Professional Services with a Personal Touch

Groundwater and surface water assessments are critical for the long-term sustainability of these resources. Aquifer conditions are characterized for projects, local to regional in scale, that will utilize, allocate, or impact groundwater. Analytical and numerical groundwater models are developed to quantify future impacts to groundwater and surface water supplies under varying natural conditions and anthropogenic stressors. McGinley and Associates has extensive experience in the design and implementation of practical hydrogeologic investigations.

Hydrogeology may include:

• Numerical groundwater flow and contaminant transport modeling
• Conceptual hydrogeologic model development
• Baseline characterization studies and water resources evaluations
• Aquifer test design, implementation, and analysis
• Site-wide water balance studies
• Mine water management
• Water quality management
• Well design

Environmental geochemistry is an important environmental consideration in any mining project. Water quality predictions and waste rock characterization are key components of permitting a new mine or mine expansion. Geochemical assessments are also critical for mitigating the source of water quality issues in existing operations and are also critical to ensuring an absence of impacts after mine closure. McGinley and Associates has experience in all aspects of environmental geochemistry at mine sites.

Geochemistry may include:

• Pit lake water quality modeling
• Waste rock and ore geochemical characterization baselines
• Metals attenuation studies
• Waste rock management plans
• Conceptual closure designs
• Isotope and tracer studies for source determination
• Third party review

The Clean Air Act requires many facilities to obtain air quality operating permit prior to commencing operation. Any facility or operation with an emission source may be required to obtain an air quality operating permit. Nevada statutes define an emission source as “any property, real or personal, which directly emits or may emit any air contaminant.”

Poor air permitting management can lead to expensive construction or operational delays and non-compliance issues can lead to considerable fines. McGinley & Associates has experience working with air quality regulatory authorities in streamlining the air quality permitting process and conducting negotiations with permitting officers.

• New Minor and Title V Air Quality Operating Permits
• NEPA Air Quality Impact Assessments
• AERMOD Air Dispersion Modeling
• Permit Renewals and Modifications
• Nevada Mercury Control Program Permitting
• Emission Inventory Development
• Regulatory Negotiations
• Regulatory Compliance Reviews and Compliance Assistance
• EPA Method 9 Visible Emission Testing (Opacity Testing)
• Stack Testing Coordination and Oversight
• Control Technology Assessment
• Best Available Control Technology (BACT) Analysis
• Surface Area Disturbance and Dust Control Permits
• Annual Emission Inventory and Reports
• Records and Compliance Tracking

No company works in a vacuum. Assessment of impacts to the environment have become a reality for any company whose facilities, operations or products intersect with the physical world. Environmental site characterization studies are often a legal necessity. McGinley & Associates personnel have conducted hundreds of Phase II environmental site characterization studies at a variety of industrial and commercial properties. Our Phase II studies include field investigations to gather necessary site-specific soil, groundwater and analytical data, followed by analysis of impacts facility activities have on the surrounding environment.

Soil and groundwater investigations may include:

• Health and Safety Plans (HASP)
• Permitting
• Utility clearance (USA Dig Alert)
• Soil borings/soil sampling
• Groundwater monitoring wells and sampling
• Surface water sampling
• Soil gas surveys
• Aquifer testing
• Soil/groundwater analytical testing
• Groundwater transport modeling

Clients include:

• Petroleum Retailers
• Universities
• Financial Institutions
• Aerospace Industry
• Property Developers
• Utility Companies
• Dry Cleaners
• Manufacturers
• Processing Facilities
• Property Owners
• Airports
• Mining Properties

McGinley & Associates offers UST services above and beyond those of our competitors. Let the experienced staff at McGinley & Associates help with UST leak detection compliance, reduce costly contaminated site cleanups and optimize existing cleanups to expedite site closure. McGinley & Associates personnel worked in conjunction with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) over ten years ago in developing their Petroleum Fund reimbursement procedures and guidelines. Those procedures are still in place today. McGinley & Associates is also working with the NDEP for implementation of the new Energy Policy Act requirements to minimize its impact on the petroleum industry. Get the inside edge for navigating UST projects with McGinley & Associates.

UST services may include:

• Phase I ESA for Retail Station Property Transactions
• Soil and Groundwater site assessments
• Cost Effective Site Remediation
• Closure Optimization
• State Fund Submittals
• Insurance Fund Investigation
• Reimbursement guarantee for qualifying sites
• UST System Compliance Auditing
• Personnel class A, B, C training and staffing

Clients include:

• Petroleum Retailers
• Mining Properties
• Universities
• Airports
• Manufacturers

Many site owners and operators are frustrated by their consultant’s failure to provide the ultimate result: site closure. McGinley & Associates provides value-added third-party review for environmental projects at every stage of development. Careful review of existing site records, remediation designs and monitoring data, combined with our vast experience, allows McGinley & Associates to fine-tune a remediation project to achieve expedited site closure: owners are freed from costly expenses, operators are freed from site obstructions, developers are freed to sell their properties – years in advance of their current consultant’s schedule. The return on investment for our third-party review and closure optimization services typically exceeds the cost by a wide margin.

