Environmental Engineering

Environmental Engineering Defined

What is environmental engineering? Do you pick up litter?” To which you probably know the answer to the second question is a definite “NO!!!”. However, you may not know the answer to the first question.

Encyclopedia

According to Britannica (https://www.britannica.com), “environmental engineering is the development of processes and infrastructure for the supply of water, the disposal of waste, and the control of pollution of all kinds.” These endeavours protect public health by preventing disease transmission, and they preserve the quality of the environment by averting the contamination and degradation of air, water, and land resources.

Wikipedia

According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org), environmental engineering is “a professional engineering discipline that takes from broad scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiology, and mathematics to create solutions that will protect and also improve the health of living organisms and improve the quality of the environment.” This definition is very similar to the one above. And note that both accurately define environmental engineering.

Engineering Meets Environment

Environmental Engineering Evolution

Historically, sanitary civil engineers did environmental engineering like work. However, they be-came known as environmental engineers in the mid-1960’s with the recognition of pollution and the outcries to clean it up. As a result, scientists and engineers answered the call. Firstly, they addressed water pollution. Next, they turned to air pollution. Finally, they focused on land pollution. They followed three landmark federal laws: the Clean Water Act (1972), the Clean Air Act (1970), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, & Liability Act (1980). It is extremely impressive that the U.S. Congress passed these laws so quickly! And what they did was create the need for environmental regulations, permits, and agencies to accomplish the mission.

Agencies

Federal

Agencies, you ask? Firstly, let’s start at the top – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov) came out of Reorganization Plan No. 3 calling for the establishment of that agency. That was an executive order which President Richard M. Nixon signed on July 9, 1970.

The EPA began operation on December 2, 1970. Wow, things seemed to move quickly fifty years ago!

State & Local

Once the EPA began publishing regulations to clean up the environment, they worked in cooperation with states to form departments or to use existing departments to implement the regulations. And so, state environmental departments formed to clean up the environment across each state. Cities and counties formed pollution control departments and divisions. Some health departments took on the responsibility.

EPA provided funding. States, counties, and cities needed it to comply. That was critical for projects such as new wastewater treatment plants. If the states did not enforce the environmental regulations, EPA would cut funding. And that meant jobs, worsening pollution, and outcries from the public. So there were many different incentives to comply.

Environmental Engineer’s Role

Formerly known as civil or sanitary engineers, environmental engineers came to the forefront. They assisted the various governmental agencies and the private sector with the environmental regulations.

Environmental Scientists

Environmental scientists and engineers began working together both in the government and private sectors. Their job? Ultimately, their job was to clean up the environment. Processes, equipment, and testing designs occurred in the areas of water, air, and land. And they are still at it today!

Conclusion

So there is a discussion of environmental engineering and what the environmental engineer’s role is! For further assistance, Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) is here. ESC holds a Florida environmental engineering license and has a Professional Engineer (P.E.) on staff. We have the credentials and experience to help you with your environmental engineering needs. We service Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and Fort Myers. That includes Manatee, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Lee, and other counties from Pensacola (Escambia County) to Key West (Monroe County). So,  Contact ESC and get a reply promptly!

Environmental Permits Overview

What Environmental Permits are there?

Environmental Permits Bradenton and Sarasota

environmental permits.  Here are just a few:

Developments

  • Wetlands
  • Endangered Species

Industry & Construction

  • Air Permits for Air Discharges from Industry
  • Wastewater Discharge, Sanitary and Industrial
  • Hazardous Wastes, Transportation, Disposal & Storage
  • Stormwater, Retention Ponds, Detention Ponds, Stormwater Runoff – Construction and Industry

Other

  • Septic Tanks
  • Drinking Water, Private Wells and Community Supplies
  • Solid Wastes, Landfills & Incineration

Permit Needs

You have to review your planned operation to see if it will require environmental permits.  Then, you have to decide what part of the environment it may impact.  For example, will it impact air, water, or land?  To further explain, will it be changing the existing site?

Example 1

Example 1 is environmental permits for building and paving a site. As a result, that activity decreases percolation of rain water into the ground.  Because of that, more stormwater will run off the site. So, that could require a stormwater retention or detention pond permit. Further, it could require an NPDES  permit for industrial sites. Additionally, those sites may have to prepare a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

Example 2

Example 2 is environmental permits for certain industrial facilities.  In addition to the stormwater permits and plan identified in Example 1 above, there are other permits. For instance, sewer discharge permits may be required. Further, air permits may be needed.  Finally, are used oil and hazardous waste requirements.

