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News, Press Releases and Announcements
HSW Presents at the North American Environmental Field Conference & Exposition: Advances in Environmental Site Characterization, Sampling, Monitoring & Remediation Technology at the Embassy Suites Hotel, University of South Florida: Tampa, Florida
March 13-16, 2012
HSW's Senior Engineer, Linda Hoffman, will conduct a workshop on Improving Field Quality Control of Environmental Investigations on March 16, 2012 from 8:00 - 10:00 am. Topics will include field QC samples, field instruments and calibrations, calibration standards, documentation, data qualifiers, and data integrity.
HSW Presents at the Tampa Bay Association of Environmental Professionals (TBAEP) Lunch Meeting at Brio, International Mall: Tampa, Florida
February 15, 2012
Use of ADaPT in the Workplace - Linda Hoffman, Senior Engineer
Linda's talk will include the use of ADaPT data outputs in the work place, an overview of the ADaPT automated data review process, creation of field data deliverables, and FDEP's ADaPT electronic data reporting requirements. Time permitting, a demonstration of ADaPT will also be provided.
HSW Exhibits, Sponsors, and Presents at the 14th Annual Florida Brownfields Conference and Exhibition at the Sheraton Orlando Downtown: Orlando, Florida
November 13-16, 2011
Slaughterhouse: Transforming an Abandoned Meat Packing Facility into New Jobs - 11/14 at 1:00 p.m. - Fred Seguiti, P.E.
Multiple and varied financial incentives were offered by Federal, State, and local governments to spur redevelopment of a former meat packing facility. These incentives helped to level the playing field when comparing redevelopment of this property versus development in other areas by easing the financial constraints of addressing environmental impacts and necessary infrastructure improvements. The presentation will include a case study of a highly successful project where financial incentives from multiple sources were layered and leveraged to induce private investment and create jobs in a previously blighted area.
The Benefits of Brownfields: Looking at the Program in a Comparative Sense - 11/15 at 2:15 p.m. - Derek Huston, P.E.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has maintained records of each of its cleanup programs. In large part, these databases were used to track progress of each site and prioritize workload internally based on site specific considerations. The FBA assembled a group (Team COMET) to team with DEP to analyze this data set and determine if there were any trends that would distinguish brownfield program sites from the other programs. The goal of the work was to determine if brownfield sites reach site rehabilitation quicker than other program sites. If this were the case, this is just another line of evidence which shows the value of the brownfield program.
Building and Managing a Brownfields Inventory - Brownfields Neighborhood Parcel Inventories - 11/15 at 4:00 p.m. - Andy Lawn, P.G.
The Orange County Environmental Protection Division (the Division) and HSW Engineering, Inc. (HSW) performed three Brownfields Neighborhood Parcel Inventory Studies in areas of Orlando's Holden Heights neighborhood. The purpose of the studies was to assist with identification of parcels that have potential for redevelopment, with emphasis on determining whether parcels are vacant, idle, or abandoned to facilitate Orange County's ReNEW (Residents and Neighborhoods Empowered to Win) and Neighborhood Pride Grant programs.
HSW Presents at the 17th Annual Florida Remediation Conference: Doubletree by Hilton Orlando, Florida - SeaWorld
October 14, 2011
Sustainable Remediation Workshop: Developing Successful Implementation Strategies -
Bill Lais, P.E. (1-5 pm)
Bill discusses implementing U.S. EPA's green and sustainable concepts on cost-effective site cleanup.
ADaPT Workshop: Data Usability, Regulatory Update, and Software Demo -
Linda Hoffman (1-5 pm)
Linda presents how ADaPT validated data are used in the workplace for reports and data management. A Q&A session is included.
HSW Exhibits at the 7th Annual Environmental Excellence Day Workshop: Orlando, Florida - SeaWorld Adventure Park's Port of Call
October 5, 2011
Join HSW Engineering for the 7th Annual Environmental Excellence Day Workshop hosted by the Metropolitan Environmental Training Alliance (METRA). The Workshop’s goal is to provide low cost environmental training to a broad range of environmental professionals and small-business employees. The Workshop and exhibit provide a collaborative setting and numerous opportunities for networking among environmental professionals, government officials and service providers. The exhibit showcases companies offering environmental technologies and services. This is a great opportunity to bring the latest innovations and service offerings in front of decision-makers, product buyers and the regulated community.
HSW Exhibits at the US Army Training Support System (TSS) Workshop: Dallas, Texas
August 15-19, 2011
The 2nd Annual U.S. Army Training Support System (TSS) Workshop is a five-day event that combines various individual workshops and symposiums across the TSS Enterprise in an effort to enhance awareness and communication among individual TSS components and the TSS Enterprise as a whole.
