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Third-Party Contracting

The Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) often uses third-party contractors to assist in preparing environmental documentation in STB proceedings.  Third-party contracting is a voluntary arrangement in which the applicant pays for a contractor to assist OEA by developing environmental analyses necessary for compliance with NEPA and related environmental laws.  The third-party contractor works solely under OEA’s direction, control, and supervision.

The Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA expressly permit the use of third-party contractors in the preparation of an EA or an EIS.  40 C.F.R. § 1506.5(c).  According to CEQ’s regulations, agencies using contractors to assist in the preparation of environmental documents will be responsible for selecting the contractors, will provide the contractors with guidance and supervision in the preparation of the document, and will independently evaluate the document before approval.  Contractors must sign a disclosure statement prior to beginning work, indicating that they are disinterested parties to the project.  The Board has adopted its own regulations that specifically permit the use of third-party contractors, if approved by OEA.  49 C.F.R. § 1105.10(d).

In 2001, the Board issued a policy statement that provides more detail on the process for selecting and overseeing the work of third-party contractors.  The policy statement explains that, even when a third-party contractor is used, it is OEA, not the applicant, that is in control of the preparation of the environmental analysis (even though the applicant is paying the contractor’s bills) and that the applicant will not attempt to influence the contractor’s work.  For more information on the role of third-party contractors in environmental reviews, please review the policy statement here.

OEA maintains a list of approved third-party contractors, composed of individuals and firms with expertise and experience in the environmental review of rail or transportation projects.  (The list of OEA-approved third-party contractors is provided below.)  OEA’s process allows the applicant to have some input in the selection of the third-party contractor, but the Board’s environmental regulations at 49 C.F.R. § 1105.4(j) make it clear that, “to avoid any impermissible conflict of interest . . . the railroad may not be responsible for the selection or control of independent contractors.”  Rather, it is OEA that is ultimately responsible for selecting the third-party contractor.

How to Become an OEA-Approved Third-Party Contractor

To be considered as a third-party contractor, please submit a statement of qualifications and capabilities demonstrating your experience in preparing environmental assessments, environmental impact statements, and other related environmental documentation.  This should include resumes of key staff; detailed overviews of NEPA projects and work products, specifically freight railroad and linear transportation projects; and compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (i.e., “Section 106”).

Resumes should include NEPA-related work experience, transportation project experience, education and relevant training and certification. Project overviews should be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate competence in subject areas relevant to NEPA analysis, such as noise analysis, wetland delineation, biological resource surveys, air emissions modeling, and environmental justice evaluations.  Projects with a Section 106 component should highlight archeological surveys, collaboration with Tribes, and preservation efforts taken.

In addition, companies should include the name, e-mail address, and phone number of the contact person to be displayed on the Third-Party Contractor list below.  Please maintain a record of any approval date because you must resubmit all supporting documentation every three years in order to remain listed.

Statements of qualification in PDF format should be e-mailed to Adam Assenza in OEA at Adam.Assenza@stb.gov.

