Savannah Office
101 B Estus Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31404
Phone (912) 236-4711
Fax (912) 236-3668
Email
Office Contact: Michael J. DeMell is a Marine Biologist with extensive experience in Coastal Georgia. Mr. DeMell joined Environmental Services, Inc. in 1989 and has run the Savannah office since it’s inception in 1992.
Representative Projects
Crossroads Business Center
Work began in 1989 on this 1,700-acre master planned industrial / business center. This project marked a successful innovation in planning and Corps of Engineers permitting. Through work with the Savannah District Corps, the eventual Section 404 permit was signed in Washington, DC and authorized for a term of 20 years. ESI completed a full range of Environmental Studies, T&E Studies, Archaeological Studies, Environmental Permitting and Wetland Permitting for this project, including obtaining a first-of-its-kind Wetland Impact Permit. In additional to permit application preparation, coordination, and implementation, ESI also completed mitigation planning, implementation, monitoring and protecting the highest quality wetlands onsite with appropriate upland buffers and restrictive covenants. ESI remains active with site compliance and ongoing mitigation issues for the evolving wetland fill, currently 85-acres, authorized by this permit.
Chatham County Mega Site
ESI performed intensive natural systems and cultural resource surveys throughout the 1600-acre Chatham County Economic Development Site (the Mega Site), in Chatham County, Georgia. ESI’s primary role was initial site review, data acquisition, environmental analysis and the development of the permit applications necessary for Section 404/401 permits for ~ 123-acres of wetland impact. Our primary tasks included wetland delineation, protected species surveys, cultural resources surveys, mitigation planning, attendance of and presentations at planning meetings sponsored by SEDA and the Georgia Department of Industry Trade and Tourism (GDITT), attendance of interagency meetings in preparation for permitting the proposed project, and the preparation of the appropriate permit applications (including graphics). ESI has also conducted periodic land tours with the perspective users, the original intended user of the site was Daimler Chrysler; the site has since been considered by several other end users. In late 2009 it was announced that Mitsubishi Power Systems will build a plant on a portion of the site.
Broadhurst Environmental Municipal Solid Waste Landfill
ESI began working on this project in 1993, completing a wetland delineation, Corps of Engineers Jurisdictional Determination and Section 404 Wetland permitting for 9.9-acres of wetland impact. ESI also designed and implemented a full scale mitigation plan, including wetland preservation, wetland and littoral shelf creation and monitoring. In 1996 ESI obtained an extension of the permit expiration date and relocated a 2-acre created wetland area. In 2006 ESI began working on the proposed expansion of this landfill, completing additional wetland delineations, Corps of Engineers Jurisdictional Determination, a Phase I archaeological assessment and Section 404 Wetland permitting. Through a thorough search of Wayne and Brantley Counties, ESI also identified a suitable offsite location to meet the mitigation needs of the expansion which were necessary to offset the nearly 100-acre wetland impact. The mitigation includes over 200-acres of hydrologic and vegetative wetland restoration/enhancement and 193-acres of wetland preservation. ESI spearheaded the implementation of the mitigation plan which included site clearing and grading, waste pile burning, planting over 84,000 trees, ditch plug construction and armoring, monitoring well installation, baseline hydrologic and vegetative monitoring, and long term hydrologic and vegetative success monitoring (ongoing). We continue to achieve high levels of mitigation success on this expansion permit which is one of the largest non-DOT affiliated wetland impact permits issued within USACE Savannah District.
