Comprehensive Area Plan and Cumulative Impacts Assessment
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An oil and natural gas company is committed to sustainable operations and leading its home state’s transition to a low-carbon future by demonstrably reducing its emissions, minimizing its environmental impacts, and partnering with local communities. The company has multiple operations in several counties including a specific municipality and needed to prepare a cumulative impacts report as part of a comprehensive area plan to its home state conservation commission.

Geosyntec's Scope of Services

Geosyntec developed the required cumulative impacts report, including the assessment of data for close to 40 well sites in the municipality with several other sites in the immediate surrounding area. The report addressed multiple environmental topics, including air, soil, and water resources, public health and safety, public welfare, disproportionately impacted communities, and terrestrial and aquatic wildlife and ecosystem resources. As this report was one of the first developed in the state, Geosyntec worked with the client and state conservation commission to develop the report which was used as a template for a guidance document from the commission.

Extensive source materials were reviewed as part of this effort: client-specific and federally established emission factors were used to assess impacts to air. Maps from the state parks and wildlife department and division of water resources, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Geological Survey provided context to impacts of potential development sites. Additionally, site-specific documents, such as wildlife surveys, lighting diagrams, and traffic plans were used to understand aggregate impacts from planned sites. Summaries of these findings provided the basis for establishing baseline conditions, developing a comprehensive understanding of potential cumulative impacts, and planning ways to minimize the environmental impacts.

Geosyntec will assist the client with public meetings, developing presentation materials, and meetings with regulatory boards and additional stakeholders.

Notable Accomplishments

Working on a tight schedule, Geosyntec completed the cumulative impacts assessment required by the state’s conservation commission. The thorough report was submitted by the client to the commission for review and consideration in its guidance development.