July 12, 2016

Conversations with David Gribble


– Boyle Report –

David Gribble is a Boyle vice president and is responsible for overseeing and coordinating infrastructure development for residential and commercial projects. He works closely with local, state, and federal environmental and conservation agencies to guarantee that Boyle is in compliance with all regulatory guidelines.

Editor: When do you become involved in a project?

Mr. Gribble: After a contract has been submitted to purchase a property, I approach the various environmental agencies to determine if specific permits are required for the development of the project as well as what impact, if any, the project will have on the environment. This is a mandatory step. Many projects have been redesigned, postponed, or even dropped because of the environmental impact of the project.

Editor: When are permits required?

Mr. Gribble: It’s difficult to find a property today that doesn’t have some type of stream, ditch, marsh, or wetlands. Although this list is not inclusive, if at least one of these conditions exists, we must determine if any regulatory permitting is necessary, design an appropriate response, and seek approval where required.

Editor: What are some of the environmental hazards of development?

Mr. Gribble: One of our major concerns is erosion and how to effectively control it. Once the soil has been disturbed, it is important to control the flow of water and stabilize the soil as soon as possible. This can be accomplished through the seeding and sodding of embankment areas, the installation of check dams and silt barriers, and even the creation o f permanent siltation ponds.

Editor: Are these measures always successful?

Mr. Gribble: Unfortunately, no. However, we try to respond as quickly as possible and are greatly helped by the governing authorities as well as local environmental agencies. We’ve had an excellent cooperation at the state and local levels. They deal with environmental problems over a large area and have the experience and perspective that we need. The bottom line is that we are constantly trying to find better means of sensitively interacting with the natural environment.