The Florida Association of Environmental Professionals (FAEP) is proud to present the 2025 FAEP Annual Conference. The FAEP Conference is an annual conference bringing together environmental professionals and subject matter experts in environmental policy, natural resources, engineering and various other disciplines. This year, the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Florida Association of Environmental Professionals is hosting the conference.
SCS Engineers will present on several topics, including:
Work Smarter Not Harder with GIS – Kayla Ouellette and Juanita Borden, GISP
Client Benefits of PFAS Exposure Risk Evaluation in AFFF – Leslie Smith, PHD, PE
Innovative Approaches to Site Closure – Marco Hernandez, PE
Ecological Risk Assessment and Protocols for the Restoration of the Everglades – Joshua Blanco, CHMM
Join us as we explore the latest advancements and best practices in environmental science and engineering!
The Florida Association of Environmental Professionals (FAEP) is proud to present the 2025 FAEP Annual Conference. The FAEP Conference is an annual conference bringing together environmental professionals and subject matter experts in environmental policy, natural resources, engineering and various other disciplines. This year, the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Florida Association of Environmental Professionals is hosting the conference.
SCS Engineers will present on several topics, including:
Work Smarter Not Harder with GIS – Kayla Ouellette and Juanita Borden, GISP
Client Benefits of PFAS Exposure Risk Evaluation in AFFF – Leslie Smith, PHD, PE
Innovative Approaches to Site Closure – Marco Hernandez, PE
Ecological Risk Assessment and Protocols for the Restoration of the Everglades – Joshua Blanco, CHMM
Join us as we explore the latest advancements and best practices in environmental science and engineering!
SCS Engineers will sponsor and exhibit at The Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite® this September 12-15th at Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp, CA. The Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite® is nationally recognized as the largest and most prestigious gathering in California of leaders in environmental, land use, and natural resources law. We hope you will join us and many of our nation’s top environmental officials, lawyers, and other professionals for four days of legal education and collegiality. Registration opens in late Summer.
Sensitive natural resources include but are not limited to the following: Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species and their habitats, wildlife refuges, wetlands, and tribal burial grounds. These are areas where federal or states have identified protected resources. SCS Engineers has the expertise and credentials to perform surveys for clients with projects requiring the identification of these sensitive resources, along with the regulatory permitting with specialization in threatened and endangered species, wetlands, and critical habitats.
Development and construction often occur near or within areas identified as sensitive natural resources. Responsible developers identify sensitive resources near or within their proposed project area as part of their development plans because protecting our nation’s natural resources is important. The protection of sensitive natural resources is the basis of the Federal Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and National Historical Preservation Act. Projects under consideration in sensitive areas require special permits; without which projects can be shut down causing costly contractor delays and schedule disruptions. Post-permitting and the associated fines can be severe, so even if you are not a conservationist, it makes good sense to complete the permitting process before breaking ground.
When considering a project in potentially sensitive ecological areas, SCS Engineers recommends a constraint analysis be performed. The analysis will determine if the proposed project location is within wetlands, critical habitat, threatened and endangered species range, and other potential constraints. If it is, SCS recommends that a site assessment is performed and initiate agency consultation to protect the sensitive resources.
Both the permitting process and the preliminary ecological assessments are not difficult but do require credentialed specialists. SCS has geologists, hydrologist, hydro-geologists, and environmental compliance professionals nationwide. SCS Engineers even has credentialed biologists for specialized threatened and endangered species monitoring and assessments for several species that include but not limited to the American Bury Beetle, Arkansas Shiner, Arkansas Darter, Topeka Shiner, Neosho Mucket Mussel, Rabbitfoot Mussel, Northern Longear Bat, and Indiana Bat in the Central U.S.
To determine if a project is within a sensitive natural resource area or to schedule an ecological consultation, contact .
About the Author: Vaughn Weaver
Vaughn Weaver has over 20 years of environmental services experience with a strong background in water quality and bio-monitoring and is currently a senior field technician at SCS in our Wichita office. He provides project assistance to a diverse team of environmental professionals made up of geologists, hydrogeologists, engineers, chemists, and biologists. His responsibilities include surveying project sites, mitigation monitoring, well sampling and monitoring, and report writing for clients.
In addition, he has 15 years of water quality experience with National Pollution Discharge and Emissions Systems (NPDES) for point source and non-point source permits. Vaughn is also a Certified Wetland Delineator – USACOE.
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