DUDEK - Dudek to Help SCE with Environmental Surveys

Firm to Establish Wildlife and Plant Population before Construction

Encinitas, Calif. – May 8, 2007 – Dudek today announced it will begin helping Southern California Edison (SCE) survey wildlife and plants inhabiting the 60-mile route of a transmission line project from Perris to Palm Springs in western Riverside County. The 500kV line is scheduled to begin construction in November and is part of a larger transmission line project that will follow the Interstate 10 corridor into Arizona.

While required by the California Public Utilities Commission as part of SCE’s project approval, biology surveys play an important role in large infrastructure projects. “To ensure that the native flora and fauna populations along the route successfully live and thrive during and after construction, our biologists must first fully understand their current distribution and population size,” said Brock Ortega, a Dudek senior wildlife biologist and project manager.

Particularly sensitive wildlife to be surveyed includes the endangered California gnatcatcher and Stephen’s kangaroo rat as well as the less familiar burrowing owl and American badger.

Dudek, one of California’s largest environmental consulting firms, provides particular expertise in terrestrial biological surveys on large sections of Southern California’s undeveloped properties. “We have completed hundreds of similar surveys for major land developers, utility firms, and public agencies over the last 20 years, and our biologists are uniquely skilled at gathering, managing and interpreting meaningful data,” Ortega said.

About Dudek
Dudek is a California-based engineering and environmental consulting corporation that creatively solves regulatory challenges for municipal agencies and major landowners. The firm helps clients plan, design, construct and manage successful infrastructure and environmental projects that balance regulatory mandates and technical requirements within financial and scheduling goals. Founded in 1980, Dudek is headquartered in Encinitas in San Diego County with offices in Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Placer counties. For more information, e-mail info@dudek.com.

Contact:
Christine Clinton
Dudek
760.479.4275
cclinton@dudek.com