EPA to Revise Numeric Turbidity Limit

The EPA published a Federal Register notice to seek additional data and feedback regarding numeric effluent limitations for turbidity.  EPA’s website has additional information:  http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/construction/index.cfm

Upcoming Conferences

Melissa Smart will be attending the Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. on January 22-26, 2012.

Glenn and Melissa Smart will be attending the Airport Consultants Council/American Association of Airport Executives Airport Planning, Design & Construction Symposium in Denver, Colorado on February 29-March 2, 2012.

Happy New Year!

Best wishes to everyone for a happy 2012!

Project Update

It’s been a while since we’ve posted on our blog, so here’s an update of some of our new projects as well as some of our ongoing work.

New Hampshire Department of Transportation Boston-Lowell-Nashua-Manchester Rail & Transit Alternatives Analysis – We were a part of the winning team for this proposal and are looking forward to working on the project, which will evaluate rail transportation between Boston and Manchester.

Vermont Agency of Transportation Hazard Beacon Replacement – We are finishing up with obtaining permits for a hazard beacon replacement project at Hartness State Airport in Springfield, Vermont.  Permits and approvals that were needed included Act 250, NEPA, and wetlands.

Middlebury State Airport Weather Observation System – We also recently obtained permits (Act 250, NEPA, and Town Zoning) for a proposed airport weather observation system (AWOS) at Middlebury State Airport in Vermont. 

Route 3 North Transportation Improvements Project – We continue to work on a purple loosestrife biocontrol program using Galerucella sp. beetles.  A second beetle release was completed this June, with follow-up monitoring planned for August. 

VT Airport Hazard Beacon

Upcoming Conferences

Glenn and Melissa Smart will be attending the ACC/AAAE Airport Planning, Design, and Construction Symposium in Denver, Colorado on February 23-25, 2011.

Melissa Smart will be attending the 34th Annual Airports Conference in Hershey, Pennsylvania on March 1-3, 2011.

Wetland Delineation at Mt. Washington Regional Airport

The Smart Associates started working on an Environmental Assessment for the Mount Washington Regional Airport in Whitefield, New Hampshire late this fall.  As part of the Environmental Assessment, we completed a wetland delineation on the airport’s property.  Although we were lucky to have no snow cover when we started in November, by the time we finished with the delineation the snow was at least two feet deep in most places.  We are usually able to perform wetland delineations in the winter by looking at the tree and shrub species and soils (if the ground isn’t frozen).  We usually recommended field verifying the wetland boundaries during the growing season, however.

Delineating wetlands on a rainy day in November

 

A snowy day at Mt. Washington Regional Airport

Upcoming Conferences

 

FAA/MAMA 2010 Airports Conference, November 1-2, Waltham, Massachusetts

 

Maine Transportation Conference, December 2, Augusta, Maine 

 

Lupine Survey at Concord Municipal Airport

Lupine plant near runway

TSA conducted a Lupine and nectar plant survey for the Concord Municipal Airport as part of an Environmental Assessment.  These surveys located and collected data on Lupine and several  important nectar plant species that are present within the proposed development areas at the Airport.  These surveys were conducted because the Airport contains habitat for the federally endangered Karner Blue Butterfly (KBB).  The preservation of this species is important to the KBB because it relies on the Lupine as its only food source and a place to lay eggs.  TSA also conducted an egg count during the month of July to estimate how many Karner Blue eggs were laid and what areas were being used by the KBB. 

Karner Blue egg on stem of Lupine plant

New Projects

New Projects include:

- Central NH Regional Planning Commission, River Trail through Concord, NH, Feasability Study

- Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Water Quality Monitoring/Modeling Program, Manchester, NH

- NH Department of Transportation, Statewide On-call Water Quality Services, providing water quality sampling, SWPPP preparation and monitoring, QAPP preparation, and NEPA documentation

- City of Concord Airport Planning and Engineering Consultant Services Contract.  Under this contract, we will be preparing an Environmental Assessment for several proposed projects at Concord Airport.  The Smart Associates will be providing endangered species, water quality, MSGP SWPPP, and SPCC services for the project.

Current Proposals

Some of our proposals that we have recently submitted include:

- Vermont Agency of Transportation, I-91 Bridge Improvements, Brattleboro, VT

- NH Department of Transportation Statewide Aviation Planning and Engineering Services

- NH Department of Transportation Peterborough 15879 – Preliminary Design (Bridge Rehabilitation)

- NH Department of Transportation Manchester 16099 – Corridor Study (FEET 1-293, Exit 6-7)