Navigating Regulatory Compliance with Expertise and Experience
WEST specializes in environmental permitting and compliance services to help clients meet federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. With a collaborative approach and scientifically defensible strategies, we assist clients in the energy, transportation and infrastructure, and natural resource management sectors in achieving regulatory approval and environmental stewardship.
Our Expertise
Eagles and Migratory Birds
WEST combines our statistical expertise with our permitting and species expertise to assist clients navigating compliance with the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 2024 Eagle Rule, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Migratory Bird Conservation Act. WEST brings a scientific and site-specific approach to survey and study design to accommodate local habitat and species knowledge, additional agency regulations and recommendations, and project timelines.
Our expertise includes:
- Eagle conservation plans
- Avian protection plans
- Conservation strategies
- Nesting bird surveys
- Minimization, mitigation, and monitoring
- Collision risk modeling
- Incidental take permitting
- Construction and operation compliance strategies
This integrated approach helps clients meet regulatory requirements while supporting wildlife conservation—reflecting WEST’s ability to balance scientific rigor with practical permitting expertise.
Endangered Species Act Compliance
WEST is a recognized leader in Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance, navigating the regulatory landscapes of impact analysis and conservation planning for threatened and endangered species under Sections 7 and 10. Our experienced team’s in-depth understanding of ESA regulations covers all aspects, from project inception to implementation, providing defensible solutions for complex ESA compliance issues, ensuring efficient permitting and implementation.
Our expertise includes:
- Avoidance and managed risk strategies
- Section 7 biological assessments
- Section 10 habitat conservation plans and incidental take permitting
- Compliance monitoring, mitigation, and adaptive management
- Creative minimization approaches
Our dedicated and experienced team develops science-based, legally defensible solutions for complex ESA compliance issues, ensuring efficient permitting and implementation.
Federal, State, and Local Permitting
WEST provides support for federal, state, and local permitting by carrying out environmental surveys, conducting impact analyses, providing subject matter expertise, and supporting multidisciplinary teams.
Our expertise includes:
- Clean Water Act authorizations
- State siting or environmental permits (e.g. New York, Maine, Washington, California, Virginia)
- State wildlife incidental take permits (e.g. California Endangered Species Act [CESA], Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act [IL ESPA])
- County/township zoning
- Public Utilities Authority and Commissions
This work helps streamline the permitting process and ensures regulatory compliance—demonstrating WEST’s experience navigating complex environmental requirements across jurisdictions.
Clean Water Act
Staying current with regulatory guidelines, WEST’s wetland scientists map and assess aquatic resources following US Army Corps of Engineers and state-specific guidelines to help navigate permitting requirements with our clients. Section 404 Clean Water Act permitting involves agency coordination, self-certification compliance, Pre-construction Notification (PCN) applications for Nationwide Permits, along with state-level permitting and compliance assessments.
National Environmental Policy Act
WEST provides applicant and agency support for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, helping carry out the NEPA process for wind, solar, transmission, oil and gas, and water supply projects. Our NEPA team carefully tracks changing NEPA regulations and ensures NEPA documentation is concise, focused, and legally defensible, streamlining the approval process for complex environmental projects.
Our expertise includes:
- Project scoping and alternatives analysis
- Categorical exclusions
- Environmental assessments and environmental impact statements
- Natural resource surveys and reporting
- Interagency coordination and public outreach
- Regulatory documentation
WEST ensures NEPA documentation is concise, focused, and legally defensible, streamlining the approval process for complex environmental projects.
Representative Projects
Discover WEST’s library of scientific publications and reports highlighting our work in environmental research, wildlife monitoring, renewable energy, and data-driven solutions.
Partner with WEST for Regulatory Compliance and Conservation Planning
WEST’s environmental permitting experts provide science-based, regulatory-compliant solutions to help clients navigate Endangered Species Act, Eagle Conservation Plan, and National Environmental Policy Act processes.
Contact us to discuss how we can support your project.