Responsibility

Responsibility for acquiring the permits can fall on many different parties. For example, it can include developers and builders. Additionally, it may include banks, attorneys, architects, or engineers. Finally, it can include manufacturers, industrial facilities, hospitals, crematories, municipalities, and many more!

Lifelines

If you need lifelines, who should you call?  Firstly, some of the best lifelines are your associates. So, why is that true? Because their knowledge base can be a good starting point.  And so, who are your associates? To begin with, they may be your co-workers, partners, or managers. Next, outside of them, for instance, are your attorney, professional colleagues, and environmental engineering companies.  Finally, those associates may direct you to agencies or may contact the agencies themselves on your behalf.

Agencies

There are several key agencies which typically administer the various types of environmental permits.  Firstly, are local agencies. For example, these may include the Water Management Districts, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), counties, and cities.  Secondly, are federal agencies. For example, these may include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, www.epa.gov) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).  But, just be careful what you say.  Because, it is all in the presentation!

Let ESC Help

ESC Environmental Permits Overview

In conclusion, there are many permits identified in this Overview of Environmental Permits! But just remember that ESC is a Florida licensed engineering company with the experience and knowledge to help you. That is because our specialty is permits concerning air emissions, industrial discharges, NPDES stormwater, and more. We service Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and Fort Meyers. That includes Manatee, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Lee and other counties from Pensacola (Escambia County) to Key West (Monroe County). So,  Contact ESC and get a reply promptly!

Contamination Assessments in Detail

In our Introduction to Contamination Assessments blog article, we laid the foundation for Contamination Assessments (CAs) in Florida.  If you missed that, you may want to read it first.  It covers what CAs are, why they are done, what the general scope of work is, and what the potential outcomes are.  Here, we will provide the technical details.

To begin with, let’s turn to the players.  CAs are typically completed by Florida licensed engineering or geologic firms with substantial experience in the field.  They will have on staff a Florida licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Professional Geologist (PG).  The firm will be licensed in Florida as an Engineering Business or Geologic Business (go to www.myfloridalicense.com).  The PE or PG will direct and oversee the work, then sign and seal all reports and plans submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP, www.floridadep.gov) or county with a contract to run the program for FDEP.

So, how do you select a firm to complete the CA?  Start with your network and see who they recommend.  The FDEP or counties often have lists of qualified firms.  Contact two or three firms and discuss your project.  Find out what their approach, pricing, availability, turnaround, experience, and qualifications.  Confirm their licenses in Florida (see license web site above).  Make sure they are user friendly and have good communications skills.  They will be interacting with you and all the other players for an extended period of time.

Contamination AssessmentsThe actual scope of work will be dictated by Chapter 72-780, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) and the FDEP or county.  Each CA can be unique but the common elements follow.  Either manual or automated direct push soil borings will be completed and screened with an organic vapor analyzer (OVA) to determine where potential contamination exists in the soil around the source.  Based on those results, soil samples will be collected and analyzed in a laboratory accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, NELAP (www.nelac-institute.org) and certified by the Florida Department of Health (www.floridahealth.gov).  Otherwise, the data may not be court defensible or accepted by regulatory agencies.

While on site doing the soil work above, groundwater will be assessed.  Shallow well points (piezometers) will be installed and the direction of groundwater flow will be determined.  Based on that and the soil screening results, three or more monitoring wells will be installed by a Water Well Contractor licensed by FDEP.

Groundwater samples will be collected from the wells and analyzed along with the soil samples in the same laboratory.  Meanwhile, wells in the area will be identified and categorized and the site and vicinity geology and hydrogeology will be determined.

Finally, a CA Report (CAR, now known as a Site Assessment Report or SAR) will be prepared.  All of the information, results, data, and documentation above will be included.  The PE or PG will draw conclusions and recommend action.  The FDEP or county will review the report and may request additional information before finalizing its review.  The agency will then issue a letter which may require more assessment work, cleanup, or no further action.  More details on these outcomes will be provided in future blogs.

So there you have it – a very brief overview of Contamination Assessment Details in Florida.  If you need any help, Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) can assist.  We have the credentials and experience to answer your questions and steer you in the right direction.  We are a Florida-licensed Engineering business with a Professional Engineer (P.E.), environmental scientists, and 30 years of experience completing CAs.  We are just a telephone call (800-226-1735) or an e-mail away (escinc@verizon.net).  Contact us today!

