District Energy Project Environmental Assessment

Montpelier, Vermont

DuBois & King was the prime consultant of a consultant team to provide NEPA documentation for an Environmental Assessment associated with the Montpelier Community Renewable Energy Project. This project will utilize renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to provide heat and power to State and City facilities. The project is to construct a district energy combined heat and power (CHP) system to provide centralized heat to State and City facilities. The proposed project includes the design, construction, and operation of a 41-MMBTU biomass renewable energy facility, which will be located on the site of the existing State heating plant.

DuBois & King, as author of the Environmental Assessment, provided services relative to: development of a purpose and need statement; resource identification/evaluation for land use, water resources, air quality, biological resources, harvesting of wood products, infrastructure, socioeconomics and environmental justice, human health and safety, cultural and historical resources, waste management and hazardous material, traffic and transportation/parking, floodplains, visual, soils, noise, and wetlands; completion of the EA Document; and Finding of No Significant Impact statement.

In addition to NEPA, the project must also comply with local, State, and Federal requirements. Additional permitting considerations include local permitting, State Land Use Permit (Act 250), Stormwater, Conditional Use Determination, Stream Alteration, Stormwater Discharges Associated with Construction Activities (NPDES), Multi Sector General Permit, Air Quality Permit, Building Permit, Section 248 of Title 30, Underground Fuel Storage Tank permitting, and Federal permits including Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. D&K subconsultants provided historic preservation services, an archaeological resources assessment, and air quality services.