Statement of Qualifications
Integrity. Science. Expertise.
GSA | SBE | DBE* | WBE | SDVOSB | VETHUB
Who We Are
Built on field science. Led by people who do the work.
Zara Environmental LLC was founded in 2003 by renowned karst experts Dr. Jean Krejca and Peter Sprouse, and is now led by a leadership team who has been part of the firm since its early days. Zara has grown through long-standing client relationships, trusted partnerships, and a leadership team that has worked together for more than a decade.
Our principals remain actively involved in project delivery, providing continuity from proposal through execution. Our team includes licensed Professional Geoscientists, biologists holding USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) permits for endangered karst, salamander, aquatic, and avian species, and staff with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Scientific Research Permits.
- Integrated ecological, geological, and hydrogeological field expertise
- Registered Geoscience Firm by the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
- Expertly trained, certified SCUBA dive team
Krista McDermid
President
20+ years experience
- Conservation Planning
- Multi-Agency Coordination
- ESA Section 7 & Section 10 Consultation
Jeremy Maikoetter
Vice President
12+ years experience
- Field Implementation
- Freshwater Fish & Mussel Species
- ESA-listed Species Surveys
Rachel Barlow
Principal
20+ years experience
- Consultation Strategy
- Habitat Conservation Planning
- Avian & Amphibian Species
Barrett Clark
Principal
20+ years experience
- Permitting and Siting Strategy
- NEPA Integration
- Environmental Risk Assessment
What We Do
Core competencies
From early planning through compliance and construction, our team helps clients reduce risk, maintain momentum, and move projects forward with confidence.
Ecological & Natural Resource Services
Field-driven expertise across terrestrial, karst, and aquatic systems, supporting species protection, habitat assessment, and long-term resource management.
- Habitat assessments and species surveys
- Karst invertebrate surveys, cave mapping, and void evaluation
- Freshwater mussel and fish surveys and relocation
- Bat surveys, roost assessments, and exclusion planning
- HCP development and preserve management
- Construction-phase compliance
Environmental Permitting & Compliance
Guiding projects through environmental review and regulatory approvals with clear, defensible documentation.
- NEPA documentation and ESA Section 7 & 10 consultation
- Biological Assessments and Evaluations
- Waters of the U.S. delineations and Section 404 permitting
- Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan compliance
- Siting, routing, and permitting risk evaluation
- Construction monitoring and MBTA compliance
Water & Geologic Services
Hydrogeologic analysis led by Texas Licensed Professional Geoscientists, supporting aquifer protection and water resource management.
- Geologic Assessments and WPAP preparation
- Dye tracing and spill simulations
- Groundwater technical studies
- Surface water quality and stream flow
- Well and spring sampling
- Cave and karst hydrology
Hazardous Materials Management
Identifying environmental risks early to support informed decisions and efficient project delivery.
- Phase I & Phase II Environmental Site Assessments
- TxDOT Hazardous Materials Initial Site Assessments
- Soil and groundwater sampling
- Risk management and remediation support
Project Examples
Zara in the field
We have supported infrastructure, energy, water, and conservation projects throughout Texas and beyond. Select a project to read the full story.
Karst Resource Management along US 281
Bexar County, Texas
The US 281 expansion required subsurface excavation within critical habitat for federally listed karst invertebrates. Zara provided karst, conservation, and regulatory expertise from environmental review through construction, helping move this long-stalled project forward.
View projectDam Stabilization in Sensitive Aquatic Habitat
Spring Lake, Hays County, Texas
Daily biological monitoring, endangered salamander relocation, and USFWS and TPWD coordination during emergency dam repairs.
View projectMapping Groundwater from Roadway to Cave
Austin, Texas
Groundwater tracer tests simulated contaminant transport from roadway runoff to protected caves, informing road design under the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan.
View projectAquatic Species Protection at B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir
Jasper County, Texas
Zara supported the US 190 bridge replacement through freshwater mussel surveys, ESA consultation support, and construction-phase relocation of more than 1,300 live mussels representing 20 species, including the proposed endangered Texas Heelsplitter. Our consultation documentation facilitated efficient agency review and issuance of a USFWS conference opinion.
