Heidi Wahto
Regulatory expert Heidi Wahto joins Stantec to strengthen
Northwest WaterPower & Dams practice
Industry leader brings diverse background to growing team
Heidi Wahto has joined Stantec—a global engineering, architecture, and consulting firm—as a principal and senior environmental regulatory expert in the firm’s Bellevue, Washington, office. Wahto will apply her 20-plus years of experience to serve and grow the firm’s WaterPower & Dams practice.
Wahto specializes in analyzing requirements for and advising clients in licensing, permitting, and developing compliance programs for hydropower and water-resource related projects. She has provided a range of legislative, policy, regulatory, and environmental services in both the public and private sectors over the past two decades throughout the Northwest and across the US.
Wahto has extensive experience managing Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulated environmental assessments and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes; statistical and economic analyses; public organization, budget, and compliance considerations; and environmental due diligence for a variety of engineering and environmental projects.
Among her recent projects is leading the regulatory process for the development of a new pumped storage project in northern California; managing the relicensing effort of a 4.1 megawatt run-of-river project on the Boise River; and leading the licensing process and application, implementation, and environmental monitoring for a 6.7 megawatt new hydro project in Alaska.
“We’re thrilled to have Heidi join our growing WaterPower & Dams team in the Northwest,” says Aaron Burns, Stantec vice president, WaterPower & Dams. “Through her varied experience, Heidi offers unique insights and a history working with important clients throughout the region.”
Wahto serves on the Board of Directors of the Northwest Hydropower Association, is a member of the National Hydropower Association, and is an active member of HydroVision International’s Steering Committee. She is a regular presenter at WaterPower & Dam conferences. She is a graduate of Colgate University and the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.
About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve—because they’re our communities too. This allows us to assess what’s needed and connect our expertise, to appreciate nuances and envision what’s never been considered, to bring together diverse perspectives so we can collaborate toward a shared success. We’re designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.
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