Indiana Department of Transportation - Statewide
JFNew currently has had a contract with the Indiana DOT to provide wetland consulting and maintenance services since 1994 with both time and monetary extensions. Through the life of this contract, JFNew has worked on more than 25 different projects. The services associated with these sites have ranged from reviewing and revising wetland delineations, to performing weed control at mitigation sites, to performing the mitigation monitoring requirements. JFNew has been awarded two additional contracts with the Indiana DOT for wetland permitting services and for rare, threatened & endangered species work throughout the state.
US 31 - Hamilton County, Indiana
JFNew completed the natural resource inspection requirements for the corridor and identified 51 wetlands and 17 "waters of the U.S." crossings. JFNew also assessed current land use pertaining to natural resources within the corridor, including a determination of the probability of occurrence of endangered species. Based on the preliminary findings, JFNew conducted a mist net study for Indiana Bats. The final report prepared by JFNew also included a discussion of the hydrology constraints of the site.
State Highway 25 - Central Indiana
JFNew provided the ecological consulting services for this highway improvement project between Lafayette and Logansport. This fast-track project included wetland delineations, aquatic ecology and water quality, floodplain encroachments and permit requirements, ecosystem effects, wetlands, terrestrial ecology, threatened/endangered flora and fauna, and natural areas within the proposed highway corridor. JFNew's biologists provided evaluations of threatened and endangered species habitat, conducted field searches to confirm presence of species, determined potential impacts, recommended measures to minimize or mitigate impacts and prepared a Biological Assessment for protected species. Throughout the environmental review process, JFNew maintained close coordination with the prime contractor and Indiana DOT.
Interstate 69 - Central to Southern Indiana
JFNew is currently teamed with three different prime contractors for this federal highway expansion project. JFNew is providing a full range of ecological consulting services, including wetland delineations and endangered species investigations. To date, JFNew has completed Indiana Bat, fish, crawfish and mussel surveys for each segment of the proposed corridor. The full scope of services by JFNew includes assessments of aquatic ecology and water quality, floodplain encroachments and permit requirements, ecosystem effects, wetlands, terrestrial ecology, threatened/endangered flora and fauna, and natural areas within the proposed highway corridor. The results will be identified on an environmental base map of the project areas indicating environmental resources and constraints. Additional services include wetland delineations, function analysis and recommendations for avoidance or minimization of wetland impacts.
Michigan Department of Transportation - Statewide
JFNew currently holds an Indefinite Delivery of Services Contract with MDOT (MDOT Contract No. 2004-0396) for Wetland Assessment and has completed the White River Watershed project. Through this project, JFNew conducted a wetland delineation of the +30-acre site in Newaygo County, Michigan and assisted in development of a wetland mitigation plan to maximize the creation of wetlands across the site. Final plans included creation of +10 acres of groundwater supplied forested wetland with emergent pockets, and incorporation of numerous wildlife habitat structures.
Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility - Central Michigan
According to a Consent Agreement reached between the Department of Management and Budget (DMB) and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), remedial and restoration activities were initiated through development of design plans and specifications to restore Inman Creek and adjacent wetland areas impacted by the "unauthorized release of sediment" from construction. The restoration activities were designed by JFNew with structural engineering support provided by an outside engineering firm.
JFNew's charge was to design appropriate resource restoration actions, obtain DEQ approval of the plans, and obtain necessary permits. Review of proposed action items by DMB/DEQ resulted in a total of thirty-three action items being selected for construction. Of particular note were: twelve activities involving wetland enhancement or creation, fourteen activities involving stream and steam habitat improvements, four areas of streambank stabilization including placement of rock gabion structures and modifications to rock control structures.
As part of a consent agreement reached between DMB and MDNR, JFNew was contracted to develop the DMB Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Guidebook, for MDMB Infrastructure Services, Design and Construction Division Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Program. JFNew's Certified Stormwater Operators and Landscape Architects worked with DMB staff to define, develop, and produce all drawings, specifications and standards which comprise the DMB manual. The manual, which provides the standard for soil erosion control measures on all DMB projects, was the result of JFNew's coordination and interaction with DMB, MDNR, and MDOT soil erosion control staff.
