Natural Resources Environmental Consulting

Essency Environmental, LLC assists clients with environmental permitting and natural resources consulting. We use our broad experience with all levels of government and the private sector to navigate environmental permitting requirements efficiently and effectively. We listen carefully and never lose sight of each client’s individual goals and concerns.

Our staff includes wetlands biologist Mary Harenda, and aquatic ecologist Andrew Wones. We have extensive experience in wetlands biology, fisheries, environmental permitting, mitigation planning, marine biology, water quality, and wildlife monitoring. We give each project our full and earnest attention.

We named our company after Essency Creek, a tributary to the Snoqualmie River, since this is the watershed in which our home office is located. We also like the name because it invokes our philosophy of getting to the essence of whatever problem we are solving and providing focused solutions for success that save our clients time, effort, and expense.

We have been working in the environmental services field in the Pacific Northwest since the early 1990's and have experience in aquatic resources and environmental protection since the early 1980's. We formed Essency Environmental, LLC in January 2013.

Please contact us to discuss your project. If there is an environmental element of your project that we don't cover in-house, there is a good chance that we either have a teaming partner or can provide a referral for that service (e.g. archaeology, civil engineering, physical surveying).

ABOUT US

Mary Harenda, Professional Wetland Scientist, Fisheries Biologist

Mary Harenda is a professional wetlands scientist and environmental permitting expert with over 20 years of diverse and progressive experience in biological sciences, project planning, and mitigation and restoration design. She employs a pragmatic approach that considers the goals of each client, biological and economic feasibility, and permitting requirements. Mary possess a thorough working knowledge of local, state, and federal permitting and plan requirements, including the Washington SEPA and federal NEPA processes (BAs/BEs/EISs). She has extensive technical experience including wetland inventories, delineations and functional assessments, stream assessments and evaluations, and assessments for wildlife and threatened and endangered species. Mary has worked in both the public and private sectors and has experience across a broad client base including small and large development firms, private home and property owners, small and large businesses, local, state and federal governments and agencies, and public and private utilities. When she is not on the job Mary enjoys bird watching, cheering for the Green Bay Packers, and playing with her family and dogs. Her friends know of Mary’s sense of humor, and her clients and colleagues know of her attention to detail and her ability to plan the path for projects and to see them through to successful completion. Mary Harenda holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin at Steven's Point, and a Master of Science from Oregon State University.

Andrew Wones, Aquatic Ecologist, CESCL

Andrew Wones is an aquatic biologist with over 20 years of experience in fisheries biology, marine and freshwater ecology, environmental planning, and permitting. He is a certified erosion and sediment control lead (CESCL). He has extensive experience conducting site inventories for critical areas and natural resources, helping clients prepare environmental permit applications, preparing biological assessments and floodplain habitat assessments to facilitate endangered species act consultations, conducting fish habitat and fish use surveys, monitoring water quality, monitoring construction projects for permit compliance, and preparing impact assessments and technical reports on aquatic resources. Andrew has worked for individuals and private companies; local, state, and federal agencies; and public utilities. When he’s not working, Andrew enjoys playing the trombone, building and paddling small boats, bird watching, and spending time with his family. Andy enjoys figuring out how best to help his clients achieve their goals in ways that are compatible with healthy ecosystem functioning and all applicable environmental regulations. In addition to his skills as a field biologist, he is also an experienced technical writer and a patient teacher. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science degree from Oregon State University.

ABOUT US

SERVICES

Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Lead (CESCL)
Construction Monitoring
Critical Areas Studies/Site Review
Education and Public Involvement
Environmental Permit Assistance
Environmental Project Management
Fish Habitat Studies
Fish Surveys, Fish Relocation and Exclusion
Marine Biology
Mitigation Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring
Mitigation Banking Ecological Services and Regulatory Coordination
Natural Resource Studies
SEPA/NEPA
Site Review
Stream OHWM Delineation and Habitat studies
Water Quality Impact Assessment and Monitoring Services
Wetland Delineation
Wildlife Studies

We want to help you make your project a success. We can do that by helping you plan and manage your project to avoid environmental compliance problems and by providing working and feasible mitigation solutions when needed. We can provide you with an inventory of critical areas and resources, evaluate your project for potential impacts, and guide you through the environmental permitting process. We design workable mitigation solutions and can also provide construction oversight and monitoring to ensure permit compliance and mitigation success throughout each phase of project planning and implementation.

Critical Areas Studies

Essency Environmental, LLC biologists are wetland and stream experts with extensive experience preparing critical areas studies. We conduct wetland and stream site reviews, delineations, impact assessment, and mitigation services. If on-site mitigation is not available, we can help you determine what other options are available, including the purchase of wetland mitigation credits from an established habitat mitigation bank. Our critical areas reports are thorough, accurate, and clearly written to make project permitting as efficient as possible.

Environmental Project Management

We work with you to make your project happen. Successful project planning, permitting, and completion require a dedicated project manager to make sure all necessary steps are completed on-time, accurately, in the right sequence, with attention to detail.
Our wide experience working with regulators, engineers, natural resource specialists, project proponents and citizen groups, and our excellent people skills allow us to work effectively with diverse project teams to keep our project teams directed and focused.

Mitigation

Essency Environmental experts, Mary Harenda (Professional Wetland Scientist) and Andrew Wones (Aquatic Ecologist) can provide wetland reconnaissance, delineations, mitigation, and impact assessment services. If on-site mitigation is not available, we can help you determine what other options are available, including the purchase of wetland mitigation credits from an established habitat mitigation bank.