Over 1500 trainers, educators, and capability and materiel developers attend the Workshop to share best/creative/efficient practices within each program. These 1500+ attendees represent Army Master Gunners, Army Range Safety, DAIM-ISE, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Training Support Center (TSC), Mission Command Training Support, Sustainable Range Program, U.S. Marine Corps Range Program, and the Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM).
The theme of the 2011 Workshop is “A Revolution in Home Station Training.” As the Army works to blend the learning experiences from the operational and training environments, soldiers and leaders must be faced with relevant, credible, and challenging training scenarios that incorporate the complexity, ambiguity, and unpredictability of the operating environment. The vision is to build these future training scenarios for home station training.
August 11-13, 2011
Environmental Data Integrity: Ethical & Practical Challenges - Joel Balmat, M.S. (August 11, 10:30-11:00 am)
Maintaining the integrity of environmental data is a key ethical responsibility for environmental professionals to conduct their work in a way that protects human health and the environment. Awareness is the key to prevention of ethical lapses regarding data integrity and a good understanding of the ethical and practical needs for data integrity help to further the credibility of environmental professionals. This presentation will discuss data integrity in terms of field and laboratory practices and then will cover ethical and unethical approaches to common data integrity problems.
Evolving Stormwater Management: Complying with Upcoming Stormwater Regulations - Don Carpenter, Ph.D., P.E., LEED (August 12, 8:30 am)
Stormwater regulations are rapidly changing in the State of Florida with a focus on reducing pollutants entering the State's surface waters. These changes, some of which are quite controversial, include promulgation by EPA of numeric nutrient criteria (NNC) water quality standards for lakes and flowing waters and the development by FDEP of a Statewide Unified Stormwater Rule. This talk will discuss the upcoming state and federal regulations that impact stormwater discharge and discuss the impacts to various public and private sector entities. A discussion of current Best Management Practice (BMP) technologies engineers and scientists will need to use to meet pollutant reduction goals will be provided as well as how these will need to evolve to meet new regulatory criteria. Specific Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater strategies supportive of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) will be discussed.
July 20-22, 2011
Sustainable Remediation: It’s not Easy Being Green - Bill Lais, PE (July 21,10:30-12:10 pm)
Learn a simple qualitative approach to make Greener Cleanup decisions for your existing project. Participants will observe the Greener Cleanup planning process in action by using a decision-making tool that blends sustainability concepts with remedial action objectives and goals. The discussion will also include informative case studies to bring together financial incentives and practical scenarios for planning and implementing Greener Cleanups, and avoiding costly pitfalls associated with ineffective cleanup strategies.
New Developments in Water Quality Permitting, TMDLs, Arsenic & Bacteria Water Quality Criteria - Ken Watson, PhD (July 21,1:30-3:10 pm)
Extremely informative course includes timely updates on new ways the Department of Environmental Protection will handle water quality issues; also includes basic as well as advanced discussion on water quality discharge permitting, whether from industrial, domestic, or other discharge sources; emphasis on current agency practices, and updates on pending legal changes; includes analysis of application of proposed numeric nutrient criteria; course designed for extensive audience participation.
Advanced Brownfields Design & Planning Strategies - Bill Lais, PE (July 21, 3:30-5:10 pm)
As the recycling of contaminated lands becomes an increasingly well-accepted strategy for urban land use, the expectations regarding the outcome and output of Brownfield redevelopment projects are increasing dramatically. Developers, local governments, community stakeholders, and environmental justice advocates are all demanding more from Brownfields than a modest measure of cleanup and just any type of reuse. Now, parties with a financial, institutional, emotional, neighborhood, or aesthetic interest in a Brownfield project are looking for cleanup approaches that maximize environmental protection and minimize the carbon footprint associated with doing so. On the reuse side, innovative and cutting edge green design methodologies to deconstruction, demolition, and construction have become almost de rigueur, and stakeholders are looking for post-development operations that maximize pollution prevention and minimize management of residual contamination on-site. There is also a push to leverage the environmental restoration and economic revitalization benefits typically associated with Brownfields by incorporating renewable energy elements. In many cases, the renewable energy component of the project drives project design (and feasibility).
Use of Models for Environmental Remediation or Permitting Decision Making - Andy Lawn, PG (July 22, 10:30-12:10 pm)
System modeling is a valuable tool for evaluating and developing solutions to environmental engineering challenges. Models help us assimilate large amounts of information and make sound decisions based on available data. Conceptual Site Models (CSMs) are used to illustrate and understand site circumstances, particularly contaminant transport and exposure pathways, while analytical and numerical models can be used to select engineering solutions by predicting how environmental conditions such as groundwater and surface water flow will be affected. Speakers will discuss how CSMs and numerical models can be used during site assessment, cleanup, and closure planning. Practical uses of models with examples will be illustrated. Session is designed to emphasize the importance of developing a sound CSM prior to developing a numerical model, and anticipating regulatory and legal concerns regarding model application.
