Building the permitting package around field conditions
As solar development accelerates in Alberta, projects must navigate environmental requirements without slowing delivery. Onterris worked alongside the client team from early site selection through permitting, aligning planning with Alberta’s Wildlife Directive for Solar Energy Projects. The approach started with baseline surveys to establish defensible pre-development conditions across wildlife, vegetation and wetlands. Field teams assessed sensitive receptors and species considerations, including snakes, burrowing owls and raptors, so mitigation could be designed around actual observations and seasonal realities.
Those findings fed directly into regulatory deliverables. Onterris prepared the Renewable Energy Project Submission for Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA) and supported the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) application with key environmental components, including an Environmental Evaluation and an Environmental Protection Plan. By keeping technical workstreams connected, the project team reduced handoffs and ensured commitments written into plans matched what crews could implement in the field.
Keeping compliance practical during construction
Pre-development site assessments also aligned with the Conservation and Reclamation Directive, with soils work structured to support future reclamation outcomes. During construction of the BESS, Onterris served as environmental inspectors, monitoring site activities and reinforcing requirements through day-to-day coordination.
That included confirming soil handling protocols, tracking inspection coverage and supporting weed management practices that protected the site while construction advanced. Wildlife protection planning stayed operational, not theoretical. When prairie rattlesnakes were observed, teams followed the project-specific Snake Protection Plan, including translocation where required.
Speed matters, but it only counts when the field plan holds up. We kept permitting, mitigation and construction oversight connected so commitments stayed practical for crews and clear for regulators.
Results that kept reviews moving and expectations aligned
Early engagement created a clearer line of sight on potential impacts, which helped the project team gather critical data and implement mitigation measures before submissions went in. That preparation supported timely reviews by EPA and AUC with minimal supplemental information requests.
As development continues, Onterris remains engaged across ongoing planning and construction, supporting the client in meeting regulatory and stakeholder expectations while advancing renewable energy development in Alberta. The work established a repeatable framework for future solar and storage projects that need both pace and environmental credibility.
