NTH Consultants, Ltd. is pleased to announce that Bradley Venman, NTH Quality Officer and Senior Vice President, was selected by Governor Rick Snyder to serve on the Environmental Permit Review Commission through 2022. The Environmental Permit Review Commission was created as part of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to act in an advisory capacity, according to Public Act 268.
 
The 15 members of the advisory commission were personally chosen by the governor due to their expertise in engineering, geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, and air / water quality.  Among other duties the commission will perform, the department director will at times select members to review and advise on permit applications based on their areas of experience. According to the state’s press release, Governor Snyder said, “this board will work to protect Michigan’s environment by having field experts on the committee carefully review all permits to ensure projects are in the best interest of preserving Michigan’s resources and environment.”
 
Venman, from NTH’s Lansing office, has more than 38 years’ experience in environmental regulatory compliance and toxicology / risk assessment. Prior to joining NTH, Venman was Chief of the Waste Characterization & Land Application Unit in the MDNR (now MDEQ). As a toxicologist for the State, Mr. Venman had key roles in the development of risk-based regulations for surface and groundwater discharge criteria, and was instrumental in the development of Michigan’s risk-based cleanup criteria for the remediation and solid/hazardous waste programs. During his tenure with the MDNR, Mr. Venman was involved in development and implementation of the Surface Water, Groundwater and Waste Management Divisions’ regulatory programs, and he continues to be active on various MDEQ stakeholder advisory work groups.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Alma College and a master’s degree in environmental and industrial health and toxicology from the University of Michigan.
 
“It comes as no surprise that Brad would be chosen by the governor to serve on this elite body of advisors; not only does NTH depend on his expertise daily, but the State recognizes the significant value his knowledge and input brings to the table,” said Jeff Jaros, Executive Vice President and COO. “We were also pleased to see that Lansing Board of Water and Light’s Lori Myott, a previous NTH staff member, will serve alongside Brad on this commission; we offer congratulations to both of them and the rest of the board.”
 
You can learn more about NTH’s Environmental Services and our many successful projects here: www.nthconsultants.com/environmental-services

​On the heels of receiving the “ESOP Company of the Year” award, NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) announced that it recently earned a spot as one of “Metro Detroit’s 2018 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For”. This year, NTH and our employee-owners are celebrating 50 years in business, which makes both wins even more significant.
 
“The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in their human resource practices and employee enrichment. Companies were assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more. In order to be considered, companies complete a comprehensive submission packet followed by anonymous employee surveys. 

“As an employee-owned firm, all of our staff are invested in the company’s performance and client satisfaction, resulting in a creative, cooperative atmosphere that benefits our staff, clients, and project outcomes,” said Jeff Jaros, Executive Vice President and COO. “We are proud to be honored with this award, which highlights our inclusive, community-driven, and supportive culture and demonstrates our commitment to the success of our staff, our company and our clients.”
 
If you would like to be a part of the vibrant NTH culture, visit our careers page to learn more and search our job openings.  

​Find out what YOU can do at NTH: www.nthconsultants.com/job-opportunities

As the energy market evolves from a large centralized system to a decentralized system focused more on cleaner, zero carbon energy, the demand for renewable alternatives continues to grow. As states and corporations commit to meeting renewable energy goals, we continue to see costs of renewable energy projects declining making them a more viable options for governments and companies of all sizes. Rob Bates has joined NTH’s Energy Market team leading our Ecological Services as a Senior Project Scientist leading ecological studies, NEPA documentation, siting, and mitigation of wind and solar projects across the western U.S. Rob is a seasoned professional with 16 years of experience in environmental consulting, wildlife biology and management, habitat restoration, and project management. We hired Rob to help our clients to navigate the complex ecological studies required when developing and operating a renewable energy project while meeting the requirements of NEPA and other regulatory permitting requirements.

Below is an overview from Rob highlighting what clients should consider when planning their renewable energy project.

There are many issues to consider when planning projects timeline and budget. The renewable project owner/developer will need to evaluate the lifecycle, environmental impacts, and property acquisition as they plan, budget, and execute their renewable project. A key part to successful development starts with the initial stages of the project; establishing the needs and goals of the owner/developer and the needs of the end user. Performing due diligence through the lifecycle of the project’s planning and execution is required to make sound decisions for siting of the project and acquisition of the land.

Developing a thorough timeline and steps to be expected as the development of the project moves through the process, should include steps such as:

• Critical Issues Analysis – including ecological and critical habitat studies of proposed sites.
• Regulatory Framework – agency coordination and required reporting.
• Environmental Impact Analysis – compilation of results from Critical Issues Analysis into the appropriate NEPA formatting and reporting.  
• Permit Acquisition – completion, documentation, and reporting of wetlands delineation(s) and submittal of required permit applications.
• Environmental Site Assessment/Due Diligence – Phase I and Phase II studies.
• Community/Public Involvement
  
  

Project planning for renewable energy must also include potential post-operational mitigation measures, studies, and reporting that may be necessary. These include habitat mitigation from unavoidable impacts of the project, post-mortality studies of bats and birds on wind generation facilities, to reporting requirements of an operational renewable energy facility.

If you are interested in learning more, Rob will be presenting at this year’s Michigan Municipal Energy Association’s fall conference, September 12-14, 2018 in Escanaba, Michigan on the Lifecycle of Renewable Energy Project Development. If you are unable to make it to Escanaba to hear Rob’s presentation, he will be one of NTH’s presenters during our fall webinar series. Stay tuned for topics and dates of our webinars. Please sign up here to be notified when this webinar is scheduled.