HSW Presents at the Battelle - Bioremediation and Sustainable Environmental Technologies International Symposium: Reno, Nevada
June 27-30, 2011
HSW Exhibits at the DoD Environmental Monitoring & Data Quality Workshop: Arlington, Virginia
March 28 - April 1, 2011
Join HSW Senior Chemist Cindy Lee Westergard as she represents HSW at the Poster Session on the topic of the Application of Measurement Uncertainty to Analysis of Arsenic in Soil. Measurement uncertainty is becoming an increasingly important consideration in the interpretation and use of environmental data. While the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) Standard requires that analytical laboratories establish estimates of measurement uncertainty for all tests within their scope of accreditation, where appropriate, the means of determining analytical measurement uncertainty is left to the discretion of the laboratory.
Typically, laboratories express analytical measurement uncertainty as the acceptance range of recoveries of target analytes in spiked samples that are free of matrix effects (e.g., laboratory control samples [LCSs], or blank spikes). This is an idealized estimate and represents the lower limit of the uncertainty associated with a result for a given matrix, test method, and analyte. An alternative means of estimating measurement uncertainty is the Nested Hierarchical Approach described by William S. Ingersoll. This approach is considered comprehensive and complete, because it includes uncertainty associated with initial calibrations, second-source verifications, and matrix effects, and not just those associated with LCS recoveries. Also, by including uncertainty associated with field duplicates and co-located samples, this approach allows an estimate of overall measurement uncertainty for a given matrix, method, and analyte. The Nested Hierarchical Approach is appropriate when the matrix is well-defined or there are sufficient data to reasonably represent the full range of effects for a given matrix.
HSW Presents at the SAC/MAC Joint Chapter Meeting - Wetlands, Water Resources, and People at the U.S. Geological Headquarters: Reston, Virginia
March 7-8, 2011
Dr. Scott Emery will be presenting the results of 2 separate studies conducted for the Southwest Florida Water Management District at a Society of Wetland Scientists conference in Reston, Virginia. Dr. Emery, along with Dr. Ken Watson, Dean Mades, PE, Dr. Lei Yang, PE, and Dr. Don Carpenter, PE, have been working with several water management districts on Minimum Flows and Levels related projects over the past decade. Parts of these efforts involve research into the development of new metrics and methods for assessing wetland, lake, stream and aquifer conditions. One research effort has focused on the use of lichen line elevations within forested wetlands as these relate to Normal Pool elevations within the same wetlands. Lichen line elevations close to Normal Pool elevations within the same wetland are diagnostic for an impacted wetland condition. This method is fast, inexpensive, and highly reliable.
A second research effort has examined the relationships between lowered lake levels and the use of the lake(s) by water dependent bird species. Over a 3 year period, 30 lakes (ranging in size from roughly 10 acres to close to 5,000 acres) were surveyed 12 times each for numbers and species of birds along the entire shorelines. Each lake was surveyed once during every calendar month in order to accurately represent both migratory and resident bird populations. Results indicate that a long-term reduction in lake size of 15% will translate into the loss of one species of bird usage. The results of these 2 studies (along with the results of several other studies we are conducting) are being incorporated into the District's MFL program.
HSW Exhibits, Sponsors, and Presents at the Florida Chamber's 27th Annual Growth Management, Energy, Climate Change & the Environment Short Course at the Wyndham Orlando Resort : Orlando, Florida
February 22-24, 2011
Modern Trends in Brownfields Design & Planning - Carol Henry, M.S.
As the recycling of contaminated lands becomes an increasingly well-accepted strategy for urban land use, the expectations regarding the outcome and output of Brownfield redevelopment projects are increasing dramatically. Developers, local governments, community stakeholders, and environmental justice advocates are all demanding more from Brownfields than a modest measure of cleanup and just any type of reuse. Now, parties with a financial, institutional, emotional, neighborhood, or aesthetic interest in a Brownfield project are looking for cleanup approaches that maximize environmental protection and minimize the carbon footprint associated with doing so. On the reuse side, innovative and cutting edge green design methodologies to deconstruction, demolition, and construction have become almost de rigueur, and stakeholders are looking for post-development operations that maximize pollution prevention and minimize management of residual contamination on-site. There is also a push to leverage the environmental restoration and economic revitalization benefits typically associated with Brownfields by incorporating renewable energy elements. In many cases, the renewable energy component of the project drives project design and feasibility.
This discussion will present a comprehensive and sophisticated survey of these trends with an emphasis on planning and design and how such activities impact on access to capital, financing, liability management, deal structure and local government and community stakeholder acceptance.
