ENVIRONMENTAL / ECOLOGICAL
A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. The primary factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation of aquatic plants, adapted to the unique hydric soil. Wetlands play a number of roles in the environment, principally water purification, flood control, carbon sink and shoreline stability. Wetlands are also considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal life. The Brigman Company offers many services to aid in development planning and natural preservation of these diverse ecosystems.
Wetland Delineations
The Brigman Company, Inc. (TBC) has conducted thousands of professional wetland determinations, ranging in scope and complexity from individual home sites to golf courses. Our clients include municipalities, utilities (for utility line right-of-ways), and contractors of both small projects and large scale developments throughout the southeast. Our delineations are accepted by both state and federal agencies.
TBC offers preliminary wetland assessments, helping clients save time and money before even laying the groundwork on a project. Assessments are performed mainly by the review of color infra-red photography, soil survey maps, national wetland inventory maps, and USGS topographic maps with minimal ground truthing. These assessments can be verified by the US Army Corps of Engineers, but are intended to be used for preliminary purposes only.
A wetland determination, like preliminary assessments, involves the same review of remote sensing data using 100% ground truthing, and includes flagging the upper boundaries of freshwater wetlands. The wetlands are then mapped by a registered land surveyor and submitted to the US Army Corps of Engineers for verification.
Phase I ESA's
The first step in performing environmental due diligence on any property requires a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). The Brigman Company provides assessments in accordance with the standards of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). After inspecting and assessing the property, we prepare a report identifying any potential or existing environmental contamination liabilities present on the property, keeping clients informed and prepared so that they may be fully compliant with EPA regulations.
Wetland Permitting
On some projects, wetland encroachments simply unavoidable. If your project requires wetland encroachment permits, TBC has a professional staff to prepare the detailed applications, drawings, narratives, alternative analyses, and mitigation proposals required by local, state, and federal permitting agencies.
The Brigman Company has extensive experience in various permitting areas such as:
Individual & Nationwide Permits
Section 401 Water Quality Certification
Costal Zone Management Certification
Wetland Master Planning
Dock Permitting
Critical Area Permitting
Threatened & Endangered Species Surveys
Studies & Permitting
With the enactment of the Threatened and Endangered Species Act of 1973, Congress mandated the protection of those plant and animal species considered to be in danger of extinction. In the years since then, states have added lists of species imperiled within their borders, generally dividing them into categories of endangered, threatened, and species of concern, depending on the fragility of their populations.
Our firm is experienced in coordinating endangered and threatened species studies with the public agencies overseeing their well-being, such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the non-game sections of state game commissions. We can perform field surveys to determine the presence of listed plants or animals and, if they are present, can guide our clients in meeting the legal requirements of habitat use in that area.
We also provide
US Fish & Wildlife Representation
Alternative Analysis
Red Cockaded Woodpecker Surveys