The Purple Line is a 16.2-mile light rail line that will connect the Bethesda and New Carrollton Metrorail Stations, and pass through the heart of the University of Maryland campus in College Park. It will provide a direct connection to the Metrorail Red, Green and Orange Lines; at Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park, and New Carrollton and directly connect with MARC, Amtrak, and local bus services. WSSI has served as a subconsultant to others, and originally was tasked to perform a range of environmental consulting services including permit acquisition, environmental studies, forest conservation plan, arborist consulting, stormwater management waivers, and as built stormwater certifications.
The Challenge
Acquire environmental permits for this high profile and highly scrutinized project from federal, state, and municipal agencies, and provide studies – including the Forest Conservation Plan and needed modifications – to keep the project on track. Then, with all the environmental permits secured, work with the construction team to ensure environmental permit compliance along the entire project corridor.
Our Solution
WSSI has managed the acquisition of all environmental permits for this project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the National Park Service, and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). WSSI staff attended monthly Joint Evaluation Committee meetings to review the project status with agency representatives, and monthly meetings with both Montgomery County and Prince George’s County representatives.
WSSI identified opportunities to avoid and minimize impacts as project limits of disturbance were refined. We also prepared the Forest Conservation Plan for MDNR’s Forestry Service, coordinating with agency staff during the review process, and aiding in the Joint Public Hearing for the project. WSSI provided adjustments as project design was refined, and submitted a variance request for removal of 250+ specimen trees. WSSI arborists routinely participated in pre-construction field meetings with PLTC and agency reviewers to establish appropriate tree protection measures for trees located along the proposed limits of disturbance.
Utility relocations along the track alignment have required Stormwater Management Waivers. WSSI engineers prepared SWM Waivers and associated Erosion and Sediment Control Plans. WSSI engineers and inspectors also provided as-built certifications for three SWM facilities.
WSSI’s environmental compliance team will inspect and document all on site Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure all BMPs shown in the Erosion and Sediment Control plans have been installed properly and are in the proper locations. WSSI will work with construction to ensure any noted deficiencies are repaired.