Introduction to Contamination Assessments

Contamination AssessmentsThat is what Contamination Assessments used to be called in Florida.  But then they were renamed Site Assessments, which can be confused with Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I and II – see our other blog articles specific to those types of projects).  To avoid confusion, we will stick with the name Contamination Assessment (CA).  They became regulatory requirements in Florida in the 1980’s to primarily address contamination from underground and above ground fuel and oil storage tanks.  These CAs are required when contaminant levels in the soil or groundwater exceed the State Cleanup Target Levels.  They are designed to determine the extent of contamination in the soil and groundwater both horizontally and vertically.  Often, the contamination is originally discovered during tank closure, after a leak, from a spill, etcetera.

Which regulatory agencies require the CAs?  The lead agency is the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP, www.floridadep.gov).  However, several counties (primarily the larger urban centers) have a contract to administer the cleanup program for the FDEP.  To determine if that is the case for your site, contact the district office of the FDEP which governs your county.

Which regulation requires CAs?  Chapter 62-780 of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) does.  All the detailed requirements are provided in that rule.  For questions, contact the FDEP or county administering the cleanup program.  The actual scope of work depends on the situation.  Certain things affect the scope such as level of contamination, type of petroleum product, history, action taken to clean it up, and whether the soil, groundwater, or both are affected.  Action taken could involve initial response, pumping out product, limited soil removal, and more.

Details of CAs will be discussed in another blog article.  Just be warned that CAs usually take time.  There are certain periods of time required to complete each step.  You are given deadlines to complete things and the regulatory agencies have deadlines to review and respond to each document or response you submit.  The whole process can easily drag into a year or more.

But for the moment, let’s say you have finished your CA and submitted it to the FDEP or county.  What are the potential outcomes?  First, additional work (i.e., more testing, information, or clarifications) may be required.  Next, let’s say you hit the lottery and you receive approval for No Further Action – you are done!  Alternatively, you do not hit the lottery and a Remedial Action Plan is required, followed by Remedial Action, and of course, another report.  Finally, there is a low level of contamination which results in potential natural attenuation (the site cleans up on its own).  In that case, you are required to complete Natural Attenuation Monitoring, which is done at regular intervals during each year for a two year or longer period of time.

So there you have it – a very brief introduction to Contamination Assessments in Florida.  If you need any help, Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) can assist.  We have the credentials and experience to answer your questions and steer you in the right direction.  We are a Florida-licensed Engineering business with a Professional Engineer (P.E.), environmental scientists, and 30 years of experience completing CAs.  We are just a telephone call (800-226-1735) or an e-mail away (escinc@verizon.net).  Contact us today!

Groundwater Environmental Monitoring

One type of environmental monitoring is groundwater testing.  This sounds simple enough, but exactly what is groundwater testing?  Well, let’s break apart the term.Groundwater Environmental Monitoring

First, groundwater is water that is beneath the surface of the earth, as opposed to surface water which is on the surface of the earth.  Sometimes, it is referred to as well water, the water table, or the aquifer. It is the source of water for springs.

Second, testing takes many forms.  It can be done with the unaided eye, depth measurement tools, electronic meters, or samples analyzed in a laboratory.  Testing done in the groundwater itself or on samples in the field is called in situ testing.

Samples can be collected manually or with automated samplers.  Manually collected samples can be collected with bailers, bladder pumps, centrifugal pumps, or peristaltic pumps directly into laboratory sample bottles.  The contents are then emptied into laboratory sample bottles.

Automated samplers can be programmed to collect samples at select time intervals over an extended period of time.  Separate samples can be collected at each time interval or sample aliquots can be collected at each time interval and then be added to a large sample container to produce a composite sample.

Whether the samples are collected manually or automatically, generally, they are ultimately analyzed in a laboratory.  They can be analyzed for biological, chemical, or physical parameters.  In Florida, the laboratory should or must be accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, NELAP (www.nelac-institute.org) and be certified by the Florida Department of Health (www.floridahealth.gov).  The data will not be accepted by regulatory agencies unless it is generated from one of these laboratories.

Why would you want to test the groundwater?  There are lots of reasons.  One is that you want to be proactive because you truly care or for public relations.  For example, you may want to produce groundwater quality data that show your facility is not polluting the groundwater below or adjacent to your facility.  Another reason may be for a groundwater remediation project, or to meet monitoring requirements under an existing Remedial Action Plan.  Additionally, you may have had a spill or discharge and you are being required or you are volunteering to test the groundwater quality.  In that case, you may need to determine if you have impacted the groundwater or if you have cleaned it up.  Finally, you may be planning to introduce a new operation and need to establish current groundwater quality conditions so that the operation’s impact can be projected.  After the operation is up and running, more testing can be done to determine if your projections were accurate.

If you do end up testing the groundwater, you will want to make sure that it is done properly and that the data are valid and court defensible.  Otherwise, you may end up with credibility problems.  Adverse publicity and scrutiny from the media and environmental watchdog groups is not worth it.  Even if you truly have no impact on the quality of the groundwater, it may be perceived that you do because of faulty data.

