Environmental Engineering & Permitting Services

Sunde Engineering provides a full suite of environmental consulting services including: Phase I Environmental Site Assessments; Environmental Review (EAWs/EISs); Permitting such as Wetland permitting, NPDES Permits, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP) and SPCC Plans; Aggregate Mine Planning and Permitting; and Geologic and Hydrogeologic Investigations.

storm-sewer-installation-underground-utility-construction

Environmental Expertise Rooted in the Midwest

Sunde Engineering provides consulting services focused on baseline and impact assessment, permitting, and operational compliance. Services include: Phase I ESAs and due diligence reviews, environmental review EAWs/EISs, hydrogeologic investigations, surface and groundwater studies, groundwater monitoring, resource assessments, pollution prevention plans, spill prevention control and countermeasure plans, solid waste management and permitting reclamation design and post-closure monitoring, permit compliance, training, site inspections and monitoring.

Combined with our civil engineering services, we work seamlessly to deliver a cohesive solution that eliminates communication gaps so you receive a single-source solution. We aim to minimize regulatory risk from initial due diligence through final construction.

At Sunde Engineering, we understand that every delay on a development project, industrial operation, or aggregate mine has real financial consequences. For over 40 years, we have been a trusted civil and environmental engineering partner across Minnesota and the greater Midwest — building the regional expertise, technical depth, and process knowledge that complex projects require. We know this regulatory landscape because we've spent four decades working in it, and we communicate clearly and proactively so you always know where your project stands.

aerial-city-skyline-riverfront-urban-landscape-1

rock-quarry-excavation-drilling-equipment-limestone-site

groundwater-monitoring-well-measurement-pipe-winter

kayaker-urban-lake-city-skyline-waterfront

Environmental Site Assessments and Review

Sunde Engineering supports developers, landowners, and other key stakeholders such as financers and lenders through the full range of environmental site assessment and review requirements — from initial due diligence through complex state and federal environmental review processes.

Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I ESAs)

Sunde Engineering provides comprehensive Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) to support real estate transactions, redevelopment efforts, and due diligence requirements for developers, landowners, and other key stakeholders such as financers and lenders. We identify recognized environmental conditions (RECs), review regulatory databases and historical records, and deliver ASTM-compliant reports that protect your investment and inform your transaction.

Environmental Assessment Worksheets (EAWs)

Sunde Engineering guides developers and landowners through the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) process — preparing rigorous, data-driven assessments that evaluate potential impacts on land, water, and infrastructure while managing required agency and public review periods. We help you satisfy state thresholds with technical precision, keeping your project moving forward through a clear, predictable process.

Environmental Impact Statements (EISs)

For large-scale developments requiring the highest level of environmental review, Sunde Engineering manages the full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. We coordinate multi-disciplinary technical analyses, evaluate project alternatives and potential impacts, and develop mitigation strategies that satisfy state and federal standards — delivering a legally defensible document that clears the path to project approval.

Aggregate Mine Planning and Permitting

Sunde Engineering provides full-service aggregate mine planning and permitting for sand and gravel producers, quarry operators, ready-mix and asphalt plant operators, and dimension stone operations across the Midwest. Our team has guided operators through every stage of mine development — from initial resource assessment and feasibility through environmental review, local Conditional Use Permits (CUPs), MPCA mining permits, and ongoing annual compliance reporting.

We evaluate site conditions, resource potential, and operational requirements to develop mine plans that are technically sound and meet regulatory standards from the outset. Our experience spans rural sand and gravel operations to complex multi-jurisdictional sites, including ancillary ready-mix and asphalt plant operations.

Reclamation planning is an integrated part of our mine permitting work. We prepare reclamation plans that satisfy MPCA and local permitting requirements while addressing final grading, slope stabilization, revegetation, drainage management, and long-term site stability — developed in coordination with permitting agencies to streamline approval and protect operators from future liability.

Geologic and Hydrogeologic Investigations

Sunde Engineering conducts geologic and hydrogeologic investigations to characterize groundwater conditions, subsurface geology, and the relationship between a project site and local water resources. Our team of licensed geoscientists provides the technical foundation that aggregate mine permits, environmental reviews, and industrial site development projects require.

Our services include aquifer characterization, groundwater monitoring plan development and implementation, and water appropriations permitting coordination with the state. From initial site screening through detailed subsurface investigation, we deliver defensible, data-driven analysis that supports regulatory approval and protects our clients from long-term liability.

Permitting

Sunde Engineering manages a broad range of environmental and operational permitting requirements for businesses and organizations across the Midwest, coordinating with state and federal agencies to prepare thorough submissions that meet regulatory requirements.

Wetland Permitting

Sunde Engineering manages the wetland permitting process, coordinating with Local Government Units (LGUs), the Army Corps of Engineers, and state agencies to secure the approvals your project requires.

