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One word can sum up what a typical workday is like for folks at Adolfson & Associates: busy.
Work generated from the Endangered Species Act, plus the burst of road repairs and other transportation projects hitting the region have staff working at a brisk pace.
"People are screaming for natural sciences services because of the Endangered Species Act listings," said Molly Adolfson, principal of the firm. "We've added fisheries biologists, wetlands and wildlife specialists to support the work load."
Formed in 1987, Adolfson & Associates focuses on three major areas: environmental services, permitting and environmental impact statements; natural sciences; and water resources.
Its largest project this year is an EIS for the Parkland/Brookdale Pipeline proposed by Pierce County Utilities. Another large project entails helping Multnomah County, Ore., with its siting process for the new county jail.
Adolfson added that work on permitting has hit record levels this year.
"We're doing a number of projects for King County Capital Facilities," she said. "Most of the work had been on hold or simmering for a while, and now it's being implemented."
Next year, Adolfson says the firm will remain busy with ESA-related work, specifically to help local governments understand how the regulations affect them and help define an ESA response program. The firm is currently advising Tukwila and Pierce County on how to address the new laws, for instance.
In addition to the ESA, Adolfson expects watershed planning to keep the company busy, as well as transportation projects.
She doesn't anticipate venturing into any new directions in the next few years, however. Adolfson said she wants to keep the firm focused on providing high-quality services, in the face of significant growth.
"Our niche is natural sciences and planning for major municipal infrastructure projects," she said. "That's what we do best, and that's where we want to stay."