Preparing and updating Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans are part of GES’ core services. We have performed SPCC-related work at hundreds of facilities across the United States. In this post, we are highlighting the importance of the substantial harm criteria.
Preparing and updating Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans are part of GES’ core services. We have performed SPCC-related work at hundreds of facilities across the United States. In this post, we are highlighting the importance of the substantial harm criteria.
The Navigable Waters Protection Rule became effective on June 22, 2020. The rule makes substantial changes to the definition of “waters of the United States” (“WOTUS” or “jurisdictional waters”) regulated under the federal Clean Water Act. The most significant change is the removal of ephemeral streams and associated wetlands from federal jurisdiction. Ephemeral streams are streams that only carry water from precipitation and are not in contact with groundwater during a “typical year”. Ephemeral streams typically flow for only a few days after a rain event.
Thirty-five years ago when GES first opened its doors, finding a female engineering student was like looking for a needle in a haystack. While the number of women taking up engineering has substantially increased since then, the percentage of female engineering graduates still pales in comparison to their male counterparts. Currently, women represent a mere 13% of the engineering workforce[i]. As a strong advocate for women in general and in engineering, GES proudly reports that 25% of our engineering staff are women.
Challenge
An oil and gas client required decontamination of 10,295-square-feet of its industrial administrative offices at a natural-gas processing plant after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The facility was located in a remote area in Wyoming that was experiencing adverse weather conditions of snow and flooding, causing widespread road closures.
A land-development company hired GES to inspect streams and their banks in areas difficult to access on foot. GES pilots created and modified multiple flight paths, flying at various elevations (100 ft., 200 ft., and 400 ft.) and in different patterns, to capture high-definition photos and videos, as well as data from beneath the dense tree canopy. The collected data was processed using DroneDeploy and ArcGIS software to create orthomosaic and topographic maps that were used to analyze stream and bank conditions and aid in ongoing stream redesign and mitigation efforts.
GES’ Margaret Forbes, PhD, EIT, PWS is a Principal Environmental Scientist with over 20 years of experience managing and performing a variety of environmental projects. Margaret is nationally recognized for her expertise in designing wetlands for treatment of wastewater and stormwater, and she is an experienced field ecologist. She is a Rosgen-trained stream designer (Levels I-IV) and has designed several stream systems using natural stream-channel design methods.