SELECTED REPRESENTATIVE BIOME RESEARCH SERVICES EXPERIENCES
Biome Research Services conducted over 4500 separate projects from the
period 1976 through 2003. While a number of the larger or more diverse
projects are listed below, the majority of clients were private home or
property owners who had a site-specific problem or merely a
curiousity into the natural or physical history of their land. Many
such projects involved water including drinking water quality and
quantity (both surface and groundwater sources; included locations and
design of private or small community water systems), run-off control,
flood and flood damage prevention (hydrology), quality analysis for
specific purposes, groundwater recharge potential, associated
wastewater disposal and control, pond and stream design, surface water
fisheries management (e.g., for farm fishing and fire ponds), wetlands
management and preservation, and wildlife damage control (e.g., rabbit
or beaver problems or introductions; wildlife diseases and parasites).
Many small landowners including farmers desired means to enhance
wildlife or hunting potential for their properties while others wanted
measures which would permit them to gain income through small woodlot
management or private hunting preserves. In many instances, these
services were provided for no fee, especially if they involved water
problems or wildlife enhancement or damage control.
1977. Project: Environmental assessment on proposed Cayou Key
Marina, Orcas Island, San Juan Co., WA. Draft and Final Environmental
Impact Statements. Successfully defended EIS in court.
1978 - 79. Project: Gathered field data and provided documentation to
California Department of Agriculture that a feral ferret (Mustela
putorius) population did in fact exist on San Juan Island, WA. This
information was used to place a ban on importation and propagation of
the species in CA.
1979. Project: Feasibility study, planning, and subsequent Draft and
Final Environmental Impact Statements for rubble-mound breakwater on
Spieden Island, San Juan Co, WA on behalf of Alaska Airlines, Seattle,
WA to serve the island as an executive retreat center. Purported
archeological resources were determined to be of mid-20th century
origins. Proposal accepted and constructed.
1979. Project: Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed San
Juan County, WA Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Possibly the most
intensively documented projection of human physical, social, and
economic impacts of any county in Washington State. Despite tremendous
publicity and BRS findings of unmitigatable impacts on the County
because the Plan was more politically based than geo-physically
oriented, the County determined to pursue the Plan essentially
unchanged. BRS declined the Final EIS.
1980. Project: Provide initial basic biological and field natural
history data to Lummi Indian Tribe, Island Co., WA to support the
Tribe’s claim to a nearby small uninhabited island whose ownership was
in dispute. The Lummi’s purpose was to prevent private development of
the island and retain it in its natural state. The issue was remanded
to court where it still remains.
1980 - 83. Project: Biological investigations into sudden decline and
continued decrease in European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus population
in San Juan Island National Historical Park, San Juan Co, WA. Results
determined that the cause was most likely a plant estrogen, a botanical
defense mechanism against plant predators.
1981. Project: Feasibility and environmental analyses to dredge
portions of the Snohomish River, Snohomish Co, WA for renewable sand
and gravel extraction. Major considerations were the upstream breeding
salmon species and hydrological effects on seasonal floods and flood
plains. Primary coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Most aspects of the proposal were approved.
1981. Project: Environmental assessment to determine feasibility of a
combined subdivision and private shoreline park on The Tombolo (an
island separated from its main body only at high tide) on Lopez Island,
San Juan Co., WA. Upon completion of studies, project went into
abeyance for financial and political reasons. The park concept is still
viable as a proposal to the County.
1982. Project: Feasibility study and planning for Limekiln Lighthouse
County Park, site of an abandoned U.S. Coast Guard lighthouse on the
west side of San Juan Island, San Juan Co., WA. Proposal eventually
became a Washington State Park.
1982. Project: Field data collection and analysis of the wildlife
components and the potential impacts on them due to a proposed water
theme park near Tacoma, Pierce Co., WA. Found the site to be a
biological desert and determined the cause was due to its nature as a
1920’s-vintage fill site over a garbage dump and automobile graveyard.
1985 - 2000. Project: Drinking water quality analysis of ground and
surface waters in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Madison, and Otsego
Counties, NY to establish database for future human development.
1988 - 89. Project: Chenango River biotic survey, shoreline and island mapping by ecotype from the
river’s source in Madison County through Chenango County and to the
first river barrier in Broome County. Identified and located legally
protected plant and animal species. Noted rates of development along
the river and existing sources of water pollution.
1989. Project: Wildlife field studies to support Chenango County (NY)
position that the County was inappropriately selected as a potential
site for low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) storage in New York State.
Defined and demonstrated that in this transitional zone, a legally
threatened or endangered wildlife species may be found within any given
20-acre area. Defended evidence at LLRW Commission hearing at State
Capitol. The County was removed from consideration.
1990 - 1991. Project: Lakeshore Estates, Chenango Lake, Chenango Co,
NY. Environmental assessment on proposed major subdivision (150+ 1-ac
units) on reservoir for City of Norwich, NY. Found unmitigatable
impacts and developer withdrew his application.
1992. Project: Arbitrate a dispute between a small auto painting
business and a neighbor who complained about noise and toxic fumes. NYS
DEC refused to become involved. The key issues were noise levels and
lacquer fumes, neither of which were found to approach nor exceed State
nor EPA safe standards, but were deemed to be psycho-irritants to the
neighbor. A compromise was reached on hours of operation and noise and
fume mitigation.
1993. Project: Provide State of New York Department of Environmental
Conservation data to demonstrate that feral ferrets are capable of
survival in the wild in NYS.
2000. Project: Provide field data to Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Transportation data to demonstrate that white pine
die-off adjacent (to 1/2-mile back) was a function of drought in
combination with air pollution rather than snow-melt chemicals.
1994 - 2004. Project: Investigate causes of negative aquatic wildlife
perturbations in Crumhorn Lake, Henderson Boy Scout Reservation, Otsego
Co, NY. A major factor was determined to be the inadvertent spillage of
kerosine onto the lake surface during ceremonies.
