VIRGINIA BAILEY RETURNS TO MCCORMICK TAYLOR AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, NEPA SERVICES

After a brief tenure with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), McCormick Taylor is thrilled to welcome Virginia Bailey back to McCormick Taylor in her new role as Assistant Director of NEPA Services.

In this focused position, Virginia will lead the company’s NEPA practice, overseeing the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and providing companywide technical assistance, document reviews, business development, and internal and external training. She will ensure NEPA compliance, along with adherence to other environmental laws and regulations, while continuing to stay up to date with emerging environmental issues, policies, and regulatory changes to ensure the application of best practices for sustainable decision-making for our clients.

Virginia is a Certified Instructor for both the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) National Highway Institute (NHI), where she has led NEPA and Section 4(f) courses across the country. With more than 25 years of experience, Virginia has played a key role in developing McCormick Taylor’s NEPA expertise. Through hands on work managing studies and environmental document development, she has facilitated the delivery of complex projects. She has also managed and held key roles in open-end type planning and environmental contracts with PennDOT, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and numerous other transportation agencies across the country.

“We are excited and fortunate to have Virginia back and be able to leverage her extensive experience, leadership, and deep knowledge of our industry and clients in this new role,” said Brian St. John, PE, Director of Transportation Engineering. “Her technical expertise, commitment to influencing policy, and dedication to process enhancement and knowledge-sharing will drive our continued success.”

NEPA SERVICES

With Virginia’s leadership and a diverse team of managers and technical experts, McCormick Taylor has become an established leader in providing environmental expertise. We are known for streamlining project delivery; balancing the consideration of the environment with growth; developing transportation planning and environmental policy, guidance, handbooks, and manuals; and delivering training for state and federal clients.

McCormick Taylor’s NEPA expertise and experience includes:

• Delivering and managing NEPA documentation of all Classes of Action - Environmental Impact Statements
•  (EIS), Environmental Assessments (EA), and Categorical Exclusions (CE)
• Conducting Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) studies
• Supporting policy and guidance development such as PennDOT’s Design Manual 1B NEPA procedures, Section 4(f)/Section 2002 Handbook, and the updated Public Involvement Handbook
• Conducting studies, analysis, agency coordination, and compliance related to: 
  • Socioeconomic and community impacts
  • Public involvement
  • Cultural resources
  • Section 4(f)
  • 6(f) and state recreational grants
  • Wetlands and streams
  • Threatened and endangered species (e.g., bats, turtles, birds, fish, plants)
  • Floodplains
  • Agricultural resources
  • Air and noise impacts
  • Permitting
• Developing and delivering training, including NHI’s “Advanced Seminar on Transportation Project Development: Navigating the NEPA Maze” and “Applying Section 4(f): Putting Policy into Practice”

Since the passage of NEPA in 1969, McCormick Taylor has been dedicated to helping our clients develop comprehensive documentation that ensures NEPA compliance, utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach and keeping current and proactive on federal regulatory and policy changes.