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More coverage:

V Chevron Forum

V Community Plan

V LIFESim Model

V Liquid Assets

V RAM Acquisition

V Waste Contracts


Understanding and action through collaboration are critical to success. This edition promotes a national media campaign which highlights the plight of water, wastewater and storm water systems. Total team efforts are also displayed in design-build project delivery and an alternative energy marvel.  

 


 

Surf the Environmental Resources section of Gannett Fleming's web site to view upcoming events.

 

The Missouri-American Water Company (MAWC) Blendville Water Treatment Plant (WTP) was recently expanded from 16 million-gallons-per-day (MGD) to 21.5 MGD through a design-build (D-B) delivery system.

The D-B process streamlines all responsibilities through a multi-discipline team. As engineering consultant, Gannett Fleming worked through the general D-B contractor, Reynolds, Inc., to facilitate Blendville WTP improvements.

"We are extremely pleased with the project team's tremendous effort to get the Blendville Plant online! Critical issues were resolved correctly and efficiently. I am proud to be a part of this effort."

 - Mark Griffin, PE
Engineering Manager
 MAWC

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Plant Upgrades:

Located in Joplin, MO, the Blendville WTP was expanded on its original site. The existing facility remained in operation during construction of the rehabilitated components.

Recognizing that the plant was situated in a residential setting, the project team held community stakeholder meetings. This approach yielded a design which meets increased water consumer demands in a reliable and safe manner. The WTP features:

  • ultra-violet (UV) light disinfection >

  • on-site sodium hypochlorite generation.

UV equipment was installed to comply with USEPA disinfection requirements and the Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2).

A non-hazardous disinfectant, low concentration sodium hypochlorite is produced on-site when salt is broken down by electricity. On-site hypochlorite generators eliminated the existing plant’s potentially-hazardous chlorine gas delivery system.

Key Staff:

Gannett Fleming personnel included Jeff Raffensperger (project management); and Tim Glessner, PE (process design). Primary owner and contractor representatives were MAWC Manager, Mark Griffin, PE; and Reynolds Vice President, Les Archer, respectively.
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Gannett Fleming Delmarva:
Regional Director

Warren A. Barrett, II, PE, was recently named regional director for Gannett Fleming’s Delmarva Region, which includes offices in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Warren has nearly 30 years of experience and is based in Baltimore, MD. He oversees architectural and engineering services including environmental, municipal systems, utilities, facilities and hazardous materials remediation [press release].
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Hurricane Katrina Recognition:
Louisiana LIFESim Model

The Corps of Engineers and the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (IPET) recently recognized Maged Aboelata, Ph.D., for his contributions to the reconstitution efforts in the New Orleans, LA, area following Hurricane Katrina. Aboelata’s work involved using the LIFESim model to simulate a levee failure event due to Hurricane Katrina. LIFESim is a state-of-the-art computer program used to estimate potential impacts to the public as a result of a dam or levee failure [press release].

Aboelata is a Gannett Fleming Senior Hydrologist based in Harrisburg, PA, with more than 13 years of experience preparing and supervising hydrologic and hydraulic analyses. His range of expertise includes flood delineation, dam break and hydraulic structure assessment.
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Risk Assessment and Management:
International Experience

RAM Group (read news) was founded by Atul Salhotra, Ph.D., an internationally recognized expert in fate and transport modeling, human health risk assessment and regulatory interactions. As one of the six original American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) approved Risk-Based Corrective Action (RBCA) trainers, Atul developed RBCA programs in 18 states.

Dr. Salhotra’s credentials reinforce Gannett Fleming capability to provide Chevron site closure, regulatory negotiation and litigation support. The firm is already one of 15 nationally preferred Chevron suppliers.
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Harnessing The Power of the Sun:
Arizona Solar Energy

Gannett Fleming is providing Abengoa Solar Inc. with due diligence assistance, geotechnical investigations, surveying and mapping for the world's largest solar plant project. Named "Solana," the plant will be located 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, AZ. Abengoa is working with Arizona Public Service to build, own and operate the plant, which is scheduled for completion in 2011.

"If operational today, Solana would be the largest concentrating solar plant in the world. Solana will eliminate approximately 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide and supply an estimated 70,000 homes with power."

 - Sobia Naqvi
Senior Program Manager
 Abengoa Solar Inc.

