Carbon County commissioners on July 2 approved a contract with Jones and DeMille Engineering to perform the environmental review required to access about $2.85 million in federal grant funds related to the Carbon Industrial Park road project.

County staff explained the $2.85 million award was initially intended to help purchase the Campbell property two years earlier but had not been used because grant restrictions would have prevented sale of parcels and complicated leasing for potential businesses. After speaking with the federal grant manager, staff said the county identified an alternative use for the funds to build the road serving the property. The first step to receive any grant funds is completion of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) work.

Staff said Jones and DeMille estimated $60,000 to perform the required environmental reviews and that an employee on the Jones and DeMille team with prior federal agency experience had helped reduce the scope and cost. Staff told commissioners the $60,000 would be paid from the federal grant. A motion to approve contracting with Jones and DeMille for the NEPA work was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the motion carried.

County staff described NEPA work as the federal environmental study that looks at potential impacts — including species, cultural resources, raptors and archaeological sites — and said the Carbon Industrial Park site is largely in former plowed fields where previous disturbance makes the review simpler. Commissioners thanked staff and urged timely completion of the work to access construction funding.