This is where Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) can help.  We have the credentials and experience to properly complete your groundwater environmental monitoring.  We are a Florida-licensed Engineering business with environmental scientists, a Professional Engineer (P.E.), and years of experience testing groundwater quality.  We are just a telephone call (800-226-1735) or an e-mail away (escinc@verizon.net).  Contact us today!

 

Soil Environmental Monitoring

One type of environmental monitoring is soil testing.  This sounds simple enough, but exactly what is soil testing?  Well, let’s break apart the term.Soil Environmental Monitoring

First, soil is the upper part of the earth’s crust in which plants can sometimes grow. It may be sandy, loamy, clayey, rocky, shelly, or peat-like.  Sometimes, it is referred to as dirt.  It is what we walk on when we go outside where there is no pavement, decking, pavers, concrete, etcetera.

Second, testing takes many forms.  It can be done with the unaided eye, electronic meters after mixing with water, organic vapor analyzers, or laboratory analysis.  Testing done on the soil samples in the field is called in situ testing.

Samples can be collected manually or with powered equipment.  Manually collected samples can be collected with spoons, augers, or dredges which are then transferred  into bottles in the field for in situ testing or into laboratory sample bottles for analysis at the laboratory.

Powered equipment typically includes split spoon samplers or direct push rigs which collect the soil samples from desired depths.  The soil is then transferred into the field bottles or laboratory sample bottles.  The samples are then either analyzed in the field or at the laboratory.

Whether the samples are collected manually or with powered equipment, generally, they are ultimately analyzed in a laboratory.  They can be analyzed for biological, chemical, or physical parameters.  In Florida, the laboratory should or must be accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, NELAP (www.nelac-institute.org) and be certified by the Florida Department of Health (www.floridahealth.gov).  The data will not be accepted by regulatory agencies unless it is generated from one of these laboratories.

Why would you want to test the soil?  There are lots of reasons.  One is that you want to be proactive because you truly care or for public relations.  For example, you may want to produce soil data that show your facility is not polluting the soil below or adjacent to your facility.  This could be related to the use or storage and handling of solvents, gasoline, diesel fuel, oil, pesticides, heavy metals, dry cleaning fluids, or many other chemicals.  Another reason may be for a soil remediation project, or to meet monitoring requirements under an existing Remedial Action Plan.  Additionally, you may have had a spill, discharge, or leak and you are being required or you are volunteering to test the soil for contamination.  In that case, you may need to determine if you have impacted the soil or if you have cleaned it up.  Finally, you may be planning to introduce a new operation and need to establish current soil conditions so that the operation’s impact can be projected.  After the operation is up and running, more testing can be done to determine if your projections were accurate.

If you do end up testing the soil, you will want to make sure that it is done properly and that the data are valid and court defensible.  Otherwise, you may end up with credibility problems.  Adverse publicity or scrutiny from the media and environmental watchdog groups is not worth it.  Even if you truly have no impact on the quality of the soil, it may be perceived that you do because of faulty data.

This is where Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) can help.  We have the credentials and experience to properly complete your soil environmental monitoring.  We are a Florida-licensed Engineering business with environmental scientists, a Professional Engineer (P.E.), and years of experience testing soil for contamination.  We are just a telephone call (800-226-1735) or an e-mail away (escinc@verizon.net).  Contact us today!

Surface Water Environmental Monitoring

One type of environmental monitoring is surface water testing.  This sounds simple enough, but exactly what is surface water testing?  Well, let’s break apart the term.surface water monitoring and testing

First, a surface water is a body of water on the surface of the earth, as opposed to groundwater which is beneath the surface of the earth.  Surface waters include ditches, streams, creeks, rivers, springs, bays, ponds, lakes, rivers, gulfs, and oceans.

Second, testing takes many forms.  It can be done with the unaided eye, depth measurement tools, Secchi disks, electronic meters, or samples analyzed in a laboratory.  Testing done in the water body itself or next to it is called in situ testing.

Samples can be collected manually or with automated samplers.  Manually collected samples can be collected directly into laboratory sample bottles or into mechanical collection bottles such as Kemmerer bottles which can collect samples at various depths.  The contents are then emptied into laboratory sample bottles.

Automated samplers can be programmed to collect samples at select time intervals over an extended period of time.  Separate samples can be collected at each time interval or sample aliquots can be collected at each time interval and then be added to a large sample container to produce a composite sample.

