Fiber Optic Telecommunications Installation

Fiber Optic Telecommunications Installation

Location: Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas

Burns & McDonnell provided environmental permitting services for a Houston to Kansas City fiber optic telecommunications system. The 750-mile communications system was installed in existing gas pipeline, railroad, highway and city street rights-of-way.

Because of the client's aggressive schedule, Burns & McDonnell recommended and obtained regulatory approval to segment the project. This allowed Burns & McDonnell to obtain permits to construct in some areas while permitting efforts were ongoing in other areas.

  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)/Tribal Nations - Environmental Assessment
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 and Section 10 permits
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biological assessment
  • National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Notice of Intent and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) preparation
  • Texas General Land Office miscellaneous easement
  • Texas Historical Commission - cultural resource survey report
  • Oklahoma Archaeology Survey - cultural resource survey report
  • Oklahoma Archaeology Survey - cultural resource monitoring report 
  • Agency coordination
  • Coordination with the BIA and 43 tribal nations
  • Cultural resources monitoring
  • NEPA compliance
  • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans
  • Threatened and endangered species habitat surveys
  • Threatened and endangered species monitoring
  • Wetland surveys

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    Burns & McDonnell also conducted or managed the necessary wetland, threatened and endangered species habitat, and cultural resources surveys. Burns & McDonnell provided environmental services to complete FCC/NEPA checklists for 17 signal regeneration facilities.

    In Oklahoma, the project traversed tribal and/or Native American-owned land. Burns & McDonnell coordinated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and 43 tribal nations while preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); the BIA Manual (30BIAM, Supplemental 1); and other applicable environmental statutes and regulations for federal approval of right-of-way easements.

    On behalf of the Tribal Nations involved, the BIA took responsibility of lead federal agency and contracted Burns & McDonnell to function as its third-party NEPA contractor. Burns & McDonnell collected data, coordinated with federal and state agencies, and prepared the Environmental Assessment.

    • Fiber Optic Telecommunications Installation