Western Region Economic Project, Montgomery & Walker Counties, Texas

• Client

  Entergy Texas, Inc.

• Division

  Environmental

• Scope

  Wetland Delineation, T&E Species Surveys, Biological Evaluation, and Federal/State Authorizations

• Completion

  2020

Entergy Texas, Inc. retained C. H. Fenstermaker & Associates, L.L.C. (Fenstermaker) to provide environmental services necessary to improve the delivery of power to commercial and residential properties located in Conroe, Texas. The project included construction of two new transmission-lines, a proposed substation, and a transmission line rebuild. To construct the proposed transmission lines, Entergy was required to clear and maintain a 125-ft. maximum right-of-way as per North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) regulations. The 125-ft. right-of-way would need to be maintained to minimize encroachment from vegetation located adjacent to the right-of-way.

Fenstermaker scheduled pre-application meetings with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and U. S. Forest Service (USFS) to discuss permitting strategies and required field work necessary to fulfill permit authorization requirements.  This allowed Fenstermaker to streamline permit application documents for the USACE and USFS and ensured Entergy received authorizations prior to the construction start date.

Fenstermaker completed all necessary environmental field work, documentation, and permitting in a timely manner allowing Entergy to start construction on time. Work included wetland delineations, T&E species surveys, and report generation for project activities.  USFS requested the completion of a Red-Cockaded woodpecker survey. Fenstermaker performed the survey and prepared a biological evaluation, and  submitted the report to USFS as part of the Special Use Permit authorization process. Fenstermaker also completed USACE wetland permitting along with assisting in the settlement of required compensatory mitigation.