Environmental Services -- EDM International, Inc.

EDM is known nationally and internationally for research and consulting work on avian collision and electrocution, using a core team of interdisciplinary specialists. EDM’s Environmental Services Group holds a GSA Contract and has specialized in regulatory environmental review, permitting, and compliance for more than 26 years.

Since EDM's incorporation in 1982, the key to the success of our consulting, research, and development services has been our team of dedicated professionals and support staff chosen for their unique yet complementary abilities.

EDM assists with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal permitting requirements and regulatory review processes. EDM’s Environmental Services Group regulatory focus and specialties include:

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
Potential Impact Index (PII)
Linear Routing
Wind Energy Siting and Routing
Communication Tower Siting and Review
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)
Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA)
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
Environmental Assessments
Environmental Impact Statements
Natural Resource Assessments
Rare Plant Surveys
Biological Assessments & Evaluations
Biological Data Acquisition and Analysis

EDM focuses on analyses that are accurate and defensible in an effort to streamline agency and public review. This approach minimizes potential schedule delays and associated costs with the permitting processes -- particularly for large or complex projects.

EDM specializes in the development and implementation of bird management guidelines to comply with the MBTA, BGEPA, and ESA. Incorporating federal agency guidelines with professional expertise, EDM performs routing and siting studies for linear and spatial projects to examine the potential collision risks to resident and migratory birds. EDM recently authored an in‑depth summary of regulatory permitting requirements and proactive problem resolution for EPRI’s International Transmission Line

Reference Book (i.e., Red Book) and co-authored a detailed review of avian collision studies with communication towers for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). EDM also specializes in topic‑specific workshops or seminars on NEPA, ESA, MBTA, and EPA and how to facilitate these complex permitting processes.

EDM’s Environmental Services Group has extensive experience working under NEPA, ESA, and MBTA -- encompassing large, third‑party, multi-agency Environmental Impact Statements; Environmental Assessments; interstate permitting projects; and natural resource planning programs. EDM often works directly with the Federal lead agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in facilitating section 7 consultations under the ESA, emphasizing a proactive, yet practical, communicative approach to issue resolution in coordination with the permit applicant, land management agency, and applicable regulatory agencies.

Our staff has performed numerous wetlands consultations throughout several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) districts, is recognized by the COE as preferred consultants, and is formally trained in COE-approved wetlands delineation techniques, construction design, and Section 404 permitting regulations.

EDM’s wetlands experience also includes the development of wetland mitigation banking programs, which encompass:

Coordinating with multi-agency review team
Drafting the COE regulated banking instrument
Designing wetland construction plans
Implementing wetland monitoring plans
Assessing existing wetlands for function and value
Evaluating existing and created wetlands for mitigation banking value (creation, enhancement, restoration, preservation)
Completing Section 404 permit applications (individual, nationwide, and regional)
Delineating wetlands for potential mitigation use

Key wetland experience includes:

Wetland mitigation, monitoring, and construction design
Wetland delineation
Section 404 Permitting and compliance
Wetland impact assessment
Wetland water treatment design
Wetland and biological sampling for contamination source mapping

A successful mitigation program is effectively designed to compensate for wetlands lost due to construction activities pursuant to the ‘no net loss of wetlands’ compliance defined under the Clean Water Act. EDM’s success in wetlands mitigation and permitting can be attributed to proactive communications with the COE and the interagency review team, typically consisting of the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and State Wildlife Agencies.