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February 2016 - Shoener Team will be presenting at the AWEA WINDPOWER 2016 Conference on May 25th
The Shoener team is excited to be presenting some of our innovative research at WINDPOWER 2016 on May 25 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Project Development & Planning Track: New 4-D Model of Bat Activity and Behavior at Wind Turbines Wednesday, May 25 at 12:00 PM Room: Project Development Station http://bit.ly/1TQMFGX We look forward to heading to New Orleans and being at the center of the wind power industry as it moves into a new generation. www.windpowerexpo.org www.shoener.com |
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September 2015 - Shoener Announces Sponsorship of the AWEA State Wind Energy Forum - Pennsylvania
Shoener is sponsoring the AWEA State Wind Energy Forum - Pennsylvania, which will take place on October 14, 2015 at the Penn State Harrisburg Campus in Harrisburg, PA. The forum is designed for a broad array of Pennsylvania wind stakeholders. Information on current policy and future wind energy opportunities in Pennsylvania will be discussed at the forum.
In addition to sponsoring this event, Shoener staff will be attending the conference and available to discuss your project needs. Since 2000, the Shoener team has been involved with the permitting of over 20 wind farms throughout Pennsylvania and we have provided environmental consulting services at over 70% of the wind energy projects in Pennsylvania.
Shoener is sponsoring the AWEA State Wind Energy Forum - Pennsylvania, which will take place on October 14, 2015 at the Penn State Harrisburg Campus in Harrisburg, PA. The forum is designed for a broad array of Pennsylvania wind stakeholders. Information on current policy and future wind energy opportunities in Pennsylvania will be discussed at the forum.
In addition to sponsoring this event, Shoener staff will be attending the conference and available to discuss your project needs. Since 2000, the Shoener team has been involved with the permitting of over 20 wind farms throughout Pennsylvania and we have provided environmental consulting services at over 70% of the wind energy projects in Pennsylvania.
May 2015 - Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) Listed by USFWS as Threatened
On May 4, 2015, the Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) was listed by The US Fish and Wildlife Service as Threatened with Interim 4(d) Rule under the Endangered Species Act.
The Northern long-eared bat is found throughout Pennsylvania and in much of the eastern and mid-western US; this species expands its range in summer, roosting and foraging through forests. During Fall, it migrates to its winter habitat, where it hibernates in caves or abandoned mines. This species has been undergoing severe decline in much of its eastern range due to threat from White-nose Syndrome(WNS), a fungal disease that attacks the bats in their winter hibernacula.
The Interim 4(d) Rule was implemented because white-nose syndrome is the primary threat to the recovery of this species. The Interim Rule provides some flexibility for activities conducted in Northern long-eared bat habitat. For example, areas outside of the white-nose syndrome buffer zone (where WNS has not yet impacted the species) are exempted from incidental take. The interim 4(d) rule is still open for public comment.
Contact Shoener Environmental if you have questions about how this listing could impact your project.
On May 4, 2015, the Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) was listed by The US Fish and Wildlife Service as Threatened with Interim 4(d) Rule under the Endangered Species Act.
The Northern long-eared bat is found throughout Pennsylvania and in much of the eastern and mid-western US; this species expands its range in summer, roosting and foraging through forests. During Fall, it migrates to its winter habitat, where it hibernates in caves or abandoned mines. This species has been undergoing severe decline in much of its eastern range due to threat from White-nose Syndrome(WNS), a fungal disease that attacks the bats in their winter hibernacula.
The Interim 4(d) Rule was implemented because white-nose syndrome is the primary threat to the recovery of this species. The Interim Rule provides some flexibility for activities conducted in Northern long-eared bat habitat. For example, areas outside of the white-nose syndrome buffer zone (where WNS has not yet impacted the species) are exempted from incidental take. The interim 4(d) rule is still open for public comment.
Contact Shoener Environmental if you have questions about how this listing could impact your project.
May 2015 - PA DEP, US FWS and US ACOE Provide Notice of Requirement to Update Project PNDI Searches in PA
The Federal listing determination of threatened for the Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) by the US Fish and Wildlife Service on May 4, 2015 has prompted state and federal agencies in Pennsylvania to issue notices that for all proposed projects and projects with authorizations or permits that are not yet completed, an updated Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory Environmental Tool (PNDI) review must be conducted to comply with state regulations for administration of permit programs.
