Compounded by rising labor and regulatory costs, landfill operations challenges for owners and operators are liquids and greenhouse gases. Gas collection and control systems, leachate management strategies, and treatment technologies all help create efficiencies. But so does new technology.
In our two-part educational series, we use case studies to demonstrate combinations of integrated SCADA, IIoT, drones, satellites, and Geographical information systems (GIS) technologies. Using clear, straightforward language, our panelists explain which technology is best for what and when integrating these technologies better serves your landfill’s and composting operation’s challenges and budget.
Recorded in front of a live audience who send questions to our panelists specific to their operational needs we cover monitoring, liquids, and labor challenges – with an aim to introduce new technologies that solve some of your most expensive challenges. SCS’s forums are educational, non-commercial webinars with a Q&A forum throughout; they are free and open to all who want to learn more about landfill and composting technology. We recommend these discussions for landfill and organics management facility owners/operators, technicians, environmental engineers, municipalities, and environmental agency staff.
View Part I focused on drones, satellites, and GIS technologies which are valuable for landfill permitting, design, and monitoring liquids and gas well conditions.
View Part II focused on SCADA and remote monitoring & control systems – when and why using real-time data can create efficiencies and reduce risk at your landfill and are useful for compost operations, and anaerobic digestors.
If you would like to join our mailing list for these monthly forums, please contact us at – SCS never shares or sells your contact information.
Executing Brownfield Redevelopment
Green spaces are dwindling rapidly as real estate development forges ahead; meanwhile, a plentiful inventory of brownfields lie idle or underused that have great potential to become vibrant, revenue-generating resources.
Well-executed brownfield redevelopment projects make the most of existing infrastructure, leaving green spaces green. They create jobs and increase property values. They improve the health and safety of the environment and people. And turning former liabilities into neighborhood jewels cultivates a spirit of goodwill among residents.
As developers and governments realize the benefits, old gas stations, defunct factories, and closed landfills are among the properties redeveloped into community parks, retail, industrial, or mixed-use properties to become productive assets.
But while communities and private investors can reap tremendous payoffs, successfully repurposing brownfields can be complicated. They may be laden with hazardous substances and other contaminants from past uses, calling for specialized technical expertise to ensure sustainable environmental and financial outcomes.
Meet Amy Guilfoyle
SCS Engineers’ Amy Guilfoyle has been deeply rooted in brownfield redevelopment work for 20 years, supporting plans to ensure projects are technically sound, on time, and on budget.
Groundwater and soil assessment and remediation are her primary focus. Her job involves more than these essential tasks—from helping local governments apply for U.S. EPA Brownfield assessment and cleanup grants and voluntary cleanup state tax credits to ensuring and documenting regulatory compliance.
When Amy was a new biology graduate, she was not sure exactly what career direction she would choose until she got a full taste of fieldwork with an environmental focus.
“I like working on practical solutions to our clients’ day-to-day problems. And I like the creativity involved in finding and developing the best options in each case. Every scenario is unique, challenging you to keep the wheels in your mind turning,” she says.
Guilfoyle’s work typically begins with a Phase I Environmental Assessment, entailing an inspection of the property and a review of documents to evaluate for potentially hazardous pollutants and contamination. She will move on to a Phase II Environmental Assessment, depending on her findings, collecting and analyzing soil and groundwater samples to determine concentrations, locations, and other details to inform what may become her next course. The results help lead her team in developing and executing a rigorous cleanup strategy to meet regulatory standards.
The practiced brownfields veteran has her work cut out for her, especially on her dedicated turf; the state of Florida, whose groundwater and soil quality standards are even more rigorous than the U.S. EPA’s. Guilfoyle must not only stay on top of stringent regulatory demands but know how to strategically approach complex challenges tied to the region’s unique physical conditions.
“For one, as we monitor and plan remediation, we consider soil characteristics. Like much of the Southeast part of the country, Florida is sandy, making it easier for contaminated water and materials to move through the ground than in rocky areas,” she explains.
“Additionally, we give careful thought to the fact that the water table is shallow, which means saturated soil is close to the land surface, increasing the risk for groundwater contamination.”
Protecting groundwater is the most meaningful work she can do in her eyes.
“Keeping groundwater clean is so important to our public health and safety, as it is the major source of drinking water,” Guilfoyle says.
Sizing up cleanup options
In determining the best method to tackle soil and water impacts, she considers multiple variables: regional standards, the proposed use of the property, and clients’ overall goals.
Every success story hinges on protecting human health and the environment while keeping an eye on the bottom line—economics.
“Our clients are taking on huge projects that can have substantial cleanup costs. Our priority is to develop solutions that limit their out-of-pocket costs and liability. But doing it more effectively, so the outcome is a rich resource that serves communities well into the future,” Guilfoyle says.