View projectBelow the Surface at Rocket River Cave
Fort Hood, Texas
Geologic mapping, dye tracing, flow monitoring, and cave ecology research to support land management in a live-fire training area.
View projectDeep-Water Mussel Conservation on the Elm Fork
Trinity River, Dallas, Texas
Zero-visibility scientific diving, PIT tagging, and long-term monitoring to relocate and track rare and state-listed mussels.
View projectBat and Habitat Monitoring for Bridge Replacements
Central Texas
Bat relocation, PIT tagging, artificial roost design, and long-term monitoring to protect established colonies during major bridge replacements.
View projectBridging Infrastructure and Sensitive Resources at Redbud Trail
Austin, Texas
Biological and geologic investigations to identify sensitive resources, inform bridge design, and support compliance in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone.
View projectConservation at Grand Canyon National Park Caves
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Documentation of rare cave-dwelling macroinvertebrates to guide permitting for the Trans-Canyon Pipeline extension.
View projectEnvironmental Due Diligence for Property Development
Texas
ASTM-compliant Phase I Environmental Site Assessments that help developers and owners identify environmental risk before acquisition or development.
View projectWhy Zara
Available as a prime or subconsultant
Zara adapts to support project teams where expertise is needed most.
Trusted Relationships
Long-standing relationships with regulatory agencies and clients, built on consistent, defensible work, help projects move efficiently through review.
Right-Sized Expertise
A focused, experienced team. Our structure keeps us responsive and keeps senior specialists actively involved in project delivery.
Collaborative by Design
Strong partnerships across the consulting and research community mean every project has the right expertise, in-house or through our network.
Rooted in the Work
Zara was built on specialized, field-driven science and has grown without losing that focus.
Representative Clients & Partners
Who we work with
Federal Agencies
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Department of Defense
- National Park Service
Private & Institutional
- Engineering & Architectural Firms
- Commercial Developers & Real Estate
- School Districts & Higher Education
State & Regional Agencies
- Texas Department of Transportation
- Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
- Lower Colorado River Authority
- Edwards Aquifer Authority
- Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District
Local Governments & Utilities
- City of Austin Watershed Protection & Austin Water
- Transmission Utilities
- 10+ Texas Cities & Counties
- Municipal Utility Districts
Conservation Organizations
- Texas Cave Management Association
- Hill Country Conservancy
- Bat Conservation International
- Subterranean Ecology Institute
- Great Basin Institute
"Zara is one of the most dependable and trustworthy partners you can have on your team. Their professionalism and technical expertise consistently set them apart. Working with good people makes all the difference, and that is what you get when you hire Zara." Ryan Robol
Natural and Cultural Resources Lead
Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc.
Business & Contracting Information
Small business. Big results.
Identifiers
- UEI: G2FWYMNM3CH3
- CAGE: 3FVZ8
NAICS Codes
- 541620 Environmental Consulting Services
- 541690 Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Small Business Certifications
- GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contractor
- Woman-owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)*
- Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
- Service-disabled Veteran-owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
- Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUB)
TxDOT Precertifications
- 2.3.1 Wetland Delineation
- 2.4.1 Nationwide Permit
- 2.4.2 Clean Water Act §404 Permits
- 2.5.1 Geological Assessments (Edwards Aquifer)
- 2.6.5 Protected Species Evaluations
- 2.6.6 USFWS/NMFS Consultation
- 2.14.1 Environmental Document Preparation
Safety Certifications
- OSHA HAZWOPER 40-Hour
- National Cave Rescue Commission
- Dive Safety Certification
Permits and Licenses
- Geoscience Firm, Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
- USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) and TPWD permits for:
- Golden-cheeked Warbler
- Eurycea salamanders
- Groundwater-obligate invertebrates
- Karst invertebrates
- Freshwater mussels (TX, OK, AR, LA)
- Fish (blindcats, shiners, darters)
*DBE recertification in progress.
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