Applied Ecosystem Services, LLC

Values I Provide

• Training how to to avoid future environmental issues.
• Resolving environmental issues and compliance enforcement actions.
• Facilitate communications between permit holders and regulators.
• Clearly and effectively explaining complex environmental science to non-technical decision makers.
• Advocating for my client based on technically sound and legally defensible science.

Expertise

Over the past 35 years I have established expertise and experience in many areas of ecology, environmental science, and environmental data analyses using advanced statistical and spatial models. It is common for issues and concerns to involve more than one of these areas because they are tightly integrated in natural ecosystems.

• Aquatic biota (fish, benthic macroinvertebrates, algae, macrophytes)
• Aquatic chemistry
• Clear and effective communication of complex environmental issues to non-technical decision makers
• Ecological Risk Assessment/Analysis
• Ecosystem structure and function, including establishing cause and effect
• Environmental data analyses using advanced statistical and spatial models
• Environmental management system development and strengthening
• Environmental permitting and compliance: Clean Water Act (CWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
• Environmental risk management
• Fluvial geomorphology
• Hydraulics including sediment distribution and transport
• Hydrology
• Identifying causes of environmental issues
• Litigation support as a consulting and testifying expert witness
• Quantifying causality
• Regulatory science
• Sampling/monitoring program design
• Stream/river restoration
• Watersheds
• Wetlands
• Wildlife

Experience

• Analyzing geochemical and biological data using advanced statistical and spatial models.
• Biological assessments of commercial dredging on Endangered Species Act list fish.
• Biological assessments of small in-water structures on Endangered Species Act listed fish.
• Bore hole creation and toxic metals in streams.
• Continuing legal education (CLE) classes on water quality, environmental data.
• Ecological flows and agricultural operations.
• Effects of drinking water fluoridation on ESA-listed salmon.
• Effects of industrial activity noise on nesting bald eagles, purple martins.
• Explanations of complex environmental science issues to county commissions, state legislators.
• Fisheries enhancement by bar scalping.
• Litigation support: flooding, mine reclamation.
• Mine reclamation: creation of western pond turtle habitats.
• Mine reclamation: re-vegetation for hard rock quarry.
• Mine reclamation: stream creation for mountain top removal coal mine.
• Permitting commercial sand/gravel dredging, bar scalping, sand/gravel pits, hard rock quarries.
• Permitting electrical power plants (gas turbine/co-generation) and cross-state transmission lines.
• Preparation of environmental management systems.
• Preparation of storm water pollution prevention plans.
• Support of replacement residential dwelling in sensitive wildlife habitat.
• Technical review of Environmental Impact Statements.
• Technical review of draft Total Maximum Daily Loads regulations.
• Training employees on storm water control and discharge monitoring.
• Using dredging to reclaim a river.
• Water quality and biota affects of underground metal mining.
• Wetland determination, delineation, restoration, creation.

Education

• Ph.D. (Idaho State University): Stream Ecology, Fluvial Geomorphology, Radiochemistry.
• M.S. (University of Illinois): Limnology, Aquatic Biology, Ecosystem Dynamics.
• B.A. (Quinnipiac College, with Honors): Biology, Chemistry.