List of Third-Party Contractors

COMPANY NAME CONTACT PHONE E-MAIL COMPANY URL CITY STATE ZIP CODE
Acentech, Inc. Ethan Brush 617-499-8012 info@acentech.com www.acentech.com Cambridge MA 02130
AECOM George Gault 407-422-0353 george.gault@aecom.com www.aecom.com Orlando FL 32801
American Resources Group, LTD Cally Lence 618-529-2741 cally@argltd.com Carbondale IL 62901
Atkins Jill Gurak 919-431-5298 jill.gurak@atkinsglobal.com www.atkinsglobal.com Raleigh NC 27609
Barr Engineering Co. Chandler Taylor 952-250-7644 ctaylor@barr.com www.barr.com Minneapolis MN 55435
BDY Natural Resource Consultants Dave Cour 615-460-9797 Nashville TN 37204
Berg-Oliver Associates, Inc. Alexandra Mathis 281-749-0309 amathis@bergoliver.com www.bergoliver.com Houston TX 77079
Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc. (BGE) Matthew W. Brannen PE 281-558-8700 mbrannen@browngay.com www.browngay.com Houston TX 77042
Burns & McDonnell Shari Cannon-Mackey, CEP, ENV SP 737-787-6683 scannonmackey@burnsmcd.com Austin TX 78730
Cambridge Systematics Brad Wright 781-539-6700 www.camsys.com Medford MA 02155
CDM Smith Michael L. Belvin 803-758-4510 www.cdmsmith.com Columbia SC 29201
CSR Engineering Kent Evetts, PG 615-247-5318 kent.evetts@csrengineers.com www.csrengineers.com Pleasant VIew TN 37146
EnSafe Paul Stoddard, PG 901-937-4233 BDTeam@ensafe.com www.ensafe.com Memphis TN 38134
Environmental Management Consultants, Inc. Tom Effinger 812-424-7768 Evansville IN 47708
Gannett Fleming Environmental Engineers, Inc. William Plumpton 717-763-7212 x. 2142 wplumpton@gfnet.com www.gannettfleming.com Harrisburg PA 17106
Hanson Professional Services Inc. Kevin M. Seals 217-788-2450 www.hanson-inc.com Springfield IL 62703
HDR Engineering, Inc. Leandra Cleveland 513-984-7524 leandra.cleveland@hdrinc.com www.hdrinc.com Cincinnati OH 45242
HNTB Corporation Lillian Yan 312-930-9119 lyan@hntb.com www.hntb.com Chicago IL 60606
ICF Consulting Elizabeth Diller 704-458-8769 Elizabeth.Diller@icf.com www.icfi.com Fairfax VA 22031
Jacobs Dava Kaitala 817-222-8511 Dava.Kaitala@jacobs.com www.jacobs.com Dallas TX 75201
Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc. Ryan Robol 346-307-3237 rrobol@jmt.com www.jmt.com Houston TX 77494
KCI Mr. Dana Knight 410-316-7958 Dana.Knight@KCI.com www.kci.com Sparks MD 21152
Keramida Environmental Inc. Vicky Keramida 317-685-6600 info@keramida.com www.keramida.com Indianapolis IN 46202
Klotz Associates Billy M. Cooke 281-589-7257 houston.office@klotz.com www.klotz.com Houston TX 77070
Lochner MMM Group William Mooney 312-372-7346 Chicago IL 60606
McIntyre Environmental, LLC Elizabeth McIntyre 520-775-1490 mcintyre.environmental@gmail.com Oro Valley AZ 58737
Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc. Michael D. Metcalf 701-258-1215 Bismark ND 58502
Mott MacDonald Paul Worley, CPM 919-552-2253 paul.worley@mottmac.com www.mottmac.com/en-US Fuquay-Varina NC 27526
Ninyo & Moore Avram Ninyo 858-576-1000 nminquiries@ninyoandmoore.com www.ninyoandmoore.com San Diego CA 92123
Normandeau Associates, Inc. Peter Kinner 603-472-5191 Bedford NH 03110
Parsons Tony Pakeltis 312-930-5268 anthony.pakeltis@parsons.com www.parsons.com Chicago IL 60606
Respec Crystal Hocking 605-394-6451 crystal.hocking@respec.com www.respec.com Rapid City SD 57703
Richard Grubb & Associates, Inc. Alice Domm 609-655-0692 Cranbury NJ 08512
RS&H Cathy Scott 904-256-2295 cathy.scott@rsandh.com www.rsandh.com Jacksonville FL 32256
Skelly and Loy, Inc. Robert E. McClure 800-892-6535 Harrisburg PA 17110
Stantec Amy C. Sackaroff AICP 919-414-7895 amy.sackaroff@stantec.com www.stantec.com Raleigh NC 27606
Stell Environmental Cynthia Bardman 610-286-0100 cbardman@stellee.com www.stellee.com Elverson PA 19520
STV Incorporated Ron Deverman 312-553-8426 Ron.Deverman@stvinc.com www.stvinc.com Chicago IL 60606
SWCA Environmental Consultants Sheri L. Waldbauer 602-274-3831 swaldbauer@swca.com www.swca.com Phoenix AZ 85012
The Louis Berger Group, Inc. Hope Lulman 518-514-9303 Kansas City MO 64111
Versar, Inc. Linda McNight 703-750-3000 Springfield VA 22151
VHB-Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc Alan Summerville 202-739-9521 asummerville@vhb.com www.vhb.com Washington DC 20001
Freese and Nichols (FNI) Liz Grindstaff 979-446-5839 Liz.Grindstaff@freese.com www.freese.com Austin TX 78759
WSP USA, Inc. Timothy Selover 312-803-6656 tim.selover@wsp.com www.wsp.com Chicago IL 60602