WESTECH has played a primary role in planning, constructing and monitoring several major pipeline projects. WESTECH staff have completed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Natural Gas Pipeline Environmental Compliance Training Course and the Canadian Petroleum Industry Training Service (CPITS) Pipeline Environmental Inspection Course.
The FERC course syllabus included filings, environmental reports, compliance, right-of-way preparation and restoration, erosion control, stream and river crossings, wetland construction and residential construction. The CPITS course addressed characteristics of a good inspector, clearing, soil handling, grading, water crossings, geotechnical concerns, clean up and reclamation, role of the landman and inspection management.
PROJECTS >
LINEAR > TUSCARORA GAS TRANSMISSION COMPANY
The Tuscarora Gas Transmission Company (Tuscarora) is a partnership of Tuscarora Gas Pipeline Company and TCPL Tuscarora, Ltd. During 1995 Tuscarora constructed 228 miles of 20-inch diameter natural gas pipeline from an interconnection with the Pacific Gas Transmission Company (PGT) mainline near Malin, Oregon, through northeastern California to a point near Tracy, Nevada.
WESTECH participated in the permitting (pre-construction), reclamation management (construction) and monitoring (post-construction) phases of the project. Dean Culwell served as Tuscarora's Reclamation Manager throughout the project and served on the Environmental Management Team. Specific project experience includes the following:
Permitting (Pre-construction)- Reviewed and prepared revisions for an Environmental Report;
- Lead author and coordinator of the Environmental Mitigation and Reclamation Plan;
- Responded to FERC data requests;
- Reviewed DEIR/DEIS and prepared responses as requested by FERC and California State Lands Commission;
- Prepared borrow pit permits for 4 pipe bedding pits - prepared pursuant to California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA), county and BLM requirements;
- Provided information for preparation of stream crossing permits for California Department of Fish and Game and Nevada Department of Environmental Protection;
- Provided expertise for development of Storm water Pollution Prevention Plans;
- Developed FERC Implementation Plan;
- Developed Plan of Development for BLM and Modoc National Forest;
- Designed and implemented revegetation test plots in cooperation with BLM;
- Provided expertise into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit application;
- Reviewed sensitive plant species mitigation plan;
- Depicted resource information on construction drawing and environmental work sheets;
- Met with regulatory agencies and Environmental Management Team.
- Provided environmental/reclamation information for Construction Bid Documents including Construction Drawings and Details;
- Prepared Reclamation Bid Documents;
- Prepared Plant Material Acquisition Bid Documents (on-site seed collection, seed purchase, containerized plant acquisition);
- Reviewed reclamation proposals and selected reclamation contractors;
- Managed Reclamation and Plant Material Acquisition Contracts;
- Supervised all reclamation activities; provided Reclamation Field Supervisors, Plant Material Supervisor and Reclamation Manager;
- Tracked daily reclamation for quality control, scheduling and cost accounting;
- Responded to agency comments and concerns relating to environmental/ reclamation issues.
- Developed right-of-way monitoring plan to measure reclamation success;
- Developed grazing control plan;
- Performed quality control inspection of the right-of-way including noxious weeds, grazing impacts and erosion control;
- Coordinated noxious weed control with county agricultural agencies;
- Performed quantitative revegetation survey;
- Prepared Post-Construction Mitigation Monitoring Reports for state and federal agencies.