Dudek’s Mapping and Surveying team leverages more than 20 years of experience providing survey, permitting, and construction monitoring services. In 2019, we worked with First Solar to create a UAV-based construction monitoring and materials counting survey system. Data is collected using UAVs and analyzed with machine learning technology to provide material counts, before being provided
With stay-at-home orders in place, people are increasingly turning to online technology to meet virtually. For projects with a requirement to conduct public outreach or with a need to hold public board meetings or presentations, technologies like Zoom are critical. However, swift, widespread adoption of the technology also revealed vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the Zoom
Powin Energy’s 2-megawatt (MW)/8-MW-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) recently went online fewer than six months after the project was awarded, marking an energy industry first for the speed of battery energy storage permitting, manufacturing, installing, and commissioning of an asset of this size on a distribution feeder. Located in Irvine, California, the system provides
Ten million acres of public land in California deserts are under a new management blueprint with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s approval of the Record of Decision for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) in September. The new landscape-level plan being implemented includes designation of use zones and management directives for renewable energy,
Thorough knowledge and understanding of a project site is essential to ensure construction occurs in compliance with agency regulations. Proper environmental awareness training (EAT) prior to construction activities can help avoid delays due to unexpected wildlife on site.Benefits of Environmental Awareness Training EAT can be conducted by the project biologist, and may include construction crews
In 2016, several laws that concern the environment have come into effect in California. Do you know which ones may impact you? Air Quality The state Air Resources Board will gain two members—by legislative appointment—who will represent communities suffering from air pollution. Drought Cities and counties are no longer able to ban residents from removing
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently completed a complex, nearly 4-year process to craft an EIR/EIS that addresses the combined issuance of 70 separate permits for SDG&E’s electric facilities located in the 800-square-mile Cleveland National Forest (CNF) within San Diego and Orange Counties. The document also analyzes the combined
Soitec’s proposed utility-scale solar facilities in San Diego County are the third project in California to be certified by Governor Brown for fast-tracked judicial and legislative review under the terms of the Jobs and Economic Improvement Act of 2011, commonly known as AB 900. Apple’s new Cupertino campus and the McCoy solar project in Riverside
A recent focus in San Diego County on assessing fire services based on the cumulative impacts of proposed large developments may start to be seen elsewhere in California. Development of large solar farms in San Diego’s rural eastern area prompted resource agencies to ask for more comprehensive fire service assessments, said Michael Huff, Dudek’s fire
In response to increasing wind energy development in the United States, particularly California and its bordering states, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has released for public comment various guidelines on how to assess and mitigate potential adverse effects of wind turbines on wildlife resources. Particular emphasis has been placed on addressing the potential