Closure optimization may include:

• Third-party review
• Targeted system data acquisition
• Conceptual site modeling (CSM)
• Mass removal evaluation
• System design evaluation
• Mass removal cost management
• System enhancement

Clients include:

• Petroleum Retailers
• Dry Cleaners
• Brownfields Cleanup Sites
• Industrial Facilities
• Aerospace
• Insurance Companies

Real or perceived risks from environmental contamination can cripple or sometimes kill industrial and commercial operations. At McGinley & Associates, our goal is to convert an environmental liability into an economic asset without disruption of business activities and as cost effectively as possible. Our engineers and scientists have successfully designed and implemented innovative and proven on-site remediation systems to restore economic vitality and attractiveness to your site.

Site remediation may include:

• Risk based corrective action
• Groundwater pump & treat
• Air stripping
• Dual Phase Extraction
• Oxidation
• Air sparging
• Vacuum Extraction
• Product Recovery
• Monitored natural attenuation
• Bioremediation
• Excavation/offsite disposal

Clients include:

• Petroleum Retailers
• Universities
• Financial Institutions
• Property Developers
• Utility Companies
• Dry Cleaners
• Manufacturers
• Processing Facilities
• Airports
• Homeowners

In order to prevent a discharge of oil from impacting U.S. navigable waters or adjoining shorelines, any facility having an aggregate above ground oil storage capacity of greater than 1,320 U.S. gallons (in 55-gallon containers or larger) or a completely buried storage capacity greater than 42,000 U.S. gallons is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule (40 CFR Part 112). This rule is part of the EPAs oil spill prevention program and was established under the Oil Pollution Prevention Act in 1990 which amended the Clean Water Act (CWA) and addressed numerous problems associated with the prevention, response to, and cost of oil pollution incidents affecting navigable waters of the United States.

The SPCC rule covers oil of any type and in any form including, but not limited to: petroleum, fuel oil; sludge; oil refuse; oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil; fats, oils, or greases of animal, fish, or marine mammal origin; vegetable oils, including oil from seeds, nuts, fruits, or kernels; and other oils and greases, including synthetic oils and mineral oils.

SPCC Plans for most onshore facilities regulated by the SPCC rule require a Professional Engineer (P.E.) to certify the plan. McGinley & Associates maintains a staff with multiple P.E.s having over 30 years of combined experience developing SPCC Plans in Nevada, California, and Arizona. Our engineers have the ability to prepare a new plan or review your current plan to ensure that your facility is in compliance with 40 CFR Part 112.

• New SPCC Plan preparation
• Technical updates
• 5-Year Reviews with updates
• Current SPCC Plan review with recommendation and updates
• Site visits (to provide specific recommendations)
• Secondary containment design/calculations

The objective of a SWPPP is to prevent pollutants from entering storm water which passes through the facility. The EPA defines storm water as “run-off from a storm event, snow melt runoff, and surface runoff and drainage”. McGinley & Associates personnel have performed numerous Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans SWPPP throughout Nevada and California. SWPPPs are prepared in accordance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permits.

• Site inspection
• Filing Notice of Intent to discharge
• Historic records review
• Facility mapping
• Interviews
• Engineering certification
• Report preparation
• Documentation
• Report preparation

Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) are a core component of McGinley & Associates’ environmental due diligence services. Our personnel have collectively performed thousands of Phase I ESAs and Transaction Screen assessments for commercial real estate throughout Nevada, California, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and New Mexico. Sites assessed have included industrial and manufacturing facilities, office buildings, retail plazas, automotive service and gasoline stations, dry cleaners, multi-family communities, agricultural properties, telecommunications leases, and raw land. Our Phase I ESAs are conducted in accordance with the guidelines developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to identify recognized environmental conditions, satisfy the All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) and Landowner Liability Protections (LLPs) requirements, while catering to individual client and lender requirements such as the evaluation of Business Environmental Risks.

• Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA)
• Transaction Screen Assessments (TSA)
• Environmental Transaction Screens (ETS)
• Customized Limited or Desktop Environmental Assessments
• Business Environmental Risk evaluations (asbestos, lead paint, radon, mold)
• Vapor Encroachment Screens (VES)

The typical Phase I ESA includes the following scope of work and procedures:

• Site reconnaissance of the Subject Property and observation of adjoining properties and vicinity by a qualified person under the direct supervision of a McGinley Certified Environmental Manager;
• Environmental setting review to determine potential pathways for the migration of contaminants including solids and liquids at the surface or subsurface, and vapor in the subsurface;
• Review of site history/land use through city directory listings, historical aerial photographs, historical topographic maps, local jurisdiction records, and personal interviews/questionnaires;
• Review of regulatory agency records to identify and assess any listings of regulatory permits, registrations, or enforcement actions at the Subject Property, adjoining properties, or proximal sites (if necessary), through both a commercial database search and agency inquiries; and,
• Preparation of the report that describes all work performed and presents a discussion of the findings and conclusions.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to consider the potential significant impacts of their actions on the environment. Common federal actions may include, but are not limited to, federal funding, permitting, real estate transactions, private development of public lands, approvals, and modifications of waters of the U.S., among others. NEPA compliance is a complex process of planning, scientific studies, coordination, and public consultation.