Solid Waste Planning and Permitting

We support landfill developers and solid waste operators through MPCA solid waste facility permitting, including facility siting, design review, and ongoing compliance coordination.

Water Appropriations

Sunde Engineering assists clients in obtaining water appropriations permits from the Minnesota DNR, supporting aggregate mining operations, industrial facilities, and development projects that require permitted groundwater or surface water use.

NPDES Permits

We prepare and coordinate National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit applications for construction stormwater, industrial stormwater, and process water discharges, managing agency submittals and supporting clients through the full permit lifecycle.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP) and SPCC Plans

Sunde Engineering prepares Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) for construction projects and industrial facilities subject to NPDES general permit requirements, as well as Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans for facilities that store petroleum products above regulatory thresholds. Both documents are prepared to the technical standard that MPCA and EPA review requires.

What is a Phase I ESA in Minnesota and when do you need one?

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is a due diligence investigation of a property’s environmental history, conducted to identify recognized environmental conditions (RECs) that could indicate contamination. In Minnesota, Phase I ESAs are typically required by lenders and buyers before commercial, industrial, or investment property transactions. Sunde Engineering provides ASTM-compliant Phase I ESAs across Minnesota and the Midwest.

What is an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and when is one required in Minnesota?

An Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) is a standardized document required under the Minnesota Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) for certain projects that may have the potential for significant environmental effects. In Minnesota, EAWs are mandatory for projects that meet or exceed specific size thresholds — including aggregate mining operations above certain acreage — and are reviewed by a responsible governmental unit (RGU) through a public comment process. Sunde Engineering prepares and manages EAW submissions across Minnesota and the Midwest, coordinating with the RGU and responding to agency and public comments through the full review process.

What is the difference between an EAW and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)?

An Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) is a threshold review used to determine whether a project has the potential for significant environmental effects. If the EAW concludes that significant effects are possible, a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required. The EIS involves a more comprehensive analysis of environmental impacts, alternatives, and mitigation measures. Sunde Engineering prepares both EAWs and EIS documents for aggregate mining, commercial development, and industrial projects subject to MEPA review across the Midwest.

What is wetland permitting and when is it required in Minnesota?

Wetland permitting in Minnesota is the regulatory approval process required for projects that propose to impact, fill, or drain wetlands subject to the Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) or Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 jurisdiction. Projects including commercial development, road construction, and aggregate mining operations commonly trigger wetland permitting requirements. Sunde Engineering manages the wetland permitting process — coordinating with local government units, the Army Corps of Engineers, and state agencies to secure the approvals your project requires.

What does gas station remediation involve in Minnesota?

Gas station remediation in Minnesota involves the investigation and cleanup of petroleum-impacted soil and groundwater resulting from underground storage tank (UST) releases. The MPCA’s Petroleum Remediation Program provides the regulatory framework for corrective action, including site investigation, risk assessment, cleanup implementation, and closure. Sunde Engineering manages this process from initial investigation through MPCA regulatory closure.

What permits are required for aggregate mining in Minnesota?

Aggregate mining operations in Minnesota typically require an MPCA mining permit, an NPDES stormwater permit, a local conditional use permit (CUP), and in some cases an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) and coordination with the DNR and Army Corps of Engineers. The specific permits required depend on the size, location, and type of operation. Sunde Engineering has managed this multi-agency permitting process across hundreds of aggregate mining projects in Minnesota and the Midwest.

What is a hydrogeologic investigation and why is it important for mine development?

A hydrogeologic investigation characterizes groundwater conditions, subsurface geology, and the relationship between a proposed mining operation and local water resources, providing the technical foundation that aggregate mine permits and environmental reviews require. In Minnesota, hydrogeologic data is commonly required by the MPCA, DNR, and local permitting authorities as part of the mine permitting process. Sunde Engineering conducts hydrogeologic investigations for aggregate mining and industrial projects across the Midwest, delivering defensible, data-driven analysis that supports regulatory approval and protects clients from long-term liability.

What is MPCA underground storage tank compliance in Minnesota?

MPCA underground storage tank (UST) compliance in Minnesota refers to the regulatory requirements governing the installation, operation, and decommissioning of underground petroleum storage tanks — including release detection, reporting, and corrective action under the MPCA's Petroleum Remediation Program. Sunde Engineering assists fuel station operators, property owners, and developers with UST compliance, site investigation, and remediation coordination across Minnesota and the Midwest.

aerial-earthworks-construction-bulldozers-site-grading

Complex Permitting Environments Are Where We Do Our Best Work.

The Midwest's permitting environment is complex, agency-specific, and unforgiving of firms that don't know it. Since 1984, Sunde Engineering has helped developers, aggregate mine operators, industrial owners, and the professionals who work alongside them navigate it — and build with confidence.

Get in Touch

Environmental Services