GAI assisted in the assessment of resources and the development of compensatory mitigation plans for the impacted resources after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Decree to our client for multiple violations of the Clean Water Act during the construction of natural gas well drilling pads and associated facilities throughout West Virginia.

Through post-construction site evaluations and forensic delineations, GAI determined that activities associated with this project resulted in impacts to 80-linear feet of perennial stream. Utilizing the West Virginia Stream and Wetland Valuation Metric (SWVM) as guidance, GAI determined the total debris for the impacts at each site, as well as the required credits to provide enough off-set. For this site, GAI developed a mitigation and restoration plan which completed mitigation requirements for the site and resulted in 111 feet of stream restoration and culvert replacement.

GAI was involved in baseline condition assessments, hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, stream design utilizing natural channel design approaches, and federal, state, and local permitting. GAI’s design included replacement of an undersized culvert with an open bottom box culvert. The undersized culvert has created a large scour hole downstream of the structure which was eliminated under the proposed restoration.

During construction, GAI was on-site conducting construction monitoring and completed an as-built survey after construction completion. GAI will conduct annual monitoring and prepare monitoring reports for the next five years, documenting conditions and performance standard compliance.