James Spangler has 30+ years of experience in land planning/entitlement, environmental and water resources management, and environmental consulting. As founder and Principal of SEL, Jim is responsible for corporate management of multidisciplinary environmental, land planning and engineering project teams, clients, sub-consultants, laboratories, and external business development. He controls all budgets, personnel management, and administration of the company, directly supervising professionals and other staff.

Jim is a qualified expert in federal, state, and local law jurisdictions in the areas of wetlands delineation and permitting, environmental assessment, water resources management, protected species assessment, sediment and erosion control, land planning, environmental impact of highway construction, coastal environmental assessment, and Coastal Area Management Act (NC), and other subject matter.

Jim serves as the lead consultant on all litigation support and negotiated settlement support matters. He is responsible for forensic investigation design, expert testimony, leading settlement negotiations related to environmental issues, and providing consultation to attorneys relative to land and water resources and development. He has been admitted and qualified as an expert in multiple Federal Court jurisdictions (WD & ED-NC, ND-VA), State’s Offices of Administrative Hearings (NC and VA), Superior Courts in multiple jurisdictions (NC, VA, MD, and SC), and has begun training in pursuit of his trial court and family financial mediator certifications.

Jim is responsible for technical project scoping, business contract negotiation, project management, and technical quality assurance. He has performed field studies of wetlands, streams, hydrology, and sediment/erosion control since 1987, and continues to manage projects in the field.

Mr. Spangler is a Certified Environmental Inspector, and an Associate Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He has Asbestos Inspector training, NC Stream Origin (buffer) training, and holds licenses to collect protected aquatic species.