Wetlands/Ecological Services HzW has developed various services to address the regulatory compliance issues that drive the need for wetland assessments and ecological studies. A listing of some of those services follows. Wetland Delineations, Permitting, & Mitigation In order to protect our nation's wetlands and waterways, the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1977 (Clean Water Act) was established. Under the Clean Water Act, permits must be obtained and necessary requirements must be met prior to impacting a regulated waterbody. HzW's certified staff of biologists and environmental scientists is experienced in conducting wetland assessments and wetland delineations to assist clients in identifying regulated waterbodies/waterways prior to designing or implementing development plans. The wetlands delineation is performed using the US Army Corps of Engineers Field Guide for Wetland Delineation, The 1987 Manual. This determination includes reviewing background resources, conducting a field investigation and flagging the wetland boundaries. The wetland boundaries are mapped using a Global Positioning System (GPS). Following completion of field activities, a letter report which represents the findings of the delineation is prepared. Since Section 404 and/or 401 permits from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), (respectively), are required prior to impact to jurisdictional wetlands and waterways, HzW offers permitting assistance and investigation assistance. HzW provides various aspects of permitting assistance including suggesting alternatives to minimize wetland disturbance, providing options for mitigation sites (if necessary), acting as a liason between the client and regulatory agencies, and completing application forms. HzW acts as a valuable team member with the developers, project engineer and legal counsel (when necessary) in obtaining the proper permits. Establishment of Wetland Mitigation Banks In order to address wetland mitigation needs, HzW provides technical assistance for establishment of consolidated mitigation bank sites. In coordination with the client's designated engineer, HzW identifies viable properties for wetland restoration/creation, provides technical input regarding the design, prepares the required documentation and provides coordination with the Mitigation Banking Review Team, a group consisting of various agency representatives. In addition, HzW is available to provide monitoring services for created, restored, or enhanced wetlands. Ecological Surveys HzW provides specialized services for evaluating present status and project impact to aquatic, terrestrial and wetland resources. Our staff performs ecological surveys and field sampling to identify fish, macrobenthos, plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, endangered species, birds and wetlands in a project area. These surveys are typically conducted for highway projects and can be performed at various investigative levels depending on the potential for long term impact. Water quality assessment of streams and rivers may also be included as part of an ecological survey. A report which describes the findings of the survey and includes maps of the habitats identified is developed following completion of the survey. Ecological Risk HzW provides ecological risk assessment services to assist clients in evaluating the effects of man-made or natural compounds on the aquatic, terrestrial or wetland resources. This includes an evaluation of potential exposure pathways of compounds and the attendant risk posed by exposure. These types of ecological risk assessments are performed as part of RCRA Facility Investigation Corrective Measure Studies (RFI/CMS), Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Studies (RI/FS), and Ohio's Voluntary Action Program. On-Site Mitigation and Stream Restoration More and more, the state and federal regulatory agencies require on-site mitigation for wetlands impacts. Like our stream restoration projects, HzW works as a team member with the client and project engineer to design the wetland and assist in the mitigation monitoring that the regulations require. HzW's staff conducts stream restoration projects using "bioengineering" techniques. In coordination with the client's designated engineer, HzW assists in the selection of the appropriate technique(s) and design, preparation of required documentation, obtaining required permits, implementation of the plan, and post-construction monitoring following completion of construction activities. Stream restoration is often used as a portion of a mitigation requirement or to stabilize erosion typical of urban streams. US Army Corps of Engineers

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