Matt Petersen

As SWCA’s Senior Planning Technical Director, Matt Petersen leads our national practice and helps clients manage, oversee, and navigate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance.

With 30 years of experience, Matt has managed, provided NEPA oversight, or worked as a resource specialist for more than 50 large-scale environmental impact statements (EIS), including projects located in areas from Alaska to Vermont. His NEPA project experience encompasses agency resource management plans, mining, oil and gas, pipelines, transmission lines, wind farms, airports, and power plants.

He continues to use his experience to develop and teach real-world-based NEPA workshops and training for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Federal Aviation Administration, various Water Conservancy Districts, U.S. Department of Defense, and other federal agencies and industry clients. Matt is one of those rare instructors that both teaches NEPA and works on large-scale controversial NEPA projects daily. For example, in the last five years, Matt has managed the TransWest Express Transmission Line EIS (BLM, Western Area Power Administration, and USFS) and the Robinson Mine Expansion EIS (BLM).

Additionally, Matt is currently providing NEPA management, oversite and/or alternatives facilitation on multiple EISs, including the Bears Ears National Monument Management Plan EIS, Dry Creek Trona Mine EIS, and the Ancsa 17(d)(1) Withdrawals Draft EIS. Matt is also a regular contracted instructor for several NEPA classes for the BLM National Training Center.
 

Publications & Presentations

• (2023) SWCA Webinar | 2023 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): Changes in the Debt Ceiling Bill
• (2021) SWCA Webinar | Integrating NEPA, Section 106 to Comply w/ Biden Admin Environmental Priorities
• (2020) SWCA Webinar | CEQ’s New NEPA Regulations
   

Education

• M.S., Aquatic Ecology, Utah State University
• B.S., Wildlife and Fisheries, Texas A&M University