A solid understanding of regulations is key to delivering sound technical and financially feasible outcomes.
She exemplifies this, beginning with a recent approach involving removing contaminated soil and using the nonimpacted soil as part of a pond construction to expand stormwater holding capacity.
“In this scenario, you save on the cost to transport hundreds of tons of soil and put it to use to build out existing infrastructure. Also, fewer trucks are coming in and out of the site, mitigating a nuisance and greenhouse gases.
“In other scenarios, we have been able to negotiate cleanup levels above the standard by providing documentation to show they are sufficient for full compliance.”
Forging industry relationships through professional engagements
Guilfoyle knows the agencies well through her work at SCS and professional engagements beyond.
Among her involvement, she’s a board member of the Florida Brownfields Association (FBA), supporting educational and outreach efforts and legislative initiatives to secure funding for cleanup projects.
She serves on the Florida Association of Environmental Professionals (FAEP) board, reporting business activity to local chapter members.
She lends her expertise as a board member for Metropolitan Environmental Training Alliance (METRA), promoting free and low-cost training on hazardous waste management requirements and other environmental regulations.
Outside her leadership roles in industry organizations, she finds time for her passion—telling others about the environmental industry. She has been involved with teaching Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts at Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) events and introducing college students to job opportunities in these disciplines.
“It’s important to provide a real role model in science and introduce youth to the wide range of job opportunities. We need more sharp young minds. And we especially need more women in environmental sciences,” Guilfoyle says.
“We have done good work. But we have more ahead of us. We will continue making progress by increasing youths’ awareness of what we do and why we do it–and by educating and supporting industry organizations.”
Brownfield Redevelopment Resources, Funding, Careers:
Join SCS Engineers at Oklahoma State University’s STEM Career Fair on March 2, 2023.
SCS is an employee-owned, award-winning environmental engineering, consulting, and construction firm with offices nationwide. We are seeking a wide variety of dedicated, hard-working professionals with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) backgrounds.
The fair is FREE to students.
Click for more information and registration
Join SCS Engineers at California State University at Fullerton’s Engineering and Computer Career Fair, February 23, 2023.
SCS is an employee-owned, award-winning environmental engineering, consulting, and construction firm with offices nationwide. We are seeking a wide variety of dedicated, hard-working professionals with STEM backgrounds.
CSUF’s career fair is a great opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Engineering & Computer Science to meet potential employers, step-up your job or internship search, and network with employers who can answer your questions. If you are looking to hire for professional or internship opportunities in one of the many focus areas, this is an event you do not want to miss!
Join SCS Engineers at Kennesaw State University’s STEM Career Fair, February 23, 2023.
SCS is an employee-owned, award-winning environmental engineering, consulting, and construction firm with offices nationwide. We are seeking a wide variety of dedicated, hard-working professionals with STEM backgrounds.
KSU’s career fair connects many of the nation’s top companies with KSU’s brightest students and alumni for internship, co-op, full-time, & part-time positions. Students of all majors and class levels are encouraged to attend!
Join SCS Engineers at Penn State’s Engineering Career Fair, February 1-2, 2023.
SCS is an employee-owned, award-winning environmental engineering, consulting, and construction firm with offices nationwide. We are seeking a wide variety of dedicated, hard-working professionals with STEM backgrounds.
Held annually, the Engineering Career Fair is the premier engineering spring recruiting event, typically attended by 2,000-2,500 undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Engineering and from engineering majors in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
Click for more information registration
Join SCS Engineers at Texas A&M’s Engineering Career Fair on January 26, 2023.
SCS is an employee-owned, award-winning environmental engineering, consulting, and construction firm with offices nationwide. We are seeking a wide variety of dedicated, hard-working professionals with STEM backgrounds.
The SEC Engineering Career Fair is the premier recruiting event for the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. The Career Fair is planned, organized, and staffed by the Student Engineers’ Council, and is the largest student-run career fair in the nation. Historically, as many as 8,000 engineering students attend the spring career fair seeking internships, co-ops, and full-time positions from the 400+ companies that attend.
Click for more information and registration
Donald Barfield (Don) joins SCS Engineers as a Project Director specializing in environmental assessment and brownfield remediation, the first step in returning damaged sites and property to productive use. Barfield brings AAI expertise developed at over 2,000 assessments and brownfield projects throughout the United States and globally, keeping them on schedule and budget.
“Don’s proven track record fits our aim to create sustainable environmental solutions. Our consulting engineer teams include members with field and financial experience to create solutions that meet and remain compliant with local, state, and federal policies while economically and socially practical, states Senior Vice President and Southeast Business Director Carlo Lebron.
