Navigating Infrastructure Processes: Funding, Permitting, and Cultural Resources

Through an environmental review lens, the presenters will discuss infrastructure improvement projects where cultural resource considerations are one of many diverging project priorities. This session will outline the importance of early investigations to identify and develop design solutions that meet project needs and protect historic properties. We will discuss how potential environmental impacts are evaluated and reviewed prior to a project’s inception. Through real world case studies, we will cover projects involving federal permitting or state reviews and detail how the environmental review process often challenges funding deadlines.

This program will cover:

• Viewing projects through an environmental review lens where cultural resources are one of many review elements

• Better understanding of requirements for historic preservation and permit/funding at state and federal levels, managed on a project-by-project basis

• Understanding of real-world examples from Bolton & Menk case studies to showcase our infrastructure improvement process

Presenters: Teresa Burgess, Senior Project Engineer, and Nancy Thorkleson, Funding Work Group Leader 

Teresa began her engineering career in 1992. Her responsibilities in the engineering realm include regulatory compliance, preliminary engineering, environmental review, specification preparation, design, and cost analysis; permitting of sanitary sewer, water distribution, and stormwater management; roadway facilities; as well as municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) assistance and site plan approval. In 2015, Teresa joined the funding work group to provide engineering support. Her responsibilities in the funding work group include project development, funding applications, and technical writing. This includes engineering reports, work plans, and state and federal National Environmental Policy Act compliant environmental reviews for programs such as the State Revolving Fund, MnDNR, FEMA, HUD, and USDA-RD Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program.

Nancy began her career at Bolton & Menk in 1989. Her ability to connect and build relationships with the various funding agencies has helped Bolton & Menk clients navigate and design successful funding packages for multiple infrastructure projects. In her role as funding work group leader, she is dedicated to tracking and identifying multiple state and federal funding programs that can meet the needs of our clients. Nancy works directly with clients in assisting with the preparation of applications and coordinates the construction-related compliance and the processing of funding requests. She loves the opportunity to work with a variety of communities to help identify funding options to create and enhance sustainable and healthy places to live, work, and play.