JZ Environmental Consultants, Inc.

Protecting Northern Wisconsin on
North America's Largest Ongoing
Transmission Line Project

One of JZ Environmental Consultants, Inc.'s specialties is consulting with large transmission line companies to help them deal with the complicated environmental issues involved in projects of this magnitude.

From 2005 to 2008, JZ Environmental Consultants, Inc. worked with several agencies and companies in the building of a 220-mile transmission line linking Duluth, Minnesota to Wausau, Wisconsin. This project was paramount to ensuring the reliability of power for the families and businesses in this region.

As dozens of crews cleared the right-of-way, poured foundations, erected 150 foot towers, and stringing power lines, JZ Environmental Consultants, Inc. coordinated all of the environmental facets of the project. They ensured every possible precaution was taken to preserve the land while working diligently to maintain production schedules. As the Construction Mitigation Planner, JZ Environmental Consultants, Inc. was instrumental to the success of this tremendous project from the very beginning.

JZ Environmental Consultants, Inc. was responsible for:

Construction Management

Reviewing environmental stipulations with construction personnel and providing ongoing feedback with field personnel to assure construction activities do not violate permit conditions
Conducting environmental training for all project construction personnel
Enforcing spill prevention procedures and, in the case of a spill, completing spill report forms and contacting appropriate utility environmental representatives for subsequent agency reporting
Environmental team project planning for construction logistics and construction methods

Erosion Control

Monitoring the areas that need erosion control measures and ensuring they are properly installed prior to construction
Monitoring the integrity of silt fences, straw bales, and other erosion control devices
Ensuring the removal of any temporary erosion control devices after an area has been stabilized

Sensitive Areas Management

Investigating and monitoring the tracts to be affected by construction activities and identifying sensitive environmental areas such as wetlands, endangered species habitats, known archaeological sites, etc.
Mapping, flagging, and marking sensitive environmental areas for avoidance or impact minimization
Monitoring known archaeological sites and farm disease mitigation areas
Developing all transmission line access plans and maps
Determining innovative construction procedures including waterway crossings for construction
Conducting biological surveys for TES, habitat characterization, and non-native invasive species

Compliance

Monitoring invasive plant species control compliance requirements
Monitoring stream crossings, wetland mitigation requirements, and agricultural mitigation requirements
Delineating wetland boundaries
Ensuring that the boundary of known threatened and endangered species habitat is protected and monitoring any mitigation measures
Monitoring the implementation and success of re-vegetation and erosion control integrity

From mapping routes, conducting comprehensive surveys of endangered species, (both plant and animal), delineating wetlands and other sensitive areas, training over 300 workers on environmental compliance, coordinating communications, and monitoring the entire 220-mile site, JZ Environmental Consultants, Inc. brought balance to the project so all parties and interests were served.