2025 SAG Award Winners

ERM

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Project Goal

Our client faced a significant challenge around managing environmental field activities related to vegetation management along their utility network. This activity covered a vast area exceeding 100,000 square miles with over 30,000 individual work areas. The nature of the work required constant collection by, and sharing of data with, hundreds of stakeholders including biologists, cultural teams, planning departments, data scientists, project administrators, project management, and the client themselves. The data being collected is being accessed in real time by hundreds of users, including multiple sub-consultants, other prime consultants, and even internal client teams for real-time decision making, scheduling and coordination of field teams. The datasets are also being used to generate submittals to numerous regulatory agencies including federal, state, and other regulatory bodies to ensure all activities are conducted in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
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Business Problem Solved

The project team was challenged by the large number of stakeholders and team members involved in the project, the number of different consulting companies involved, numerous different data platforms in use, accelerated project timelines, public scrutiny of field activities, and constantly evolving project requirements due to multiple agencies involvement. Managing this data, meeting agency and client deliverable requirements, and ensuring accuracy and consistency across various systems and platforms, all while providing rapid access to the data to keep various project teams working and in compliance with applicable regulations.

Technology Implemented

The geospatial team utilized ArcGIS Pro for more complex analysis, deliverable production, and forty-plus scripting/automation tools (Python scripting, Model Builder flows.) Some large datasets were served via ArcGIS Server, but most content was hosted and stored in ArcGIS Online. Project teams utilized ten fit-for-purpose ArcGIS Online web applications (ArcGIS Experience Builder and ArcGIS Dashboards), along with four integrated mobile apps (ArcGIS Field Maps and ArcGIS Survey123) while in the field.

Development Team Biography

Current ERM GIS professionals dedicated to this workflow:

Sarah Nava- Principal Technical Consultant, Geospatial Scientist

Jimmy Holcomb- Managing Technical Consultant, Geospatial Scientist

James Cabrera- Senior Consultant, GIS Programmer

Jake Sullivan- Senior Consultant, Geospatial Scientist

Rob Cahalan- Principal Technical Consultant, Geospatial Scientist

Mankin Law- Consulting Senior Associate, Geospatial Scientist

Weeraphong Sudathip, Consulting Associate, Geospatial Scientist

Susana Rosales- Consultant Associate, Geospatial Scientist

Additional GIS team members in Irvine, Portland, and Minneapolis who have contributed to the project in the past.

ERM Supporters and Sponsors- Nikki Payne, Leslie Rivas, Kelly Hogen-Esch, Carol Starkey