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Solana project considerations include:

  • detailed mapping and surveying due to small tolerances of solar panels

  • seismic refraction survey for underground strata

  • transporting massive solar panels and equipment to the site

  • surveys to locate wetlands, power lines, corridors and roadways.

Potable water supply and wastewater treatment systems (wells, water-wastewater treatment, storage and disposal/reuse) were also examined in relation to the solar/industrial processes.

The Gannett Fleming portion of the project is led by Phoenix Project Manager, Nasir Raza, PE [bio]; Geotechnical Task Leader, Dean Durkee, Ph.D., PE. [bio]; and Survey Task Leader, John Snodgrass, RLS. Alan O'Brien, PE, provided guidance on water/ wastewater issues. Roger Milroy, PE, advised on transportation of solar equipment using railroads.

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"Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure" is a new documentary which highlights the challenges of maintaining aging water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure throughout the United States. Produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting of The Pennsylvania State University®, and partially funded by Gannett Fleming, the documentary and accompanying national outreach campaign raise awareness of infrastructure shortcomings.


Penn State's "Liquid Assets" web site contains a documentary trailer, Public Broadcasting Station local air times and DVD information.

The liquid assets initiative identifies community health concerns and economic challenges associated with deteriorating systems. It also forecasts the scope of infrastructure rehabilitation.

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Risk Assessment and Management Acquisition:

Gannett Fleming is one of only three firms to receive Chevron "Best in Class" status.

Gannett Fleming recently acquired the Risk Assessment & Management Group, Inc. (RAM Group), based in Houston, TX. RAM Group has provided risk assessment and litigation support for more than a decade. The acquisition further strengthens the Gannett Fleming/Chevron relationship.

RAM Group was founded by Dr. Atul Salhotra [bio].

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Community Planning Process

Many communities struggle to address complex and conflicting development issues. The Comprehensive Plan is a sustainable tool that can be used by these communities to define and manage the future.

Planners should balance development and preservation when implementing strategy.

Implementing a comprehensive planning program creates a consensus vision and a blueprint from which to build.

A systematic planning approach allows communities to:

  • focus on issues and needs
  • develop a solid foundation of mapping and resource data
  • involve stakeholders
  • define a vision for the future.

Comprehensive plans provide a rare opportunity for communities to gather and analyze information while striving to institute new policies and programs.

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Waste and Recycling Contracts:
Municipal Role

Well-planned and well-written waste and recycling contracts can optimize waste management system performance and reduce municipal costs. Local government leaders should select waste management alternatives in the best interests of the community, the environment and the economy.

RCRA promotes energy and natural resource conservation. It also supports the reduction of generated waste.

Part of the contract decision-making process is understanding solid and hazardous waste regulations. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) protects human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal. State-level waste programs regulate landfills, burning and recycling.

There are various markets and related economics to also consider when developing waste management contracts. Steve Deasy [bio] recently presented these topics to a national audience.

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California Site Remediation:
 Chevron Technology Forum

Primarily a taste and odor concern, MTBE can cause groundwater contamination wherever gasoline is stored.

Maryland Remediation Engineers Ken Guttman [bio]and Rob Scrafford recently presented at Chevron’s Remedial Systems Technology Forum in Concord, CA. Ken’s subject was MTBE mass flux (rate of transport of groundwater contaminants) at Chevron’s Round Hill Facility in Loudon County, VA.

A DPE system vacuums both contaminated groundwater and soil vapor.

Rob explained lessons learned from the lifecycle of a Chevron remediation project for which Gannett Fleming designed, installed and operated a dual-phase extraction (DPE) system.

Based in Princeton, NJ, Gannett Fleming's Environmental Remediation Director, Arul Ayyaswami, also attended the event. Arul is a member of Chevron's East Coast Remediation Systems Review Team.

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Railroad Environmental Conference

Jon Pollack, Steve Rowley [bio] and Gary Rozmus each deliver presentations during the upcoming Railroad Environmental Conference at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Steve will explain Amtrak's environmental regulatory compliance program and Gary will identify passenger rail and transit environmental issues. Jon will discuss IRRIS.

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Solid Waste Management:
Contracting Evolution

Steve Deasy [bio] presented to a national audience at the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) conference in Pittsburgh, PA. Steve explained how the evolution of waste management regulations and solid waste and recycling markets have changed the way municipalities structure curbside waste and recycling contracts.

Steve discussed methods for maximizing the services provided to residents via the competitive municipal bid process. He also identified how municipalities can achieve market advantages for recyclable commodities.

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