Professional Staff

“I am passionate about working with clients and stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions to recreational, environmental, and operations issues.  Despite working in this industry for over two decades, I find the work fascinating as each project is different and presents its own set of challenges.”

Kelly Schaeffer is a Principal Consultant at Kleinschmidt and has been with the company for over 25 years. She also has over 27 years of experience working on the licensing and compliance of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hydroelectric projects. As a former FERC regulator, Kelly understands the FERC processes and the complexities of multi-party/multi-interest negotiations. Kelly specializes in strategic planning, facilitation, and negotiation with multi-interest / multi-party groups and cooperating agencies, and other stakeholders. Kelly has also specializes in implementing the NEPA process for a variety of clients, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Kelly has worked on both sides of the NEPA process – formerly as a regulator for FERC and now as an environmental consultant – which brings a uniquely broad and sophisticated understanding of the NEPA process to Kleinschmidt’s NEPA Services Group. Her recent projects along these lines include preparing third-party environmental impact statements for Transmission Developers Inc.’s New England Clean Power Link for the DOE, the Chester County Stream and the Riparian Restoration/Enhancement Project for the U.S. Forest Service.

Some of Kelly’s current highlighted project experience while working with Kleinschmidt include FERC 101 hydro training; Environmental Impact Support (EIR) for Phase 2 Raw Water Master Plan (RWMP) Capital Improvement Program (CIP); Hemphill diversion structure alternatives analysis; FERC license surrender and dam decommissioning; FERC supplemental relicensing process; recreation and decision-making framework; wetlands enhancement & environmental stewardship; relicensing strategy plan; shoreline management plan; regulatory and compliance issues.

Kelly is a member of the National Hydropower Association, the U.S. Society on Dams and is on the Steering Committee for the Women in Waterpower Mentorship Program. She is also a member of the Alabama Water Resources Association. She has an M.S. in Parks and Recreation from Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. in Parks and Recreation from the University of Maryland.