Effective March 15, 2021:
13 January 2021: Army Corps of Engineers Publishes 2021 Nationwide Permits
Nationwide permits help protect aquatic life by providing incentives to reduce impact on jurisdictional waters and wetlands:
18 September 2020: New Federal 401 Water Quality Certification Rule
The new Federal Clean Water Act Section 401 became effective September 11, 2020. 401 Certifications must meet specific requirements for all 401 Certification applications:
21 April 2020: Corps of Engineers has Redefined Protection for Wetlands
Read the Corps of Engineers’ final rule defining the scope of waters regulated under the Clean Water Act:
ClearWater’s “gone fishing!”
Every once in a while ClearWater takes a day off to regroup, relax, and enjoy the reason for our namesake. In May, ClearWater explored the Shelton Laurel River with guides from Hunter Banks. Some of us were already acquainted with the sport and others were first-timers. All had a grand time fly fishing, learning new techniques, and cheering each other on as fish after fish kept jumping into our hands.
Rutledge Clement Riddle, PWS
Principal
Education
Master of Planning, University of Virginia, 1998.
Bachelor of Science, Natural Resources, University of the South, 1991.
Professional Associations
Certified Professional Wetland Scientist, 2001
Society of Wetland Scientists
The National Association of Environmental Professionals
Professional Background
Mr. Riddle founded ClearWater Environmental Consultants, Inc. in 2002. He has over 29 years of experience with wetland permitting, environmental planning, and natural resource studies in North Carolina. Mr. Riddle is responsible for overseeing all environmental projects, and serves as the Principal for large and technical permitting projects. Ongoing representative projects include mitigation design and monitoring, 404 permitting for golf courses, master planned communities, retail shopping malls, industrial developments, and Environmental Assessments for NEPA/SEPA compliance. Mr. Riddle has extensive experience in managing wetland/stream permitting and mitigation projects and has dealt extensively with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Prior to founding ClearWater Environmental Consultants, Inc., Mr. Riddle opened and managed the Hendersonville office for Newkirk Environmental, Inc. from 1998-2002. In 1998, Mr. Riddle obtained his Master of Planning Degree from the University of Virginia with a concentration in Environmental Planning and Land Development. While pursing this degree, he continued to conduct environmental assessments and wetland planning for clients in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. Prior to graduate school he was employed by Law Engineering and Environmental Services for four years, where he was involved with wetland delineations, protected species assessments, and environmental permitting.
Tyson Kurtz
Biologist
Education
Bachelor of Science, Environmental Biology, Minors in Environmental Sustainability and Environmental Geoscience, Honors Program Graduate, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, 2016.
Professional Associations, Honors, and Training
- North Carolina Stream Assessment Method Training (NCSAM), 2019
- North Carolina Wetland Assessment Method Training (NCWAM), 2019
- NC Surface Water Identification Training and Certification, 2019
- Virginia Stormwater Inspector Certification, 2018
Professional Background
Mr. Kurtz has been employed by ClearWater Environmental Consultants, Inc. in 2019. Mr. Kurtz has 2.5 years of experience conducting stream and wetland research, delineations, and permitting. His specific experience involves aquatic resource monitoring, Clean Water Act Permits, USACE Nationwide Permits, USACE Waters of the US delineations, erosion and sediment control monitoring, GIS analysis, fish surveys, and protected species surveys and habitat assessments. Mr. Kurtz has worked with local, state, and federal agencies as well as private property owners. His primary duties at ClearWater Environmental include wetland and stream delineations, GIS mapping, aquatic resource monitoring, threatened and endangered species surveys, and 404 and 401 environmental permitting.
Britten Yant
Biologist
Education
Bachelor of Science, Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health, University of Findlay, 2014
Professional Associations, Honors, and Training
- NCWAM Training, 2017
- Surface Water Identification Training, 2017
- NCSAM Training, 2017
- Wetland Plant Identification Course, 2016
- 38-Hour USACE Wetland Delineation Training, 2015
- Ohio Rapid Assessment Method for Wetlands Training, 2015
- OSHA 40-Hour Hazwoper Training Course, 2011
Professional Background
In 2014 Mr. Yant graduated from the University of Findlay with a B.S. in Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health. In addition to training in the classroom, Mr. Yant also gained hands on experience during four summers of environmental internships including two summers with the Ohio EPA. Since his graduation Mr. Yant has been working in the environmental consulting field. His duties at ClearWater Environmental Consultants, include performing wetland delineations in accordance with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers standards, aiding clients in the environmental permitting/mitigation process, mapping using GPS and GIS, assisting clients in meeting state and federal regulatory compliance, and performing threatened and endangered species surveys.
Alea Tuttle, PWS
Biologist
Education
Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science, University of Vermont, 2008
Master of Science, Earth Science, University of North Carolina – Charlotte. 2012
Professional Associations, Honors, and Training
- Society of Wetland Scientists, 2016
- Applied Fluvial Geomorphology (Rosgen I Training) 2016
- Hydric Soils Training 2014
- Surface Water Identification and Training 2014
- NCSAM Training,2017
Professional Background
Ms. Tuttle was employed by ClearWater Environmental Consultants, Inc. in 2017. She attended University of Vermont from 2004-2008. While at UVM, she began working in the water resources field as a lab technician in the Plant and Soil Science department. Following graduation, she worked for the Vermont Water Quality Division conducting long term research on acid rain impaired lakes, and assisting with stream bioassessments throughout the state. In 2009, Ms. Tuttle participated in research at Toolik Field Station in northern Alaska, with wide ranging duties observing arctic stream ecological processes, in the context of a changing climate. Ms. Tuttle moved to Charlotte, NC and began graduate school in 2010, where her research explored the intersection of urban watershed hydrology, biogeochemistry, and applied natural channel design. During her time at UNCC, Ms. Tuttle worked as a water quality laboratory technician, trained undergraduate staff, and published a thesis and peer reviewed articles in fluvial nutrient transport. In 2012, Ms. Tuttle began working as an environmental consultant in the mitigation services industry with Wildlands Engineering Inc. Her responsibilities included wetland delineation, site assessment, and mitigation project monitoring.
Clean Water Act – Waters of US Rule Published
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule in the Federal Register (6/29/15) defining the scope of waters protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA or the Act). The rule will become effective on August 28, 2015.