March, 2009 - Aspen has been selected to provide the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), California

Aspen has been selected to provide the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), California, with technical review services of NEPA documents and technical documents associated with the NEPA process (such as cultural resource inventory reports and biological reports) addressing energy development (production of oil, natural gas, geothermal, wind and solar power as well as transmission lines) proposed on public lands managed by the BLM. Under 'federal law, BLM is responsible for processing requests for rights-of-way to authorize energy related projects on BLM land. In the past year, BLM has received more than 100 applications for solar and wind energy development on BLM managed public lands.

March, 2009 - Aspen is proud that we have become a leader in the environmental review and permitting of renewable energy projects.

A Selection of projects we have recently been awarded

Dr. McCann’s expertise in energy and natural resource economics and policy is widely recognized. He has testified before numerous regulatory agencies, including FERC, CPUC, CEC, CARB, SWRCB and regional water boards. High-profile issues he has addressed include: sales of utilities’ power plants under restructuring; testifying on behalf of California subsequent to the recent energy crisis; the costs for new alternative generating technologies; the economic costs and benefits from acquiring new water resources, including desalination; closure of the Rancho Seco Nuclear plant; and the potential consequences of de-commissioning dams on Klamath River. He will substantially strengthen Aspen’s core business by conducting economic and policy analysis, and developing models and forecasts using economic analytical tools, particularly related to energy and water utilities. He will also add important capabilities to Aspen’s growing climate change and air quality analysis.

Dr. Carl Linvill, Dr. Suzanne Phinney, and Christopher Cooke, of Aspen Environmental Group worked with Richard McCann, of M. Cubed, to complete "Laying a Foundation for Nevada's Electricity Future: Generation Facility Uncertainties and the Need for a Flexible Infrastructure" for the Energy Foundation.

Facing uncertainty in meeting future demand for electricity, Nevada should concentrate on building a "flexible infrastructure" that leverages a mixture of resources and avoids risks associated with large-scale centralized generation, according to the report.

Carl Linvill, who leads Aspen Environmental Group's Energy Planning and Analysis Department, is the former Nevada Energy and Economic Advisor and Public Utility Commissioner.
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For the last several years, Aspen has been supporting the California energy Commission in the preparation of the Commission's major policy document - the Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR). Dr. Suzanne Phinney played a key role in helping produce these documents. She authored the report, The Relationship between Land Use and Energy, which was one of the two chapters comprising the 2006 IEPR Update. She was a key author of a second report, The Role of Land Use in Meeting California's Energy and Climate Change Goals, and helped write the chapter in the 2007 EIPR that dealt with this report. Dr. Phinney's contributions to the EIPR process were acknowledged in a Certificate of Excellence signed by Chairman Jackalyne Pfannensteil and Commissioner John Geesman. (See awards page.).

Dr. Linvill has over 20 years of experience as an Energy Advisor, Commissioner, and Academic Economist. He joins Aspen after working most recently as Energy Advisor to the Governor of Nevada. He was previously appointed as the commissioner of Nevada's Public Utilities Commission. He has experience working on energy infrastructure projects including a variety of technical issues such as resource planning, renewable energy and energy efficiency planning, interstate transmission planning and cost allocation, energy procurement, and risk management. This will be an immediate benefit for Aspen's many energy clients including the CEC, CPUC, and Western Area Power Administration and allow us to more efficiently use our many specialized subcontractors. (Announcement)

The program EIR for the LAUSD New School Construction Program is the first environmental/planning document of its kind to analyze the effects of a major school construction program; building enough schools to accommodate 200,000 seats within a 704 square-mile study area that includes the City of Los Angeles, all or parts of 25 other municipalities, and parts of Los Angeles County.

Aspen Environmental Group is pleased to announce the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors adopted the Final Draft Otay River Watershed Management Plan on May 10, 2006. The adoption was by unanimous consent of the Board of Supervisors because of the plan’s broad acceptance and lack of opposition. It is the first of several San Diego County watershed management plans in development to be adopted by the Board of Supervisors. In addition, the City of Imperial Beach adopted the plan on May 17, 2006; on June 5, 2006, the City of Chula Vista’s Resource Conservation Commission recommended the City Council adopt the plan; and the San Diego Unified Port District adopted the plan on June 6, 2006. Adoption by participating jurisdictions is important to secure Prop 50 and other State and Federal grant funding for projects recommended by the plan.

Aspen Welcomes Fritts Golden Aboard (PDF)

Aspen was recently awarded the Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document award for 2004 by the California State Association of Environmental Professionals at its annual conference. The award was presented for the Jefferson-Martin 230 kV Transmission Project EIR. Our appreciation goes to Project Managers Susan Lee at Aspen, and Billie Blanchard at the California Public Utilities Commission. (Announcement) (Award)

• Sacramento Office Has Moved (Location)
• Grand Opening of Aspen Consulting Engineers in Phoenix