ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING
Environmental Permitting Expertise Since 2000.
Water & Environmental Technologies (WET) has been working on environmental permitting projects since 2000 when our company started.
Specific Environmental Permitting areas of service include:
MDEQ Multi-Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities Preparation
WET has several registered site evaluators to help assist you with onsite wastewater design for your new home, ADU, or failing drainfield. WET’s engineers and hydrogeologists have successfully completed projects across Montana and Wyoming. WET provides the following design services to make your dream home or ADU a reality:
- Site Evaluations
- Onsite Wastewater/Drainfield System Design
- Alternative Wastewater Design
- Certificate of Subdivision Approval (COSA) Approvals and Rewrites
- DEQ-8 Stormwater Design
- Non-Degradation Analysis
- Groundwater Monitoring
Montana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MPDES) Permit Preparation
When a construction project disturbs one or more total acres of land, a Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activity is needed, which requires preparation of a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). The goal of the SWPPP is to ensure that pollutants from construction sites do not enter state waters. Sediment runoff from construction sites is 10 to 20 times greater than farmland or forested areas, and discharges of sediment or other pollutants can affect water quality, aquatic habitat, channel dynamics, and municipal stormwater infrastructure.
The preparation and administration of the SWPPP must be completed by a certified SWPPP administrator. WET can provide preparation of SWPPP permits, or can provide administrator services such as site inspections, BMP installation, or maintenance activities. WET also provides SWPPP Administrator training several times annually, including a certification course for first-time administrators and a recertification course for those whose certification has expired.
MPDES Site Inspections
Construction sites permitted under a SWPPP are required to conduct site inspections following either a weekly or biweekly schedule as per the Construction General Permit. Site inspections must be conducted by a qualified SWPPP Administrator and are required until a Notice of Termination (NOT) can be filled. WET has numerous certified SWPPP Administrators at offices around Montana and can provide stormwater site inspections to ensure compliance with your MPDES Construction Stormwater Permit.
Joint Application Permit Preparation
When construction activities are located on or near a waterway in Montana, multiple permits may be required. Multiple agencies are notified by submitting a Joint Application. The agencies and permits covered by the Joint Application include:
- Conservation Districts (local government)—310 Permits
- MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks (state government)—SP 124 Permits
- County Floodplain Administrators (local government)—Floodplain Permits
- US Army Corps of Engineers (federal government)—Section 404/Section 10 Permits
- MT Department of Environmental Quality (state government)—318 (turbidity) Authorizations
- MT Department of Natural Resource and Conservation (state government)—Navigable River Land Use Licenses and Easements
Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) Preparation
Phase I ESAs address a range of information including historic ownership, geological and hydrogeological conditions, and the potential for past environmental contamination. These assessments are often required by banks to identify recognized environmental conditions (RECs) from historic and current practices. WET personnel conduct research, interviews, and site reconnaissance to evaluate each property. The compiled information is then used to determine whether RECs exist at the site. Depending on findings, additional sampling may be recommended under a Phase II investigation. ESA due diligence protects potential buyers from environmental liabilities.
Sage Grouse Permitting
WET employs professional biologists with experience working throughout the Intermountain West on surveys for terrestrial and avian wildlife and plant species, including the protected greater sage-grouse. WET’s Senior Biologist is knowledgeable with federal and state sage-grouse guidelines, as well as mitigation efforts to protect sage-grouse habitat.
WET works with the Montana and Wyoming sage-grouse protection Executive Orders to ensure that our clients are compliant with federal, state, and local guidelines and stipulations. WET can also propose BMP mitigation measures when sage-grouse habitat is affected by a project, which can help facilitate a project’s implementation.
WET personnel can provide compliance assistance for your sage-grouse project. Our trained wildlife biologists can help assess project impacts during the planning phase to limit negative interactions. To learn more visit: https://sagegrouse.mt.gov/
Air Quality Permitting
When constructing a new industrial facility, expanding production, or modifying operations, facilities may be subject to air quality permitting requirements. Sources must be designed, constructed, and operated to comply with all applicable air quality regulations. Air quality requirements exist within a range of regulatory programs, including local/state and federal programs such as New Source Review (NSR), Title V operating permit programs, and Hazardous Air Pollutant (HAP) permitting. Technical requirements such as emissions quantification, control technology evaluations, air quality analysis (including dispersion modeling), ambient air and meteorological monitoring, emission standards applicability, and compliance assurance are all components of these regulations.
WET can assist with all phases of the air permitting process, ensuring accurate and timely permit applications that are focused on maximum operational flexibility. Expert negotiations with regulatory agencies simplify the permitting process.
