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Brickhouse Environmental

Brickhouse Environmental

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Brickhouse

Brickhouse Environmental Expands Risk Assessment Expertise

August 27, 2020

Image of Kristina Early
Ms. Kristina Early

Kristina Early joins the Brickhouse Team

Brickhouse Environmental is excited to welcome Ms. Kristina Early to the Brickhouse team as a Senior Risk Assessor and Project Manager.  Kristina brings more than 21 years of experience conducting and managing environmental investigations and human health and ecological risk assessments at a variety of Federal USACE, USEPA, National Park Service (NPS) hazardous waste sites, as well as Voluntary Cleanup Program sites in Pennsylvania (Act 2), New Jersey (SRRA), and other states.

Kristina is a respected expert in the practice of Human Health Risk Assessment, with extensive hands-on experience in soil, groundwater, stream sediment, and vapor intrusion studies.  Her realistic assessment of transport pathways, receptors and exposure scenarios, combined with her in-depth knowledge and experience navigating the Risk Assessment process, allows us to conduct a more efficient and relevant analysis of risk during the all-important Site Characterization and Remedial Design phases of projects — and provide a final, understandable Risk Assessment Report that will stand up under regulatory review and in Court.

Kristina earned her BS Degree in Environmental Health and MS Degree in Public Health from West Chester University.

Please feel free to contact Kristina directly with any questions regarding Human Health or Ecological Risk Assessments.

Read more about our Risk Assessment services here.

Filed Under: Brickhouse, Read More

New Year, New Stormwater Permitting Requirements

February 6, 2020

Just in time for the New Year, the PADEP has issued a new Final General NPDES Permit for discharges of stormwater associated with construction activities (PAG-02). This reissued General Permit contains: new requirements for impaired water discharges; site inspections; new modules; and plenty more. These changes also cover existing general NPDES permits, which could bump existing general permit holders into individual permits, particularly for discharges into streams with certain Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL’s).

The more significant changes to the NPDES PAG-02 Permit include:

  • PAG-02 Permits will only be renewed until December 7, 2024, which is the date the statewide PAG-02 General Permit will expire;
  • Permittees will need to implement a non-discharge alternative or best management practices (BMPs) for:
    • Certain impaired surface waters; and
    • Surface waters covered by a TMDL, in addition to complying with any specific waste load allocation assigned to your discharge in a TMDL;
  • The measurable rainfall that triggers a post-storm inspection has been clarified to be a minimum 0.25 inches;
  • Observed deficiencies in E&S or PCSM Plans require the completion of a new Visual Site Inspection Report;
  • The new General Permit now requires the submission of proof of instrument recording, both at the time of Notice of Termination submission, and at the time an application is submitted to transfer permit coverage, if applicable
  • PAG-02 Permits now require the submission of new E&S and PCSM Modules;
  • The Application for NPDES/WQM Permit Transfer will now be used for transferring General Permit coverage to a new permittee;
  • The Co-Permittee Acknowledgement Form for Chapter 102 Permits will now be used to add new operators that must be co-permittees to your General Permit coverage;

Are you effected by these new stormwater permitting requirements?

In order to determine if the new General Permit conditions will impact existing permit holders, existing NPDES permittees must complete and submit an Acknowledgement Form of these changes to the PADEP by March 9, 2020. Permittees must submit an individual NPDES permit application by March 9, 2020 if they are no longer eligible for General Permit coverage, or if they will be unable to comply with the terms and conditions of the 2019 General Permit.

Brickhouse Environmental’s staff of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Scientists are experienced at providing cost-effective stormwater management permit solutions and responding to our client’s needs. For more information, please contact Al Yates, P.E. (ayates@brickhouse-environmental.com).

Links:

PAG-02 General Permit and supporting Documents are available through DEP’s Library:  http://www.depgreenport.state.pa.us/elibrary/

Department of Environmental Protection’s Construction Stormwater website

Filed Under: Brickhouse, Site Remediation, Technical Articles Tagged With: contamination, Environmental Consulting, Environmental Due Diligence, EPA, permits, permitting, Site Remediation, soil, stormwater management, Water

June Newsletter -The Brickhouse Family is Growing!

August 16, 2019

Join us in Welcoming our New Employees!

Alexander Chipman

Alexander is a graduate from West Chester University with a degree in Geoscience Earth Systems. He comes to Brickhouse Environmental as a former warehouse worker. When Alex is not collecting soil samples or measuring the depth to water, you can find him rocking the Bass in a local band.  Check out the band’s Instagram account!


