2026
Comparably’s Best Company Outlook
Pacific Northwest • Oregon
South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project Study Support
SWCA is leading nine environmental studies for the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project relicensing, supporting defensible licensing through field surveys and coordination.
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Portland, OR
1800 NW Upshur St
Ste. 100
Portland, Oregon 97209
Ste. 100
Portland, Oregon 97209
Details
Description
SWCA developed and is implementing nine resources studies, including wildlife, wetland, and botanical resources; recreation and environmental justice; and species of Tribal importance to support the relicensing efforts for the South Fork Tolt Hydroelectric Project. Our staff have spent the last 2 years getting to know the landscape around the project like the back of their hands, waking early to survey for marbled murrelets, staying up late to survey for rare, threatened, or endangered bats, and spending days documenting the botanical and wetland resources in this protected watershed. Our team engages with interested parties with respect and works closely with city and consultant team staff to produce technically sound and defensible licensing documents and reports.
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Meet the Experts
Senior Project Manager and Hydropower Team Lead
Emily Waters
Emily Waters is a collaborative leader focused on strategic planning, technical excellence, and thoughtful project management. She spends her days engaging with hydropower clients and developing strategies for licensing, relicensing, amendments, and exemptions, and currently serves as the team lead for SWCA’s FERC Hydropower Team. She has been working in the water and hydropower industry for 11 years.
Planning Director
Matt Westover
Matt Westover, M.S., is a Planning Director with more than 15 years of experience supporting hydropower, energy, and infrastructure projects. A seasoned FERC and NEPA practitioner, he has supported hydropower licensing and relicensing efforts through project strategy, environmental review, agency coordination, public involvement, and regulatory compliance. His experience includes supporting complex licensing initiatives for utility clients throughout the western United States.
Matt has contributed to multiple FERC hydropower licensing processes and brings expertise in project management, stakeholder engagement, alternatives development, environmental analysis, and quality assurance of technical and regulatory deliverables. He is particularly skilled at integrating multidisciplinary teams and developing defensible environmental documentation that helps clients navigate complex licensing requirements and implement successful project outcomes.
Principal Environmental Planner
Matthew Harper, GISP
Matthew Harper specializes in workflow management solutions in the FERC shoreline management and recreation arenas, and has extensive GIS, spatial data collection, and permitting experience. He has worked directly for FERC-regulated hydropower owners as well as in a consultant role. His expertise includes strategic navigation of the FERC relicensing process; implementation of and compliance with issued FERC licenses; recreation, land use, and shoreline management resource issues; and GIS problem-solving and analysis.
