Water Quality and Natural Resources

Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations aid facilities in preventing discharges of oil into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines and mitigating discharges promptly, should they occur. A key element of SPCC regulations requires facilities to develop, maintain and implement an oil spill prevention plan, referred to as a SPCC Plan. Not all facilities are subject to SPCC regulations and NTG Environmental can help clients determine their applicability. SPCC plans require certification by a Professional Engineer and are reviewed annually with recertification every five years. Other services offered include annual inspections and SPCC training for field personnel.

Section 404 of the Clean Water Act prohibits unpermitted filling of “jurisdictional waters of the United States,” but a permit can take more than a year to process. NTG Environmental aids our clients by pre-assessing proposed well pad and surface facility locations as well as pipeline corridors to identify wetland areas that require a permit and/or confirm the absence of wetlands. Diagnostic characteristics of wetlands include hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology as defined by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Wetland determinations allow our clients to avoid and/or minimize impacts to potential jurisdictional wetlands prior to commencing construction activities. When regulatory approval is required, NTG Environmental will prepare and submit applicable delineation reports and mitigation plans along with permit applications to the USACE. We act as a liaison between our client and regulatory officials to obtain permits in an efficient manner.

NTG Environmental’s wildlife biologists have extensive knowledge and experience managing threatened, endangered, or special status wildlife species issues for both private landowners and oil/gas operators. NTG Environmental conducts threatened/endangered species surveys and monitoring activities, as well as provides management recommendations and options. Other threatened/endangered species related services include assistance in preparing formal cooperative agreements with state and federal agencies and obtaining permits for the removal of a protected species from an area of interest.

With the potential for environmental impacts associated with oil and gas exploration and production activities, the industry is becoming proactive in determining baseline conditions in areas where regulations do not yet exist. Baseline water supply sampling provides our clients with documented water supply quality prior to their activities commencing and enables detection of possible changes over time to water supplies in their areas of operation.

The Clean Water Act and associated federal regulations may require operators that clear, grade, and excavate locations to obtain coverage under the US EPA or an authorized state agency’s permit for stormwater discharges. As part of the permitting process, a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) may be required to reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff leaving a site. NTG Environmental can evaluate a site’s applicability to the regulations and prepare permit applications with all supporting documentation.