Celeste Takach

Celeste is currently enrolled at Bloomsburg University in the Environmental Biology program. She will spend her summer in the field, learning the ropes from our seasoned project scientists. When not in the field, Celeste likes to play soccer and binge watch The Office.


Molly Bowe

With a degree in Business Administration from Rosemont College, Molly comes to Brickhouse from another environmental consulting firm. She leans on her past sales and marketing experiences for her marketing role and is looking forward to bringing sustainability to the West Chester Office. When not at her desk, Molly can be found running on the Montgomery County trails with her four-legged running buddy, Meadow.

Check out Molly’s LinkedIn Profile

Filed Under: Brickhouse

Happy Geologists’ Day!!

April 5, 2019

Professional Geologists’ Day is April 5th. Can you dig it?

Why not celebrate with your favorite Geologist?

Learn more about our Brickhouse Scientists!

DOUGLAS SCHOTT, P.G., DIRECTOR OF GEOLOGIC SERVICES

MICHAEL LANE, CPSS, SENIOR SOIL SCIENTIST

STEPHEN HUXTA, PROJECT MANAGER

Crystal Cave is great underground cave, located near Kutztown, PA, is known for its abundance of milky white formations that have thrilled visitors for over 145 years.
Visit a cave

Visit a cave like the Historic Crystal Cave

 

A DARK NARROW HOLE leading into the side of a steep hill was accidentally discovered by William Merkel and John Gehret while they were blasting for limestone on a Sunday morning, November 12, 1871.

AFTER THE SMOKE CLEARED and the surrounding dirt was removed, they realized that the opening was large enough to enter.

CURIOSITY LED THEM INSIDE, but total darkness and fear of the unknown kept them from going any further…

 

A sinkhole swallows a house, trees and anything else in its way
Check out a sinkhole

Check out a sinkhole –Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

 

According to the PA dept of Conservation and Natural Resource website, a sinkhole is a subsidence feature resulting from the downward movement of surficial material into a pre-existing subsurface void.Sinkholes come in many shapes and sizes, and although caused by naturally occurring processes, their formation can be accelerated by human activities.

 

Red Rock Mountain Park Amphitheater
Take in a “rock” concert

Take in a “rock” concert -Visit Red Rocks Mountain Park
Red Rocks Park is not just a beautiful place to see a concert.  There are 738 total acres of deer, dinosaurs, pines and prairie, geological wonders and spectacular vistas.  The Park is a unique transitional zone where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains and is at 6,450 feet above sea level. Visitors can see plants, birds and animals of both regions. Red Rocks Amphitheater is a geological phenomenon – the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world. From Sting and The Beatles, to opera stars and U2, every artist aspires to play on this magical, spiritual and emotional stage.

Make a weekend of it!!  But no matter what you do this Sunday, please take a moment to think fondly of your favorite Geologists!!

 

 

Brickhouse Environmental

 

Filed Under: Brickhouse, Giving Back, Uncategorized Tagged With: dig, Environmental Consulting, Geologist

November Newsletter – More Ethanol in Gas?, The Golden Brick, & Drones

November 1, 2018

Top Stories
Gas Station Dispenser Island
More or Less Ethanol in Gasoline? Pros and Cons for the Environment

Gasoline and its additives have historically been a hot topic in the environmental arena, and they have recently made headlines again with the proposed increase of ethanol use in our gasoline. Throughout the years, changes to gasoline additives have improved our vehicle mileage, reduced emissions to the air, and have at least tried to align with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) mission to protect human health and the environment. But they have also left behind some interesting fingerprints, especially at soil and groundwater cleanup sites.

Changes in Gasoline Additives Over Time

Gasoline additives have been in use since the 1920s. Lead was added to gasoline as far back as the 1920s, as an alternative fuel to reduce “knocking,” boost octane, and prevent the buildup of deposits within the engine. Lead was phased out in the 1980s, due to identified adverse health risks. In 1990, Amendments to the Clean Air Act required the use of oxygenated gasoline in areas with unhealthy levels of air pollution. As a result, between 1992 and 2005, Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) became the oxygenating additive of choice,but it was later found to have detrimental effects to groundwater from emissions and/or spills, due to its high solubility and resistance to biodegradation. As a result, MTBE was phased out and replaced with Ethanol, which is a corn-based additive that provides the beneficial oxygenation required by the Clean Air Act, while also meeting federal requirements for renewable fuels.

