Bethany Francis, BScENr

Throughout my career at Dillon, I have had the opportunity to progress from a Biologist to an Environmental Permitting Practitioner and Project Manager. My focus has been on projects in the renewable energy (wind, hydro, and nuclear), irrigation, mining, and wastewater treatment sectors. I am passionate about improving the efficiency of impact assessment while ensuring proper consideration and management of impacts and I strive to stay current on new impact assessment research and developments. My current responsibilities include: - Coordinating complex environmental impact assessment Projects, including biophysical data collection, technical report writing, public and Indigenous consultation, - Working within the full lifecycle of a project impact assessment, from project planning and baseline data collection, impact assessment, and post-construction environmental management and monitoring. - Drafting professional technical documents, including EIA registration documents, EMPs, EEEs, biophysical technical reports, - Working with regulators to discuss Project permitting. - Managing projects, including scope, schedules, and budgets; liaising with clients; and overseeing health and safety. - Developing proposals and budgets to meet client scopes of work and RFPs. - Working within the environmental permitting space, particularly in Atlantic Canada, including Wetland and Watercourse Alteration (WAWA) permits, Navigable Waters permits, Fisheries Act Authorization permits, and Authorizations to Operate/Construct. - Planning and designing environmental field programs based on client and project goals and objectives, regulatory requirements, and accepted methodologies, with a specialization in wetlands, vegetation, and bats. - Working to innovate projects and processes using new tools and technologies. - Mentoring newer staff on terrestrial biology, wetland delineation, environmental permitting, and working as an environmental consultant.

Wildland firefighting, wood turtle surveys, forest mensuration plots, biological check stations, wildlife data collection