Ms. Jessica Householder is a Senior Ecologist at Juniper Environmental, LLC. She is an environmental scientist whose professional background includes environmental education, wildlife management, ecological restoration, and consultation and permitting to support compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and Sections 401, 402, and 404 of the Clean Water Act. She is Juniper Environmental’s Permitting Lead and NEPA Specialist for the Ecological Services Department. In addition to the preparation of technical NEPA documents and various permit applications, Ms. Householder maintains strong partnerships with clients and cooperating state, local, and federal regulatory agencies. Ms. Householder extensive field work experience includes multiple multi-thousand-acre wetland delineations for utility-scale renewable energy projects, which she assisted in overseeing from initial desktop review through to field work and final report preparation. She is also skilled in habitat assessments, bird surveys, and threatened and endangered species surveys. Ms. Householder is highly proficient in ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS Pro for data collection, analysis, and cartography.

Prior to Juniper, Ms. Householder was a biologist and NEPA specialist with a nationally ranked consulting firm. Here, Ms. Householder prepared NEPA documentation, permit applications, and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans for the Aviation, Power, and Federal markets. Prior to this, Ms. Householder worked in environmental education and hands-on habitat restoration at the non-profit Douglas-Hart Nature Center in Mattoon, Illinois. This provided her with practical experience in promoting responsible environmental stewardship and establishing an ecologically healthy balance between preservation and development.

In her free time, Ms. Householder enjoys hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and gardening with native plants in her certified Monarch Waystation. She has also raised dozens of foster kittens for the Champaign County Humane Society and the Animal Protective League. Ms. Householder graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with an environmental biology focus from Eastern Illinois University in 2017.