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Three firms propose NEPA review for Panguitch landfill expansion; costs and schedules vary
Summary
Panguitch City received three written proposals from engineering firms — Jones & DeMille, Sunrise Engineering and Dudek — to prepare the NEPA environmental review for a proposed landfill expansion on BLM-administered land. Proposals differ sharply in scope, price and timelines; the city has not yet recorded a selection vote.
Panguitch City has received three formal proposals to complete the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review required for an expansion of the municipal landfill on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, according to materials circulated for the March 10, 2026 council meeting.
Jones & DeMille Engineering proposed a focused scope that emphasizes prior BLM experience in Utah, a biological survey plan including Utah prairie dog protocol work, cultural resource assessment through a local subcontractor, and a streamlined Environmental Assessment (EA) schedule. Jenna Jorgensen, the Jones & DeMille project manager named in the packet, wrote that the firm “has prepared over 40 EAs with the BLM in Utah” and offered a cost estimate of $19,470 plus contingency for the tasks described.
Sunrise Engineering submitted a mid-sized proposal led by principal Robert Worley and environmental engineer Dao Yang that covers SF-299 and plan-of-development preparation, site visits, a jurisdictional review, cultural and biological subconsultants, and EA preparation. Sunrise’s cost table lists a total fee of $37,200 for the work described.
Dudek’s submittal, led by Candice Disney Magnus, offered a comprehensive, multi-discipline approach with more extensive technical studies, public‑involvement support, photosimulations, and multiple rounds of agency coordination. Dudek’s detailed budget tables and staff roster show an estimated total cost of about $290,745 for the full scope the firm laid out.
All three firms identified the same basic hurdle: because the expansion would use BLM-administered land, Panguitch City must obtain a BLM right-of-way and complete federal NEPA review before the ROW can be approved. Each proposal notes likely environmental issues that could affect schedule and cost — most prominently, the potential for federally listed or BLM‑sensitive species (the documents cite Utah prairie dog surveys and greater sage‑grouse habitat considerations) and the need for cultural resources clearance with the State Historic Preservation Office and Tribes.
The proposals present different risk–reward tradeoffs. Jones & DeMille’s bid emphasizes prior local BLM experience and a compact budget; Sunrise highlights longstanding local work for Panguitch City and a midrange fee; Dudek proposes an expansive package with detailed analyses suitable for a broader public-review record. All three firms included draft schedules that anticipate field surveys in spring–summer and EA delivery afterward; the firms differ on assumed review windows and contingency for additional surveys.
The materials submitted to the city do not record a decision or vote. The council packet lists the NEPA environmental review as an agenda item but the record provided does not show a formal selection or award. The proposals and supporting documents are now part of the council’s meeting materials and would be available for public review under the city’s process; any firm selection and subsequent BLM coordination remain to be scheduled.
What happens next likely depends on the council’s procurement timetable and BLM direction. Several proposals note that early coordination with BLM on scope will reduce the likelihood of unplanned surveys or delays; they also flag the potential need for a Biological Assessment if protected species are present. The submissions show a broad range of possible costs and levels of public outreach, giving the city tradeoffs to consider as it moves toward a selection.