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, which administers the PNDI tool, has updated the inventory database to include the northern long-eared bat as of May 4, 2015. Any PNDI reviews conducted prior to May 4, 2015 for certain projects must be rerun to be sure of inclusion of the newly listed species in the screening.
Notice has also been posted from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pennsylvania field office and the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore Districts of the US Army Corps of Engineers for PA projects.
Contact Shoener Environmental if you are unsure of what this update means for your project in Pennsylvania.
The Federal listing determination of threatened for the Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) by the US Fish and Wildlife Service on May 4, 2015 has prompted state and federal agencies in Pennsylvania to issue notices that for all proposed projects and projects with authorizations or permits that are not yet completed, an updated Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory Environmental Tool (PNDI) review must be conducted to comply with state regulations for administration of permit programs.
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, which administers the PNDI tool, has updated the inventory database to include the northern long-eared bat as of May 4, 2015. Any PNDI reviews conducted prior to May 4, 2015 for certain projects must be rerun to be sure of inclusion of the newly listed species in the screening.
Notice has also been posted from the US Fish and Wildlife Service Pennsylvania field office and the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore Districts of the US Army Corps of Engineers for PA projects.
Contact Shoener Environmental if you are unsure of what this update means for your project in Pennsylvania.
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April 2015 - Shoener, a national environmental consulting firm, is pleased to announce the opening of its Pasadena, California field office. Shoener's services in California will be managed by Nathan deBoom.
Nathan has more than 15 years of experience developing, managing, and successfully guiding projects through state and local permitting and regulatory processes. He has extensive knowledge of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process and he has successfully permitted several renewable energy projects throughout California. Click here for more information on Nathan's expertise. |
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May 2014 - Shoener Environmental is pleased to announce that Ryan Pohle has earned a Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from Pennsylvania State University.
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May 2014 - The survey season for the federally-threatened small-whorled pogonia is here. In Virginia, for projects located south of Caroline County, the period of time accepted by the USFWS for detailed surveys is May 25 to July 15. For projects located in Caroline County and areas north, the period of time is June 1 to July 20.
The USFWS maintains a list of qualified individuals approved to conduct small-whorled pogonia surveys in Virginia. Shoener's Director of Ecological Services, Christine Geist, is an approved small-whorled pogonia surveyor in Virginia. If you are planning to obtain any Federal permits over the next year and your project is within one of the aforementioned counties, please contact Christine Geist to schedule a habitat evaluation or detailed survey on your site. |
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April 2014 - Ready to kick off Spring field work! Out in western Pennsylvania, Shoener team members Mike, Jess, and Carlyle have been braving the cold, early spring weather to prepare their search plots and conduct practice searches for their second-year post-construction bird and bat carcass monitoring.
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March 2014 - Shoener employees Christine Geist, Jason Tourscher, David Bonomo and Mike Gavlick were recently in attendance at the 20th Annual Wyoming County Conservation District Workshop on Tuesday, March 12, 2014.
October 2013 - Shoener was awarded the West Lackawanna Avenue Bridge Improvement Project by the City of Scranton Office of Economic & Community Development. Shoener has been performing engineering services, including survey and inspections, for improvements to the bridge. This information was used to design appropriate repairs to damaged concrete sections and replacement of the sidewalks and pavement, and to develop construction cost estimates and specifications.
September 2012 - Shoener Environmental was profiled in the Natural Resources Defense Council's (NRDC), American Wind Farms: Breaking Down the Benefits from Planning to Production, article published in September 2012. The article highlighted that "Shoener Environmental is a bicoastal environmental consulting firm that provides a vast array of services to energy ventures, both large and small" and "Shoener wind farm projects span the country, from British Petroleum's Mehoopany Wind Farm in Wyoming County,Pennsylvania, to Pattern Energy's Ocotillo Wind Farm in Southern California's Imperial Valley." Read the full article here.
September 2012 - Ed Shoener, president, was featured in Keystone Edge, a publication that focuses on the people, places and companies driving Pennsylvania forward.
Wind and sun helped Shoener Environmental weather the economic downturn. "Renewable energy kept us going through the recession," says president Ed Shoener. Read the full article here.
Wind and sun helped Shoener Environmental weather the economic downturn. "Renewable energy kept us going through the recession," says president Ed Shoener. Read the full article here.
August 2012 - Ed Shoener, president, discusses the proposed 14-megawatt Franklin County Solar Farm project with The Morning Call. Shoener provided engineering and environmental consulting services for the project. Read the full article here.