Category Descriptions
Click on the links below to get the category descriptions for each of the Environmental Vendor Group
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Environmental Review and Related Technical Analysis may include, but are not limited to, the following tasks:
- Preparation of Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), EIS Scoping, Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) and other Alternative Reviews.
- Ensure that all timelines and procedures required by Minn. Rule ch. 4410 are met; Prepare and manage a detailed work plan, budget and schedule for each project; Prepare regular project updates; Review project proposer data submittal, provide an evaluation of engineering/construction, assessment and natural resource assessment information in project proposer submitted materials, and produce written summary identifying additional information needs.
- Prepare technical studies on issues of concern potentially including, but not limited to:
- land-use
- land based economies
- public health and safety
- aesthetics
- property values
- socioeconomics
- environmental justice
- water resources and water quality
- wetlands
- vegetation
- wildlife
- threatened and endangered species
- air quality
- climate assessment
- archaeological, cultural, and historic resources
- noise
- traffic
- contamination
- Identify and describe mitigation strategies to address adverse impacts
- Prepare text, maps, graphic materials and appendices for the environmental review documents.
- Additional for EIS:
- Assist with the identification of project alternatives and develop maps of project alternatives
- Document baseline conditions of socioeconomic and natural resources identified in scoping document;
- Establish significance criteria for impacts resulting from proposed project and alternatives;
- Identify and quantify impacts on identified resources associated with proposed project and alternatives included in the scoping document.
- Summarize and categorize all comments received;
- Prepare written response to comments;
- For EIS projects, prepare a Final EIS that includes all necessary revisions required to address any new project information and comments from public review of the DEIS.
Public Hearings and Meetings- Attend public meetings required by Minn. Rule Chapter 4410, to assist members of the public to understand the process and facilitate public input;
- Provide support in administering public meetings, including making logistical arrangements, structuring the meetings, and identifying appropriate materials to aid communication with the public; prepare graphic materials and maps for public meetings; participate in meetings, conferences and interactions with the project proposer, federal and state agencies, tribal and local governments, and other interested parties, including the general public;
- Attend public meetings and hearings; respond to questions on specific content of the environmental review document at public meetings; prepare and provide expert testimony in support of the environmental review document at hearings
- Prepare meeting minutes.
- Preparation of Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), EIS Scoping, Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) and other Alternative Reviews.
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Sub-Category A. CommunicationsCommunications may include, but is not limited to, the following tasks:• Prepare plain language documents• Review technical material on environmental regulatory issues and prepare plain language factsheets for general audiences• Prepare executive summaries for complex environmental review documents• Prepare written material for project websites to aid in communicating project proposals, regulatory procedures, and environmental issues to non-technical audiences• Assist with the preparation of power point presentations and materials for meetingsSub-Category B. Editing/Technical WritingEditing/Technical Writing may include, but is not limited to, the following tasks:• Editing environmental review documents• Assist with developing reader-friendly document structure/organization• Provide graphic support when needed• Provide basic editorial review of documents for grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, and consistency, plain language and active voice• Provide detailed review and editing to streamline and focus information presentedSub-Category C. Public/StakeholderEngagement Public/Stakeholder Engagement includes, but is not limited to, the following tasks:• Issue and stakeholder identification o Review project information and requirements
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Assess stakeholder base and impacted groups, including identifying key community, Tribal, and local government leaders
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Assist with defining what successful citizen engagement looks like and identifying critical issues and concerns, including cultural diversity
• Approach development-
Identify strengths and weaknesses associated with different potential citizen engagement approaches
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Consider a range of public engagement strategies including: public meetings, written and oral comment periods, surveys, focus groups, targeted outreach to include diverse cultural groups, on-line participation, etc. consistent with the needs and requirements of the project
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Assist in designing an appropriate citizen engagement approach and prepare a detailed work plan, budget and schedule
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Assist with the development of appropriate strategies for reporting out and for follow up communication with participants
• Tribal coordination-
Assist with identifying and engaging appropriate Tribal officials, staff, and members
• Implementation-
Support the effective implementation of public engagement approaches
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Assist with setting up in-person and/or on-line strategies
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Assist with the development of agendas and timelines
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Assist with coordinating scheduling, venues, personnel, and materials o Facilitate meetings
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Assist with recording and compiling public input
• Ongoing strategy management-
Provide regular status updates on citizen engagement efforts
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Identify appropriate points in the project for re-evaluation of citizen engagement strategies
