Specialty: Renewable energy projects, environmental data management systems
Principal: Dave Tomlinson, business development manager -- Northwest regional projects
Founded: 1970
Like many environmental firms working in the Northwest, Ecology & Environment's Seattle office is very busy these days with Endangered Species Act and the total maximum daily load program.
For instance, the firm is conducting an supplemental environmental assessment for the Third Runway at Sea-Tac, after federal listings of Northwest salmon gave them protected status under the Endangered Species Act. This status affects the permit process.
"We are doing very well right now. We’re very busy. I think areas of the ESA and TMDLs (total maximum daily load of contaminants) will continue to bring work that will grow for us," said Dave Tomlinson, E&E's Northwest region’s business development manager. At present, E&E is doing business in Oregon, China and Morocco.
This past year, several of Ecology & Environment's projects nationwide involved evaluating the environmental impact of fiber optic cable installation for telecommunications infrastructures.
"We have real strength in environmental data management systems," Tomlinson said. The assessments connected with obtaining permits for fiber optic cable projects are comprehensive.
"We address features such as culture and resource issues, endangered species and wetlands impacts and waterway crossings, for examples."
Other projects have included oil pipeline and gas transmission. Another area in which E&E is expanding is renewable energy power generation plants.
"We’re very active in a couple of market segments. Deregulation of the power industry is resulting in a significant amount of work related to the licensing and permitting of new power plants," said Tomlinson. "We’re currently working on a couple of renewable energy projects. We work with the client to develop strategies, which incorporate renewable energy -- basically, ‘green’ power."
According to Dhroov Shivjiani, E&E’s Seattle office manager, the company uses the same approach in its own operations as it recommends for its clients.
"We use sustainable design in our own building construction," he said, explaining that E&E’s Buffalo, N.Y., headquarters has an environmentally sensitive HVAC system, maximizes the use of natural light and was built from "green" materials.
And, Shivjiani said, E&E was among the first companies to use recycled paper, even before it was compatible with computer printers.
"Our underlying philosophy is to provide professional services so that sustainable economic and human development can proceed with minimum negative impact on the environment," said Tomlinson. "It’s a challenge to business."