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Project
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Client
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Date
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National Resource Inventory - Kansas
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NRCS
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May 2004 – 2008
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SES was selected by
the NRCS to conduct National Resource Inventory surveys
of rangelands in Kansas. This work will allow NRCS to continually
monitor the health of private rangelands in Kansas.
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National Resource Inventory -Colorado
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NRCS
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June 2004 – 2008
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SES was selected by
the NRCS to conduct National Resource Inventory surveys
of rangelands in Colorado. This work will allow NRCS to
continually monitor the health of private rangelands in Colorado.
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Natural
Resources Damage Assessment
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Confidential Client – Railroad
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October 2000 - Feb 2001
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SES investigated
damage claims to open rangeland resulting from a fire started by a
passing train. Initial claims
cited restoration costs of more than 3.5 million dollars due to loss of
grazing land, livestock, and production due to the time required to
restore the range land. Our staff
conducted site assessments and economic analyses and demonstrated
conclusively that livestock losses were less than claimed, rehabilitation
of the range would actually take less time than originally postulated,
and that actual dollar losses were less than $500,000. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that
because fire is a natural process of the range environment, that with
normal rainfall, the range productivity may actually be improved over
previous conditions.
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Claims Assessment and Site Evaluation
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Confidential Client – Railroad
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February - March 2001
|
|
SES provided
technical support in response to claims of damages to rangeland and
property following a derailment in northern New Mexico. An initial claim of more than $400,000
was made for the restoration of five acres of land presumably damaged
from the derailment and ensuing removal of railcars. The claimants stated that because of
remaining debris at the site, it would be impossible to graze livestock,
and that excessive erosion resulting from site activities was permanently
altering the area. SES conducted a
site assessment, discovering that site conditions were actually very
good, that the railroad had conducted a commendable cleanup, and that any
deleterious site conditions were resulting more from overgrazing and
misuse of the land by the current owners.
Our recommendation was for no or minimal compensation to the
land-owners for restoring minor disturbances to the property.
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Railroad Crossing
Vegetation Management
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Kansas City
Southern Railroad
|
January 2002 -
ongoing
|
|
SES conducted
surveys of vegetation conditions at KCS railroad crossings in the Midwest
and southern U.S. for the purpose of developing vegetation management
plans and reducing risks associated with automobile crossings. Following the surveys, pilot studies
were implemented to develop effective revegetation strategies that would
maintain low-lying vegetative growth with minimal maintenance. The studies remain in progress.
|
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Railroad Cross
Tie Utilization Study
|
Kansas City
Southern Railroad
|
January 2002 to
December 2002
|
|
Working
closely with KCS and the University of Arkansas, SES is conducting
a study of the degradation of railroad cross ties to determine the
potential impact on the environment, including utilization of aged
crossties to stabilize railbeds and enhance vegetative growth. The study is ongoing with preliminary
results expected in 2002.
|
|
Environmental
Protection Plan
|
Runge
Enterprises, Inc
|
December 2001
|
|
SES developed and
produced the environmental protection plan (EPP) required for a Corps of
Engineers flood protection project in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The EPP was requested to be
accomplished quickly so that work could begin at the earliest possible
time for construction activities to begin. The EPP provided detailed site maps,
instructions for environmental protection during construction activities,
training requirements, and measures for handling and disposing of
hazardous wastes that could potentially be on site. Typically, EPPs are critically reviewed
by the Corps for several weeks before comments are returned and revised
documents are required. The EPP
for this project was reviewed and approved within days of submittal to
the Corps, with great appreciation by the contractor required to have the
EPP in place for construction activities.
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