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Sub-Category A. Health Impacts AssessmentHealth Impact assessments may include, but are not limited to the identification and assessment of:• The type, extent and reversibility of potential human health effects• Potential impacts which may not pose significant health risks, but may result in a reduction or loss of quality of life• Potential health-related cumulative impacts• Applicable regulatory requirements related to potential health impacts• Potential mitigation strategies• Inventory and catalog impacts of project on social determinants of healthSub-Category B. Social Impacts AssessmentSocial Impacts assessments may include, but are not limited to the identification and assessment of:• Lifestyle impacts – on the way people behave and relate on a day-to-day basis• Religious belief and other elements which make up a social or ethnic group• Community impacts – on infrastructure, services, voluntary organizations, activity networks and cohesion,• Quality of life impacts – on sense of place, aesthetics and heritage,• Potential mitigation strategiesSub-Category C. Economic Impacts AssessmentEconomic Impacts assessments may include, but are not limited to identification and assessment of:• The number of additional jobs created• Aggregate dollar measures of business sales and wage income created as a result of the project• Benefits, such as value added or gross domestic product• Macro and micro economics analysis• Computation of externality values of pollution• Change in domestic property values• Change in taxes and its effects on incomes and property valuesSub-Category D. Noise AssessmentNoise assessments may include, but are not limited to, the identification and assessment of:• Noise sources, characteristics, duration, qualities, and intensity of noise• Evaluation of sensitive receptors and quality of life• Conformance to state/local noise standards• Conductance/assessment of area noise monitoringSub-Category E. Traffic and Transportation Impact AssessmentTraffic and Transportation assessments may include, but are not limited to, the identification and assessment of:• The size and location for increased traffic• Modal choice and trip attraction• Trip distributions• Road safety• Parking• Traffic studies and analysis• Use of MnDOT manual info when applicable• County requirements, traffic studies, level of traffic in existing road designsSub-Category F. Greenhouse Gas AssessmentGreenhouse Gas assessments may include, but are not limited to, the identification and assessment of:• Emissions analysis• Mitigation strategies• Adaptation strategies• Project specific analysis• Community/regional/state-wide analysisSub-Category G. Cultural Resources/Impacts AssessmentCultural Impacts assessments may include, but are not limited to, the identification and assessment of• Archeological resources• Cultural resources• Artifact analysis• shared customs, obligations, values, and language.Sub-Category H. Environmental Justice AssessmentEnvironmental Justice assessments may include, but are not limited to the identification and assessment of:• Low-income and minority populations or populations that have historically borne disproportionate human and environmental impacts of proposed projects.• The extent of potential impacts from a proposed project on those populations• Comparisons of populations within the anticipated project area and the extent of impacts to neighboring populations or other appropriate populations• Interpretation and use of Minnesota Statute 116.065• Mitigation measures for environmental justice impacts
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Sub-Category A. Land UseLand Use may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:• Land Use and Comprehensive plans• Zoning rules and regulations• Evaluation of resource managementSub-Category B. Geology, Hydrogeology, and SoilsGeology, Hydrogeology, and Soils may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:• Topography/land forms• Susceptible geologic features such as sinkholes• Shallow limestone formations• Unconfined/shallow aquifers• Karst conditions• Special site conditions relating to erosion potential, soil stability or other soils limitations, such as steep slopes, highly permeable soilsSub-Category C. EcologicalEcological may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:• Aquatic wildlife• Terrestrial wildlife• Endangered species• Flora and fauna• Plant communities• Sensitive ecological resources (rare features)Sub-Category D. Water ResourcesWater Resources may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:• Surface water (lakes, streams, wetlands, intermittent channels, and county/judicial ditches)• Groundwater• Wastewater• Storm water• Water appropriationsSub-Category E. AirAir may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:• Air quality Page 8 of 9• Mobile and stationary air emissions• Dust and odors• Air dispersion modeling and assessmentSub-Category F. Contamination/Hazardous Materials/WastesContamination/Hazardous Materials/Wastes may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:• Contamination• hazardous materials• wastes including contamination or potential environmental hazards• generation of solid wastes, hazardous materials and hazardous wastes• Storage of solid wastes, hazardous materials and hazardous wastes• Emerging and distributed energy technologies
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Installation and retirement forecasting
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Practices, standards, and environmental/economic impacts for reuse, recycling, and end-of-life management options
Sub-Category G. Cumulative Potential Effects AssessmentCumulative Potential Effects assessment may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:-
Identify and assess any potential effects on the environment that results from the incremental effects of a project in addition to other projects in the environmentally relevant area that might reasonably be expected to affect the same environmental resources
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Include in the assessment future projects actually planned, and/or for which a basis of expectation has been laid
Sub-Category H. GIS Data AnalysisGIS Data Analysis may include, but is not limited to, the studying, monitoring, modeling, evaluation, and assessment of the following:-
o Quantitative resource assessments o Identify, acquire, and review relevant resource datasets
o Develop and/or edit and modify project feature shapefiles (e.g., routes, rights-of-way, facility footprints)o Conduct spatial analysis to quantify resource impactso Prepare written summaries of methodologies, assumptions and results as well as tables and charts and maps to display analytical results• Preparation of figures and mapso Work with project feature and natural resource shape files to identify clear, accessible, ways to visually present informationo Prepare maps and figures of project features and natural resources for inclusion in reports and outreach materials• Web mappingo Work with project feature shape files, natural resource shape files, and web capabilities to identify clear, accessible, ways to visually present information and provide intuitive ways for users to interact with this data in a web-based formato Prepare executive summaries for complex environmental review documentso Prepare written material for project websites to aid in communicating project proposals, regulatory procedures, and environmental issues to non-technical audiencesSub-Category I. Climate AssessmentClimate Assessment may include, but not be limited to, the identification and assessment of:-
GHG/Carbon Footprint quantification of construction and operation Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
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Climate Adaptation and Resilience strategies
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Mitigation strategies
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Project specific analysis
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Community/regional/state-wide analysis
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