Russell Retherford
Ecological Sciences
317.613.4545
rretherford@cecinc.com
CEC welcomes Russell Retherford as a Principal in the Indianapolis Ecological Sciences practice, where he brings more than 35 years of experience in wetlands, regulatory compliance, and natural resource management. Russell’s deep technical knowledge and practical, solution-driven approach enhance CEC’s ecological services capabilities across Indiana and the Midwest.
Russell has technical knowledge and practical understanding of complex regulatory frameworks, particularly related to wetlands, waters of the U.S., mitigation planning, and environmental compliance. Throughout his career, he has worked at the intersection of engineering, ecology, and regulation, moving projects forward with environmental protection and permitting assurance.
His expertise includes:
- Wetland and stream delineation and permitting
- Development of mitigation strategies and mitigation banking oversight
- Clean Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act compliance
- Regulatory applicability analysis and agency coordination
- Ecological restoration and water quality considerations
- Reclamation specialist for mining projects
- Leader of Indiana and Arizona state oil and gas programs
Most recently Russell served as Acting Chief at the Mitigation, Compliance, and Enforcement Branch for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District. His technical responsibilities included evaluating and issuing general permits, nationwide permits, and letters of permission under the Clean Water Act and Rivers and Harbors Act; preparing mitigation plans; performing compliance inspections and assessing chemical and biological impacts associated with dredging and fill material projects.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in natural resources from Ball State University, with an emphasis in land management and minors in energy and biology. Russell has completed extensive specialized training in wetland delineation, ecological restoration, stream and bank stabilization, and mitigation program implementation.
At CEC, Russell will support and expand the firm’s Ecological Sciences capabilities throughout the nation, partnering closely with clients and project teams to deliver practical, science-based solutions that align permitting requirements with project goals.
About CEC Indianapolis
CEC Indianapolis was established in 1998. We currently provide services in civil engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, ecological sciences, cultural resources, and environmental engineering. We’re most active in the real estate, oil and gas, power, and public sector markets. Our civil engineering and surveying practices have a wide range of expertise completing work on numerous mixed-use, residential, commercial, educational, industrial, and institutional projects. Our ecological group provides endangered bat surveying services throughout the United States. We’re also growing our already-strong cultural resources group that provides archaeological investigations, National Register of Historic Places eligibility determinations, archival research, and more throughout the Midwest. We are continuing to expand our environmental capacity and expertise. In 2022, that growth continued as Hamilton Designs joined CEC. We are able to provide our clients with more expertise, more resources, and more capacity to continue to serve our expanding client base.
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