pre-construction surveys (including required protocol surveys) to determine the presence or absence of protected fish species, protected amphibian species, nesting birds and other sensitive species and resources to ensure that they are not impacted during project implementation.  When sensitive species (including threatened or endangered species) need to be captured and relocated from project areas, RTEA biologists have the expertise required to perform relocations of sensitive species using methods accepted by resource agencies.

During project construction, RTEA provides regular on-site monitoring to ensure that mitigation requirements are being implemented successfully in the field, and maintains a written record of these visits. RTEA also provides post-construction inspections and monitoring to document successful completion and survival of any on-site re-vegetation, including habitat creation.  When all construction and re-vegetation tasks are completed, RTEA completes any post-construction documentation required and provides this documentation to clients and/or resource agencies.