Department Spotlight: Geospatial Sciences
Aspen Environmental Group understands the ever-growing importance of geospatial information and its contribution to the environmental consulting industry as well as to other industries and clients. Aspen’s Geospatial Sciences Department provides high-end Geographic Information Systems (GIS) products to its local, state, and federal agency clients.
Aspen’s Geospatial Sciences staff has a thorough understanding of the methodology of data collection, creation, and analysis. Aspen regularly uses these capabilities to collect data and conduct analyses as part of compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In addition, Aspen provides the expertise needed for successful compliance with the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, and other federal and state environmental laws.
Aspen’s Geospatial Sciences Department offers a wide range of services including, but not limited to, GIS modeling and web mapping development. Over the last few years, the Geospatial Sciences Department has applied the power of GIS in new ways with the goal of developing comprehensive systems to monitor compliance with environmental regulatory requirements during operation and maintenance (O&M) activities. Building on our past experience helping clients monitor O&M compliance, Aspen developed the GIS-based Geospatial Resource and Sustainability Program (GRASP).
GRASP is a state-of-the-art modeling tool that catalogs and analyzes all infrastructure and environmental resources, utilizing a combination of high-resolution orthophotography, videography, and LiDAR. After documenting sensitive resources in the field, any asset manager such as a utility can work with state and federal resource agencies to formulate Resource Conservation measures (RCMs) to protect sensitive resources during O&M activities. These RCMs are included in GRASP and can be used by asset managers to plan and prioritize O&M activities, as well as in real-time by the crews in the field areas as part of regular or intermittent maintenance activities. GRASP addresses a variety of factors, including impact on the resource type, type of maintenance activity, spatial data accuracy, regulatory audit needs, and others. Benefits of GRASP include increased worker and public safety, and significant savings of time and money from streamlined compliance activities by the utility, land managers, and regulatory and resource agencies. By developing the model in a GIS, resource specialists can assist the field crews with daily work routines and keep asset managers in compliance with land management practices and regulatory requirements for the conservation of resources. The GRASP GIS database can be used on a daily basis by resource managers, field crew managers and staff, land management, and regulatory agencies to identify and plan work based on sensitive resource protection requirements. GRASP was developed as a response to various utility regulatory and compliance needs and has successfully been used in utility corridors across the Western US.
In addition to GIS-based modeling, Aspen utilizes the power of ESRI’s ArcGIS Online platform to build web mapping solutions for client’s data collection and mapping needs. Aspen understands that clients are faced with numerous geospatial-related challenges that require quick and innovative data solutions. By having an expert understanding of web mapping technology as well as carefully listening to the needs of our clients, Aspen turns complex technical issues into tangible solutions. Aspen’s Geospatial Sciences Department has employed data collection technologies for biological surveying and construction monitoring, developed visually compelling and interactive web-based maps, and built custom web mapping applications for specific client needs.
With a growing level of expertise and a dedicated team specializing in GIS, web mapping applications, visual simulations, and graphic design, Aspen has leveraged itself into the technologically driven expectations of client needs and industry demands.
If you would like more information about the Geospatial Sciences Department at Aspen, please visit our services page or contact Anton Kozhevnikov, Geospatial Sciences manager.