Aleta Powers, an environmental scientist and principal, has worked for ERO since 1994 and has experience in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), and Clean Water Act (CWA) compliance. Her project experience includes highway reconstruction, reservoir re-operation,water supply systems, oil and gas, and mining operations. In addition to federal and state planning and permitting, Aleta also has experience in local and municipal issues such as open space resource planning and management, natural resource assessments, and wetland delineation and mitigation.

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

NEPA Compliance. Aleta has prepared environmental impact statements (EIS) and environmental assessments (EA) for projects throughout the west, including the New World Mine EIS, Beartooth Highway EIS, Roosevelt Lake EIS, Vega Unit EA, Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System EA, and Miscellaneous Purposes Contract EIS. Her involvement ranges from project management, fieldwork and authorship, to public meeting facilitation and newsletter development and preparation. Aleta also manages databases for mailing lists and public comments.

Threatened and Endangered Species. Aleta has completed biological assessments (BA) and biological evaluations (BE) for a variety of projects. She has conducted surveys and site assessments for threatened, endangered, and federal and state listed species, including the boreal toad, Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, Colorado butterfly plant, Ute ladies’-tresses orchid, and various cactus and astragalus species. Aleta’s background also includes extensive knowledge of the grizzly bear and other forest carnivores, southwestern willow flycatcher, yellow-billed cuckoo, and Colorado and South Platte River fish recovery programs. In addition, she has aided in the preparation of multispecies habitat conservation plans (HCPs).

Wetlands. Aleta has guided many clients through the CWA compliance process, from federal agencies with large highway and mining projects, to engineers, developers, and industries with local developments. Aleta has assisted in both the Nationwide and Individual permitting process, from delineating wetlands and coordinating avoidance and minimization efforts, to developing and implementing mitigation and monitoring plans.

Water Resources. Aleta helped complete a study of phreatophytes—plants with very high water intake—along riparian areas in the Phoenix basin. She has also assessed stream flow depletions from hydro-power facilities and the impact on stream-side vegetation.

apowers@eroresources.com