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Environmental

Environmental

Today’s markets are rapidly changing, and regulatory requirements and limited resources complicate environmental planning efforts. At Norwest we understand resource development is a complex, multi-layered endeavor, and we are committed to advancing methods of project development and operation that are consistent with sustainable development principles.

Norwest’s experts provide environmental assessment, permitting, water resources assessment and management, carbon emissions evaluation, and regulatory support services to assist our clients with a wide variety of environmental and regulatory compliance issues.

Our services include:

Water Resources

  • Water resource management
  • Surface water hydrology
  • Groundwater characterization and modeling
  • Water quality remediation
  • Hydrologic impact prediction and analysis

Environmental Assessment, Permitting, Regulatory Support, and Remediation

  • Environmental assessments
  • Environmental impact statements
  • Permit applications for mining and energy projects
  • Environmental and reclamation liability determination
  • Baseline and impact studies
  • Compliance audits
  • Risk assessments
  • Soil and Groundwater Remediation
  • Expert Testimony
  • Groundwater Fate & Transport Modeling

Environmental Planning and Management

  • Environmental management and compliance plans
  • Reclamation and remediation planning and design
  • Mine closure / abandonment planning, design and costing
  • Investigation and mitigation of hazardous areas.

Climate Change Issues

  • Emissions inventories
  • Energy audits
  • Emissions strategy development
  • Clean development mechanisms consultation and project design
  • Carbon sequestration and management

Case Study

Piceance Basin, Colorado

Situation:

Norwest’s environmental group was hired to collect hydrology, geology, and other environmental resource data in the Piceance Basin of Colorado for a project involving the submission of an application to the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety to mine oil shale.

Solution:

Norwest designed a project to help demonstrate the client’s ability to use their In-Situ Conversion Process (ICP) to economically recover commercial quantities of hydrocarbons from oil shale in an environmentally sensitive manner. The process began by creating a freeze wall containment area, heating the earth inside the freeze wall, removing the oil, and then reclaiming the production area. 

Result:

Norwest met aggressive timelines and supported the project through NEPA to produce a comprehensive package that was well received by the client. Norwest was able to provide interdisciplinary support ranging from identifying promising resource areas to compiling a comprehensive permit application that integrated large volumes of technical information.