Welcome to Stowers Environmental Consulting, LLC

A SWPPP describes potential pollutant sources from construction and industrial sites, details how they will be controlled, and assigns legal responsibility. A SWPPP is required for projects that will disturb one or more acres of land, projects that will disturb less than one acre but are part of a larger common plan for development that will disturb one acre or more, and for most classes of heavy industry.  

SEC was founded on the success of its stormwater protection consulting services. In 2005, SEC Managing Principal, Carrie Stowers, left employment with Clark County, where she was responsible for developing the governmental stormwater program and implementing it valley-wide, to open Stowers Stormwater Compliance. Since then, SEC offers services related to the program including training clients, site inspections, BMP maintenance and installation consultation, as well as writing SWPPP nationwide and within tribal territories.

SEC can act as your company’s internal environmental manager, without having the expense and liability of employing one full-time.  

SEC employs inspectors certified by the State of Nevada, the International Erosional Control Association, and the Nevada Department of Transportation. Stormwater compliance inspections occur weekly and within 24 hours of a storm event as defined by the construction permit, or quarterly as required by the industrial permit.     

The inspection service includes consultation with site personnel about a full range of potential environmental conditions including stormwater, groundwater discharge, dust, stationary source emissions, conservation issues and recycling, spill response, fuel and chemical storage, and hazardous waste management.  Inspections include recommendations to bring the site back into compliance if needed, and completion of the required documentation, sampling, reporting, and updates to maps and plans.      

SEC can also help secure additional consulting or engineering expertise for conditions outside of our scope of services, such as groundwater modeling or Phase II (pump and treat) remedial work and maintain oversight.

SEC prides itself on our level of training for our clients.  We believe environmental compliance depends on a successful partnership between the client, the consultant, and the regulator. 

Many firms will offer generalized training, but SEC will tailor each session to the client or project’s specific conditions, ensuring that the time your employees spend in class is as valuable as possible.    

Our Managing Principal has been a featured trainer for various private firms, the Association of General Contractors, and various professional organizational meetings for over 20 years.

A NPDES permit is required for facilities to discharge surface waters to “waters of the United States” under certain conditions. The permit contains limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health.          

A CEM is required for water quality sampling in the state of Nevada. Our CEMs are skilled in sampling and analysis, state filing protocol, and negotiating agreements for municipal discharge. SEC also partners with several engineering firms in town to install water treatment systems to manage potential contaminant issues.

SEC has found that the most effective approach to BMP management for construction and heavy industry is by having the client manage the issue in-house, with guidance from SEC inspectors.  During site inspections, our inspectors will photograph issues that routinely arise and notify the site superintendent.  The inspector and superintendent will come up with a plan of action to address the issues using their own heavy equipment and labor, and the inspector will manage the required documentation.  If the client does not have heavy equipment and/or personnel necessary for the management of their BMPs, SEC offers turnkey services and can manage the program for you.

A stationary source permit is required for industries and facilities that emit regulated pollutants to ensure that these emissions do not harm public health, and ensure that facilities make adequate provisions to control emissions. A dust permit is required for soil disturbing activities of 0.25 acres or greater, mechanized trenching one hundred feet or greater in length, or mechanical demolition of any structure one thousand square feet or larger.  SEC can gather the required information and file for these permits (new, renewals, and modifications) as well as offer recommendations to offset emissions if necessary. 

When problems arise, SEC will act as your representative during enforcement actions, offering expert guidance through the process to avoid or eliminate potentially costly and time-consuming proceedings.  As a former public employee, our Managing Principal has solid relationships with the enforcement community and understands what they are looking for and why. Bringing this unique perspective to your team will help you ensure that you have the best possible outcome.

In the event of a spill, the State of Nevada requires a CEM to ensure that cleanups of these spills occur according to a specific protocol.  SEC can manage and oversee cleanup response of various contaminants and conduct the required sampling, analysis, and reporting to state, local, and federal agencies. 

LEED and Green Globes are initiatives that spell out how exactly you can build and maintain commercial buildings in ways that are healthier for your employees and less costly to manage.   SEC will come to your place of employment, perform an assessment of your business' environmental impact, interview key staff, and write a plan on how your business can move forward in a more cost effective and environmentally friendly manner.