Trout Unlimited was recently awarded a Growing Greener grant to provide technical and organizational assistance to watershed groups, TU chapters, and other groups working to address abandoned mine drainage (AMD).

TU is requesting proposals from consulting firms that specialize in AMD remediation to assist with technical services for its AMD Technical Assistance Program.

Through this program, TU has been providing AMD technical assistance to groups since 2004 with funding provided by a previous Growing Greener grant and a private foundation.

TU’s AMD Technical Assistance Program will be available statewide, however projects located in the West Branch Susquehanna River basin may given priority because of TU’s current role in leading the West Branch Susquehanna Restoration Initiative.

The types of projects TU is seeking consultants to assist with technical services include the following:

1) Rapid watershed snapshots – Typically requires a one-time site visit of AMD problems on a particular stream or small watershed (may include water sampling) and review of mining history, water quality data, and other available information to provide further recommendations and guidance for developing a monitoring plan or a more comprehensive assessment.

2) Rapid watershed assessments – An assessment of AMD problems on a particular stream or small watershed that typically includes water sampling (and possibly fish and/or macroinvertebrate surveys) for a determined length of time, which can be implemented by TU, consultant, or requesting group, and review of mining history, water quality data, and other available information to develop a report that summarizes the AMD problems and recommends potential remediation solutions.

3) Conceptual remediation design plan – Requesting group should have all the information it needs to apply for funding for the full-scale design and permitting phase.

4) Treatment system evaluation and recommendations – Evaluation and recommendations for improvement of existing treatment systems that may not be performing up to expectations or shows signs of declining performance. May also include assistance with developing long-term operation and maintenance plans if necessary.

5) Construction oversight – Assistance with providing oversight of treatment system construction, including possible coordination of construction activities for requesting group.

The process for providing technical assistance to groups begins with a simple two-page form that the requesting group fills out and sends to TU. TU staff will contact the group to determine its eligibility and to further refine the type of assistance the group is requesting. An initial site visit with the requesting group might be necessary and TU will coordinate this between the group and the selected consultant. The consultant will then be required to develop a scope of work and budget, which must be approved by TU and the DEP grant advisor prior to beginning the project.

TU staff will work with the selected consultant to provide services for projects that require biological assessments such as stream habitat, fish, and/or macroinvertebrate surveys. TU staff may also be available to assist the consultant with field work. TU staff will coordinate each project from its inception through to completion of the final report, thus the consultant will be working directly for TU as its contractor and must coordinate all meetings and activities with the requesting groups with TU first.

The maximum contract award available is $92,000. If interested in contracting for TU as a technical service consultant for its AMD Technical Assistance Program, please submit a proposal that contains the following:

1) Company’s experience working with volunteer-based watershed groups, TU chapters, etc.; reference contact information is encouraged.

2) Company’s detailed experience developing watershed assessments and remediation plans specifically relating to AMD; specific examples are encouraged and may be included on a CD, hard copy, or website links.

3) Company’s detailed experience designing AMD treatment systems; specific examples are encouraged that contain location, construction date, influent and effluent water quality, and current reference contact information.

4) Resumes for company personnel that will be providing services.

5) Cost estimates (ranges are adequate) for each type of project listed above.

6) Company’s Federal Tax ID # so we can obtain contractor clearance from DEP.

Proposals are due by Friday, June 20, 2008. Questions may be directed to the Director of Abandoned Mine Programs, Amy Wolfe, at 570-726-3118 or awolfe@tu.org . Please mail proposals to Trout Unlimited, AMD Technical Assistance Program, P.O. Box 27, Mill Hall, PA 17751 (no proposals via email please).

5/23/2008