Ms. Montana has over 20 years of experience in environmental compliance, biological monitoring, environmental constraints analysis, biological study design and implementation, species surveys, and mitigation and restoration monitoring. She holds an M.S. degree in Conservation Biology, and a Project Management Certification from UC Davis. The majority of Ms. Montana’s experience comes from her eight years as a PG&E terrestrial biologist. Her expertise is project management for biological compliance and monitoring and study design and implementation for large-scale utility projects such as electric T&D reconductoring, gas line testing and replacement/relocation, and hydroelectric relicensing and license compliance studies.Her ability to work alongside project managers and engineers in the planning phase of a project enables the team to identify biological constraints before project initiation, and to develop alternative construction methods or schedules to accommodate the permit and the project timeline and budget.Her leadership experience includes overseeing large-scale construction monitoring projects and consultants, including: Jefferson-Martin 230 kV Transmission Project (Nomad Ecology, Garcia and Associates, and Insignia Environmental); Contra Costa-Las Positas 230 kV 36-mile Reconductoring Project (Nomad Ecology, Prunuske Chatham Inc., Insignia Environmental); Contra Costa-Moraga Reconductoring Project (Garcia and Associates); and the Delta Substation Construction Project (TRC Essex).

Established and developed the Biological Services Department at ETIC Engineering. Developed a team billable to a diverse range of clients, from non-profit to utility. Expanded local services and opened a satellite office in Fresno to accommodate local utility needs in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

Managed large-scale utility projects including transmission line reconductoring and new sighting, distribution upgrades, gas line installations, relocations, inspection and maintenance, and FERC relicensing and license compliance work. Managed multiple projects simultaneously (60+) ranging in budgets between 10M and 200M, and directed environmental consultants to ensure compliance with environmental permits, including PG&E's San Joaquin Valley HCP and East Contra Costa County HCP. Designed and implemented long-term studies to determine effects of hydroelectric systems on wildlife and habitats (wildlife crossings, bald eagles, winter carnivore surveys and riparian monitoring). Developed and monitored mitigation for large-scale transmission line upgrade projects (Tri-Valley Reconductoring Project CRLF/CTS habitat creation), and new substations and substation upgrades (Delta/Lone Tree, Moraga, Tesla, Atlantic, Vaca-Dixon substations).

Forest ecology of Yellowstone National Parkhttp://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/upload/iar1999.PDF

Nesting passerine and raptor surveys, burrowing owl protocol surveys, protocol CRLF and CTS surveys, reservoir profiling, fish rescues and electro-shockiing,support for CalTrans bridge expansion project, bird/bat boxes, watershed analyses.

Intern for Wildlife Unit-surveyed water district's percolation ponds and reservoirs for wildlife focusing on avian species. Reservoir profiling and stream habitat typing.