Whether the samples are collected manually or automatically, they are ultimately analyzed in a laboratory.  They can be analyzed for biological, chemical, or physical parameters.  In Florida, the laboratory should or must be accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program, NELAP (www.nelac-institute.org) and be certified by the Florida Department of Health (www.floridahealth.gov).  The data will not be accepted by regulatory agencies unless it is generated from one of these laboratories.

Why would you want to test the surface water?  There are lots of reasons.  One is that you want to be proactive because you truly care or for public relations.  For example, you may want to produce water quality data that shows your facility is not polluting the receiving surface water.  Another reason may be for an NPDES industrial wastewater permit application, or to meet monitoring requirements under a permit.  Additionally, you may have had a spill or discharge and you are being required or you are volunteering to test the surface water quality.  In that case, you may need to determine if you have impacted the receiving water or if you have cleaned it up.  Finally, you may be planning to introduce a new operation and need to establish current water quality conditions so that the operation’s impact can be projected.  After the operation is up and running, more testing can be done to determine if your projections were accurate.

If you do end up testing the surface water, you will want to make sure that it is done properly and that the data are valid and court defensible.  Otherwise, you may end up with credibility problems.  Adverse publicity and scrutiny from the media and environmental watchdog groups are not worth it.  Even if you truly have no impact on the quality of the receiving water, it may be perceived that you do because of faulty data.

This is where Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) can help.  We have the credentials and experience to properly complete your surface water environmental monitoring.  We are a Florida-licensed Engineering business with environmental scientists, a Professional Engineer (P.E.), and years of experience testing surface water quality.  We are just a telephone call (800-226-1735) or an e-mail away (escinc@verizon.net).  Contact us today!

 

Environmental Monitoring

Environmental monitoring covers a large field of testing.  The media include soil, groundwater, surface water, air, sediments, stormwater, and industrial wastewater.  The reasons for environmental monitoring are even more numerous.  From the regulatory side, it can be done for a permit application or exemption, a sanitary sewer pre-treatment ordinance, specific conditions of a permit, government regulated cleanups, investigation of spills or discharges, complaints from neighbors or employees, or regulatory citations.  In the non-regulatory area, it can be done to exercise due diligence as a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, to prevent pollution, or to be proactive and demonstrate the company’s status as a good citizen who is concerned about the environment and the community.

environmental monitoring

There are two basic types of environmental monitoring.  The first type is done in situ (i.e., measured in the field directly on the sample media) most commonly with electronic meters, while the second type involves samples which are collected in the field and typically analyzed in a laboratory.  There are other types of readings taken in the field such as Secchi disks to determine transparency of surface water and visible evaluation of emissions from smoke stacks to determine the opacity of the smoke in comparison to allowable limits in air permits.

Samples can be discrete or grab samples or they can be composite samples collected over specified time internals or collected in proportion to the flow of a source.  Samples can be collected manually directly into the sample bottle or first into a sample collection device such as a bailer or vertical sampler which is then transferred into the sample bottle.  There are also automated samplers such as composite samplers and electric sampling devices such as peristaltic pumps, bladder pumps, and centrifugal pumps.  There are also samplers for specific tasks such as dredge samplers and corers for sediments and stack probes for air emissions.

Analysis of samples includes biological, physical, and chemical parameters.  Examples of biological analyses are benthic invertebrate identification, bioassays, zooplankton, and algal assays.  Physical analyses include particulate matter in air, turbidity (i.e., particulates in water), and temperature.  Chemical analyses include nutrients, pH, dissolved oxygen (typically done in the field, not laboratory), radioactivity, solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, pesticides, inorganic chemicals, and organic chemicals.  Regulatory standards for these analytes can be found in various sections of Chapter 62 in the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C., http://dos.myflorida.com/offices/administrative-code-and-register/) enforced by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  Specific air testing methods are found in various Parts in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR,  https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse.) enforced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In designing environmental monitoring, first, the objective must be identified.  It may be to meet regulatory requirements, to complete due diligence, or to determine if there has been a release of pollutants.  After that, the scope of work must be developed to meet the objective.  That will involve identifying the frequency of monitoring, types of samples, methods, analytes, interpretation of results, and report of results.  Standard Operating Procedures should be followed to insure the accuracy and precision of the data.  Equipment calibrations, Chain-of-Custody forms, and Field Book records need to be part of the monitoring.  Analysis of the samples should be done by a laboratory certified by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP).  If the monitoring is not done in this manner, the results may be suspect, inaccurate, and inadmissable.

If it seems too daunting, Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) can help you with your environmental monitoring.  We are a Florida-licensed Engineering business with over 32 years of experience.  We are just a telephone call (800-226-1735) or an e-mail away (escinc@verizon.net).  Contact us today!