Ecological consultants can be the difference between project success and failure. These consultants precede septic designers and architects as the first to evaluate your property. This article describes the benefits and requirements of hiring an ecological consultant for your project.
What does an ecological consultant do?
An ecological consultant can guide you along the land development process. Projects in King County and Snohomish County are required to avoid, minimize, and mitigate any environmental impacts resulting from a project. As your guide, an ecological consultant can help you navigate this process while still achieving your project development goals. Ecological consultants are sub-categorized as “stream professionals”, “wetland professionals”, or “wildlife professionals” in King County and Snohomish County. Although some may specialize, most ecological consultants are qualified for all three designations.
Wetland Professionals
During the Site evaluation, a wetland professional will perform a wetland delineation to locate the size and extent of any wetlands on your property. Wetlands have unique plant, soil, and hydrological characteristics, compared to upland areas. Only “hydrophytic”, or water-loving plants, can thrive in saturated soil conditions in wetland areas. Soil characteristics change in saturated areas, resulting in a gray, depleted matrix color. Finally, hydrology is the most familiar distinguishing factor between wetland and upland areas. Saturated or ponded areas with a natural water source may meet wetland criteria.
Buffer widths are established based on the category of a wetland. Throughout Washington State, there are four categories of wetlands (Category I, II, III, and IV). These categories are determined using a rating form that evaluates the wetland’s physical characteristics. Category I wetlands are considered the hardest to replace and require the largest buffer widths, while Category IV wetlands are considered the easiest to replace and require much smaller buffers. Your consultant will determine the category and corresponding buffer widths for your project.
Stream Professionals
Most ecological consultants are qualified to perform stream evaluations and prepare reports for permitting. The Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) of streams will be flagged and located via survey or GPS device for planning purposes. Then the stream will be “typed” to determine the buffer width requirement. In most cities and counties in Washington State, streams are typed as a Type N (non-fish bearing), Type F (fish-bearing), or Type S (State Shoreline), depending on their physical characteristics. Type N streams typically require the lowest buffer widths, while Type S streams require the largest.
Wildlife Professionals
If any regulated wildlife habitat, such as heron rookeries, bald eagle nests, or bat roosts, are present, a wildlife professional will determine the type and location of regulated areas. Designating these protected areas ensures the safety of sensitive species and habitats during the development process. A wildlife professional may be required to prepare a Habitat Management Plan or similar study to permit your proposed development.
Land Use Applications
Land use applications, such as clearing and grading permits, require ecological consultants to prepare critical area reports or wetland studies based on the Site evaluation. Your consultant will prepare the appropriate environmental report for your project after completing the Site visit. Suppose no wetlands, streams, or regulated wildlife habitats are identified within the Study Area. In that case, the consultant may only need to prepare a short letter for the project, and a full report may not be necessary.
Are you fully aware of the ecological and environmental regulations on your property? Some environmental ordinances apply to all properties, and other requirements are specific to your location. To determine the location of critical areas and their buffer widths, it’s a good idea to hire an ecological consultant with the professional skills, knowledge, and experience to help permit your project.
Why do I need an ecological consultant?
Environmental consultants are a great resource to maximize the buildable area on your property while protecting regulated natural resources. Specifically, consultants can help you with the following: n
- Permit your project in compliance with Local, State, and Federal environmental requirements. This compliance will prevent wasteful spending on revisions and save you time and money for the next phase of your project.
- Understand how to maximize buildable area on your property. If you have a degraded property, you may be able to gain buildable area and simultaneously protect critical areas (e.g., wetlands, streams, and buffers) through buffer modification provisions and mitigation projects.
- An ecological consultant can help you design your property development in the least-impactful way so that you can keep harmony between the natural and built environments on your property.
- Avoid penalties, violations, and stop-work orders resulting from non-compliance with environmental regulations.
Ecological Consultants and Environmental Permitting Services
We can help you understand the environmental regulations, laws, and rules that apply to your property. If your project involves environmental impacts, it’s essential to understand the agencies you will be working with during the permitting process. Local (City/County), State, and Federal jurisdictions regulate wetlands and streams. Projects that propose only buffer impacts are handled only at the Local level and are much easier to permit. Projects should only propose direct wetland or stream impacts if no feasible alternative to their Site plan exists.
Local (City/County) Permitting
City and County Critical Area Ordinances regulate wetlands, streams, and buffers through the Growth Management Act – see King County Zoning Code section 21A.24 and Snohomish County Code section 30.62A. If the project occurs within a State Shoreline Management Zone, the project will require permitting through the Shoreline Management Act. Applicants must also complete a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) checklist for projects involving impacts to wetlands, streams, and their buffers. For projects proposing only buffer impacts, your permitting journey will most likely stop here at the local level.
State Permitting
At the State level, wetlands and streams are regulated under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and through the Shoreline Management Act (RCW 90.58) by the Department of Ecology. Consultants may permit wetland impacts through the Clean Water Act §401 Water Quality Certification is required by Ecology, and a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit (SSDP) or Shoreline Variance permit must be authorized. Additionally, impacts to streams are regulated by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and require a Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) permit.
Federal Permitting
At the Federal level, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates wetland impacts under Section 404 of the CWA by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). This permit process requires consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to enforce Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regulates stream impacts through the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act protects Archeological resources during the CWA section 404 process. You may be required to work through these processes if your project must directly impact wetlands or streams.
Conclusion
Ecological Professionals include Wetland Professionals, Stream Professionals, and Wildlife Professionals. Most professionals are qualified to consult in all of these areas. These professionals can help you determine critical areas and buffer widths and maximize your property’s buildable area. Local, State, and Federal permitting processes can be daunting, but your consultant will guide you through the steps to a successful project.
If you need an ecological consultant in King County or Snohomish County, consider giving us a call. We have helped hundreds of landowners achieve their project goals of maximizing their buildable area and keeping harmony between the built and natural environment. See our testimonials below and give us a call at (425) 949-6659, or email us at Kmaloney@EastsideEnvironmentalPros.com and tell us about your project.
This article was written by Kellen Maloney, owner and chief ecologist of Eastside Environmental Pros, Inc. Kellen is a Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS) who enjoys helping new and experienced landowners create their vision for their property.