Ethanol – “E10” vs. “E15”

Since the 1970s, when oil became more expensive and subject to international disputes – and as worries rose about the environmental damage caused by fossil fuels – the U.S. government has used various policy incentives to encourage the use of ethanol and other environmentally friendly supplements to gasoline. As a result, ethanol reportedly makes up about 10 percent of current U.S. gasoline usage.

For several years, Federal regulations have allowed the sale of ethanol-containing fuels with up to 15 percent ethanol (known as “E15”). However, most U.S. service stations only provide “E10,” because the more corrosive E15 can cause damage to older model cars. There has been much debate over the pros and cons of E10 versus E15, as many say that E10 provides sufficient oxygenation to make gasoline burn more cleanly and reduce air pollution. And, while it might be assumed that E15 would be better for air quality, the EPA currently blocks the sale of E15 from June 1 to September 15 in areas where smog is a problem, due to the volatility of the fuel, and the greater evaporation of gas during those warmer periods possibly causing more smog. Still, with the overall push for alternative fuels, the changing design of cars to handle the fuels, and a nod to the corn farmers in the Midwest, we may be seeing E15 more widely available in the near future.

Increased Ethanol Creates Unexpected Challenges at Cleanup Sites

An interesting side effect of ethanol use is also being discovered at petroleum cleanup sites. The subsurface geochemistry at a site is a key factor in assessing the source of a release, the speed and extent of contaminant migration, and appropriate cleanup options. Additives such as lead and MTBE have always provided clues as to the age, degradation, and source of releases. But now, in addition to differentiating fuel sources, environmental scientists are recognizing the impact that higher versus lower percentages of ethanol can have on subsurface geochemistry at spill sites, and that ethanol can actually create conditions for increased mobilization of contaminants in the environment. More specifically, studies indicate that ethanol significantly increases the solubility of petroleum constituents in water, which can have several effects at spill sites:

  • Once released to the subsurface, greater percentages of contaminants (benzene, etc.) can dissolve into the groundwater, resulting in larger dissolved plumes, with faster and further plume migration.
  • When ethanol fuels encounter older, residual petroleum in soils, the previously sorbed residuals can be remobilized by contact with the ethanol, and flushed toward the water table.
  • Ethanol inhibits the natural biodegradation of petroleum contaminants, especially BTEX, due to the preferential degradation of the ethanol.

The net effect is less natural attenuation, and increased dissolution and migration of gasoline constituents in groundwater. And the higher the ethanol concentrations, the greater the effects.

The Golden Brick…
For years, many of the staff at Brickhouse have insisted that they are more than just experts in science and engineering — that they also have an artistic and creative side. Now, they finally have a chance to prove it — in the Brickhouse Environmental Monthly Photo Contest!!Each month, all members of the Brickhouse team are invited to capture and submit their best images from the field, the office, or anywhere else along their daily travels. At the end of each month, all staff anonymously vote for their favorite image. The winner receives a gift card and… “The [coveted] Golden Brick,” to proudly display as a testament to their achievement. Said contest creator Cherie E.: “This contest not only gives us all a chance to unleash our pent-up creative and artistic sides, but also to share with the world some of our cultural and day-to-day experiences that make Brickhouse so enjoyable.”

The inaugural winning photo is also featured on the homepage of our website- click here to see September’s winner: http://bhe.integral.support/.

Environmental Applications of Drones
Drones are everywhere these days! They’re in your child’s hands, on the battlefield, doing great things, or getting their owners in trouble. Speaking of great things…environmental scientists, consulting firms, and private industry are putting them to work in all sorts of creative and useful ways. New instrumentation is continually being developed to further expand the usefulness of this (relatively) new research tool in the realm of environmental and geologic site investigation.Brickhouse Environmental recently had the opportunity to attend a 1-day seminar presented by the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists (www.PCPG.org), geared toward the use of drones by geologic and environmental professionals. Presenters from West Chester University and Groundwater and Environmental Services, Inc. provided us with a very informative, hands-on experience that got us thinking more seriously about the applications of this technology and how it could benefit our clients. When I think of drones, I think of aerial photography and video. While this is one of the more common applications, advances in imagery collection and processing have turned pretty pictures into 3 dimensional georeferenced models, that can be manipulated in a variety of ways to rapidly gather and process site elevation data. Beyond aerial imagery collection, the capabilities of drones are only limited by the instrumentation they can carry. The following is just a sampling of the types of data that can be obtained by drones through the addition of specific cameras, sensors, and instrumentation: LiDAR imagery, radiological activity, gas composition, infrared imagery, meteorological information, and geophysical data.

