Federal Agency Practice

We are Different
Our Expertise
Some of Our Initiatives
Our Team

We are Different

When you hire our firm, you know you are hiring experience. The Clark Group is comprised of senior-level advisors who personally lead each project and interact directly with our clients. Our senior advisors have all worked at the highest levels of government, including the White House and Capitol Hill. This commitment to senior-level support distinguishes The Clark Group from its competitors.

For the last decade, The Clark Group has worked closely with numerous federal agencies to develop environmental regulations, policies, and analyses. We have also pioneered new performance assessment tools to help federal agencies develop world-class environmental organizations. Our focus on strategic, timely, and effective solutions to the specific challenges facing our federal clients allows us to provide agencies with a unique range of services.

Our Expertise

Environmental Law and Policy

The Clark Group has extensive experience with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental laws and policies. We develop and revise regulations, procedures, guidance documents, and policies to streamline compliance with NEPA and other environmental requirements into one decision-making process. Typical projects include the development of NEPA implementing procedures, agency guidance documents, training materials, and handbooks. We rely on our extensive experience and contacts to help set up and facilitate meetings with important stakeholders in the federal environmental review process including the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Strategic Planning

In order to assist clients with environmental policy, The Clark Group offers strategic planning services to its clients. Agencies have hired us to plan public involvement, regulatory, and environmental compliance strategies for programs and projects on a national level. Strategic planning services include project-specific consulting as well as long-term support agreements.

Environmental Analyses and Sufficiency Reviews

The Clark Group completes programmatic environmental analyses for Federal agencies considering new programs, policies, and activities. Senior-level advisors assist clients in the development and consideration of alternatives, the analysis of the proposed action, and subsequent public involvement and notice requirements. The Clark Group has experience conducting nation-wide programmatic analyses and engaging in interagency collaboration. The Clark Group also performs legal and technical sufficiency reviews of draft analyses for its clients.

Performance Assessments

The Clark Group has developed unique tools for assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental organizations within Federal agencies. Our three-phased comparative effectiveness tool helps agencies develop “World Class Environmental Programs.” Within this process, The Clark Group deploys state-of-the-art survey and interview tools to identify factors that are promoting or hindering performance within an agency. Using these tools, The Clark Group is able to identify best practices and management changes to dramatically improve performance.

For more information on contracting with The Clark Group, including our listing on the GSA schedule, please see our Contracting page.

Some of Our Initiatives

Department of Veterans Affairs - authored NEPA Compliance Handbook and developed NEPA implementing regulations.

Department of Homeland Security - developed NEPA Implementing Procedures for the new Department and procedures for applicant involvement in the environmental planning process .

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - designed a manual to implement Executive Order 11988 and 11990 for floodplains and wetlands.

White House Council on Environmental Quality - developed the “Citizen’s Guide to NEPA” handbook to inform the public on the role they play in the NEPA process.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection - performed a national-level multi-disciplinary Programmatic Environmental Assessment of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Rulemaking to determine the potential environmental impacts resulting from regulatory changes to immigration processes.

Our Team

Lisa Mahoney, Partner – environmental law and policy, strategic planning, NEPA
Chris Conrad, Partner – environmental management, NEPA, organizational effectiveness
Brian Kuehl, Partner – performance assessment
Holly Reuter, Associate – environmental law and policy, NEPA
David Contrada, Associate – environmental policy, energy
Ray Clark, Associate/Emeritus Partner – strategic planning, NEPA, executive decision-making
Gary Williams, Affiliate – Environmental Justice, Socio-economics, NEPA
Debi Rogers, Affiliate – NEPA, public involvement, technical editing