All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) is a process of evaluating the environmental condition of a property and assessing the likelihood of contamination. Parties must comply with the requirements of the AAI Rule or follow the standards set forth in the ASTM E1527-13 or E1527-21 Standard Practice for Phase I Environmental Site Assessments to satisfy the statutory requirements for conducting all appropriate inquiries.
Today’s commercial property transactions take environmental issues into consideration. Complex laws can impose significant environmental liabilities on purchasers, sellers, and lenders, whether or not they caused the problem and whether or not they still own the property.
Don brings years of experience helping municipalities, developers, and industrial clients prepare and submit EPA Brownfield Assessment and Cleanup Grants, including the compliance reporting and due diligence associated with making these projects successful for communities and businesses. His project experience includes due diligence and risk reviews for large acquisitions or mergers and the assessment and development of closure plans for RCRA Regulated Units.
“Sustainability and environmental compliance are important factors in moving projects forward while protecting communities,” says Don. “There are funding, grants, tax credits, and incentives available now. In Florida, the Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Program could support mixed-use developments and potential partnerships right now.”
Barfield is an LEED® Accredited Professional, HAZWOPER Certified, and an ASTM Environmental Professional. He earned his MBA at the University of North Florida and a BS in Biology at Jacksonville University.
SCS Engineers’ environmental solutions and technology directly result from our experience and dedication to industries responsible for safeguarding the environment as they deliver essential services and products. For more information about joining us, please visit the SCS Engineers website, or watch our video to see what we can do for your business and community.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of our founder Tom Conrad, but we celebrate his spirit by continuing the culture he established at SCS Engineers. Tom was energetic, creative, hard-working, and fun-loving! His accomplishments in preventing and mitigating environmental damage are just one of the reasons we respect him so much.
Another reason is that Tom believed in providing opportunities for everyone. He founded and ran SCS based on giving individuals the tools they need to thrive while providing for their families, the environment, and their communities. These tools are trust, mentorship, and open dialog. By building these philosophies into our culture, Tom sparked multiple innovations and environmental solutions by some of the finest people you’ll ever want to meet.
These SCSers continue our culture of caring and listening. Anyone at SCS can contribute their ideas for improving a process or technology. Our executives promote forums to keep the conversations and idea exchanges going and open to all. And just as Tom would insist, innovations are proven before they are implemented.
We’re proud of all SCSers, especially our young professionals, who consistently bring in fresh ideas and perspectives by asking “why and how” questions. Designing sustainable environmental solutions requires a deep understanding of systems, processes, and industry knowledge. Asking the right questions and seeking answers indicates a curious mind; Tom called these people “thinkers,” one of the best compliments we could get. Asking these questions indicates a self-actualized mind. And answering the questions takes a team. At SCS, we encourage both.
SCS’s mentorship and young professionals programs are thriving. They were established more formally in the last decade but have always been a part of SCS. President and CEO Jim Walsh called Tom “The best mentor anyone could ever have,” going on to say that Tom “taught me a lot, but more, he let me figure things out on my own… I’ve often said that my best four years of education were not high school or college; it was learning from Tom Conrad.”
SCS’s culture survives because of trust. So as Tom did, we continue to place trust and confidence in SCS’s employee-owners. Tom understood long ago that trust creates a culture of teamwork and respect, enabling effective problem-solving. In fact, Tom was so proud and confident in the firm’s environmental accomplishments in 1987 that he modified the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan to expand ownership of SCS to all employees. Today SCS remains 100% employee-owned and is a driving force for SCSers to deliver high-quality and ethical solutions to our clients.
Tom’s other major and no less important philosophy was to “have fun!” We take the time to engage and laugh with our colleagues, clients, and associates.
Our nationwide offices are busy year-round helping their communities, especially during the holidays. A special thanks to our young professionals, who think BIG, for organizing our annual Feed America campaign, always with a healthy, fun competition between our offices!
You can learn more about how SCS continues in Tom Conrad’s spirit today by watching this short video made by SCSers coast to coast.
EPA intends to update and expand its November 2021 oil and gas regulation proposal by reducing methane emissions and other harmful air pollution from new and existing oil and natural gas operations. The Agency has issued a supplemental proposal adding proposed requirements for sources not previously covered.
Registration is open for EPA’s virtual public hearing impacting hundreds of thousands of existing oil and gas sources nationwide. The Agency states it will promote innovative methane detection technologies and other cutting-edge solutions which are being developed.
Hearing information:
To register to speak or to watch a live stream of the hearing on both days, please visit EPA’s website for the supplemental proposal.
The registration deadline is January 5, 2023. See instructions for submitting a written comment.
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