Critical Issues
Federal and state regulations and guidelines for water quality and aquatic life are continuously being updated and revised. We assist our clients in navigating the often complex, regulatory framework and preparing for pending modifications. Through our participation in technical advisory groups, GEI contributes to the process, often commenting on draft regulations.
Climate change and increasing populations in many urban and suburban areas coincide, demands on water resources rise, and impacts to endangered, threatened, or sensitive aquatic species have the potential to increase. GEI helps clients evaluate options and alternatives to use water resources sustainably while continuing to prioritize ecosystem health.
GEI provides clients with unique approaches to common regulatory issues. GEI professionals excel at thinking outside-the-box; our scientists use expertise gained over decades of project work on sites across the US, coupled with the most current technology and data collection methods in order to provide our clients with innovative, site-specific solutions.
GEI is adept at interpreting data on aquatic populations, habitat, water quality, and conducting stressor identification analyses to determine what factors are limiting aquatic populations. Our knowledge of complex interactions is critical in assisting our clients to address an impact in the most efficient manner practical.
GEI defines limiting factors to aquatic habitat, designing restoration projects to reverse or ameliorate them, and providing recommendations for post-construction habitat and biological monitoring. Restoration projects that incorporate this additional level of complexity are more likely to benefit resident aquatic species, and the ability to assess project success allows us to continue improving our methods.
Differentiators
GEI is unique in our ability to combine our expertise in biomonitoring and water quality analysis with our strengths in interpreting these data in a regulatory capacity. Our in-house laboratory provides whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing, taxonomic analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate, and other testing to be completed without utilizing outside sources. Our professionals have a long history of assisting our clients as they navigate complex permitting and compliance issues, and they provide expertise and knowledge of the constantly changing regulatory environment of federal and state agencies.