Experienced in managing complex NEPA projects, McGinley & Associates adds value to our clients’ businesses by leveraging our positive relationships with regulatory authorities and understanding each federal agency’s unique NEPA procedures. McGinley’s team of environmental scientists, biologists, engineers, and cultural resource specialists are equipped to address any of your NEPA compliance needs.

 

1. Alternatives Development
2. Environmental Baseline Surveys
   • Biological & Habitat Assessments
   • Wetland Delineations
   • Threatened & Endangered Species Surveys
   • Avian/Raptor Surveys
   • Cultural Resource Surveys
3. NEPA Services
   • Environmental Constraints Analysis
   • Cumulative Impact Evaluations
   • Public Outreach
   • Agency Coordination & Consultation
4. NEPA Documentation
   • Public Notices (PN)
   • Notices of Intent (NOI)
   • Categorical Exclusions (CX)
   • Environmental Assessments (EA)
   • Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
   • Records of Decision (ROD)
5. SF-299 Right-of-Way Applications and Plans of Development

Over one-quarter of the American landscape is managed by federal agencies, particularly in the West, and is done so in accordance with multiple use mandates. These mandates state that resources on public lands are to be managed for a variety of uses. Wildlife and game species, and the habitats on which they depend, are one such resource. As such, policies have been enacted, at state and federal levels, to ensure the maintenance of wildlife populations while permitting other uses, such as energy development and resource extraction. For any project proponent, these policies often represent a moving target, resulting in a convoluted and costly process. At McGinley and Associates, we offer a full line of biological services and regulatory knowledge to guide you through the process of meeting your project objectives. From baseline wildlife and botanical surveys, to NEPA and Endangered Species Act compliance, habitat mitigation guidance, and permit acquisition, we are ready and capable of accomplishing your projects needs by fulfilling regulatory agency requirements.

• Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance
• Threatened, Endangered, and Special Status Species surveys
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance
• Environmental Assessments (EA)
• Sage-grouse noise studies (baseline & compliance monitoring)
• Sage-grouse lek monitoring
• Sage-grouse Conservation Credit System Certified Verifier
• Habitat mitigation guidance
• Golden eagle and special status raptor helicopter surveys
• Burrowing owl baseline and clearance surveys
• Habitat Evaluations
• Noxious weed management protocols
• Special status plant surveys
• Special status fish surveys
• Abandoned mine wildlife surveys
• Biological baselines

GIS is an effective tool for communicating the purpose and/or status of a project to regulators or the public.GIS technology provides management and visualization of spatial data including: property boundaries, mining claims, topography, land use, infrastructure, sample locations, wells, site suitability and several others. Maps, spatial data, digital models, and information graphics are integral to nearly every project we work on.

• Spatial data acquisition
• Digitization
• Cartographic design
• Georeferencing
• Interpolation
• Geodatabase development and management
• Spatial analyses
• Site suitability analysis

McGinley & Associates has been awarded the Brownfields contract with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) to provide consulting services under the Nevada Brownfields Program. Under this contract, McGinley & Associates personnel will inform communities about funding opportunities and perform Phase I, Phase II, and/or Phase III Environmental Site Assessment activities (ESA) on Brownfields sites.

Brownfields redevelopment may include:

• Blighted properties
• Contaminated soil sites
• Contaminated groundwater sites
• Mine scarred sites
• Meth lab sites

Clients include:

• Public Municipalities
• Redevelopment Agencies
• Developers

Compliance with today’s environmental laws can be enormously challenging. Facility owners and operators are faced with a myriad of regulatory requirements administered by local, State and federal agencies. Confusion can lead to operation delays and even shutdowns. McGinley & Associates personnel know the ins and outs of environmental permit procurement, monitoring and reporting needed to keep your business running smoothly.

Permitting & Compliance may include:

• Spill Plans (SPCC)
• Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR)
• Hazardous Materials Management Plans (HMMP)
• Storm Water Plans (SWPP)
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES)
• Air Quality
• Underground Injection Control (UIC)
• Risks Hazard Analyses (ARTAH)
• Process Safety Management

Clients include:

• Petroleum retailers
• Communication companies
• Utility companies
• Processing facilities
• Developers
• Construction companies
• Manufacturers
• Hospitals
• Airports
• Mining Properties