These advances in drone capable instrumentation are creating ways for drones and their onboard technologies to be applied throughout our industry to the benefit of our clients and the regulated community. Here is a just a sample of these applications:

  • High resolution topographic and aerial photographic surveys can be obtained and processed quickly and cost effectively for use in complex environmental due diligence, land redevelopment, landfill volume calculations, pipeline/stream surveys, facility infrastructure inspection, etc.
  • Geophysical instrumentation can be flown over large areas to survey for buried metallic objects or debris (e.g. drums, underground tanks, pipelines, etc.).
  • A variety of gas monitoring equipment can be drone-mounted, allowing large areas to be quickly surveyed at a safe distance.
  • Remediation sites that involve contaminated groundwater discharges to surface water bodies can be challenging to fully characterize. It is possible with drone-mounted infrared cameras to locate these groundwater discharges along stream embankments with pinpoint accuracy.

While they look like big toys and can be seriously fun, they’re also seriously useful and economical, considering the potential overall benefit they can bring to a project. The quantity of quality data that can be obtained per dollar is significantly higher than other more conventional means of environmental and geologic data collection. While the use of drones is not applicable to all projects, their list of capabilities is continually expanding as technology advances.</

If you have any questions about drone applications for your site or project, please contact us.

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Filed Under: Brickhouse, Industrial Compliance, Technical Articles

Adopt a Highway

October 1, 2018

Brickhouse Group Pic_Adopt a Hwy 09.2018Ever wondered who participates in the adopt-a-highway cleanups?  Check out the people in the lime green shirts on the side of the highway.  In an effort to help keep Pennsylvania beautiful and show pride in our community, Brickhouse Environmental adopted a busy segment of highway in West Chester and recently participated in our first bi-annual cleanup.

We got lucky with great weather and had a surprising amount of fun collecting litter together. Our awesome, dedicated team of volunteers uncovered more trash than anticipated, but we enjoyed improving our community and shared lots of laughs along the way.

Brickhouse Environmental is proud to join many fellow citizens across the Commonwealth in helping to keep our roads clean and enjoyable for everyone. We look forward to our next cleanup in the Spring!

 

To get your office involved in the adopt-a-highway program visit the Penndot website.
Brickhouse_Adopt a Hwy 09.2018

 

Filed Under: Brickhouse, Giving Back, Site Remediation

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Site Remediation
Environmental Due Diligence
Solid Waste Management
Industrial Compliance
Water Resource Management
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Heating Oil Clean-ups
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Contact Us

515 South Franklin Street
West Chester, PA 19382
610-692-5770 (Phone)
610-692-8650 (Fax)
brickhouse@brickhouse-environmental.com

Testimonials

Dave, Very solid and professional work Dave. Thank you for everything.

– Dan W.
 

Paul, Thanks for your excellent work and planning for this. Glad it is done!

– Phillip R.
 

Your field staff were awesome. Steve is especially sharp and communicates well with the client and attorneys.
The whole crew inspired confidence, and made a strong impression that Brickhouse is a quality outfit.

– Sam C. and Mark R.
 

Excellent job to all at Brickhouse! Yet another successful project, nice work! Thank you.

– Scott E.
 

The loan went through! Thanks for all that you have done for us, you did an amazing job!!!

– Pete S.
 

We officially sold the home. We thank you and appreciate what you have done to ease the transition. Your expertise is duly noted and it was nice working with you.

– Joseph P.
 

It was a pleasure working with you guys… I will definitely call again when we run into any environmental issues on our projects.

– Steven O.
 

You did an absolutely incredible job. I am so impressed by the level of detail in the report. Thank you so very much.

– David T.
 

Thanks Paul and company, great job.

– Richard B.
 

Your work has been excellent and I will be very happy to continue our relationship going forward.

– Gordon M.
 

Thanks for the status updates, I got out there as they were working on the newly uncovered well. Nice guys out there, personable and professional.

– Gary P.
 

Thank you very much for your assistance in my tank removal project. Your managers and field crew were a pleasure to work with.

– Chris M.
 

Thanks Michael, you did a fantastic job on this report, and made my life a lot easier.

– Brian B.
 

Thanks so much for your continued great work on this project. We are impressed with your work.

– Michael H.
 

Dave Farrington and Brickhouse have worked with Action Manufacturing Company as consultants on our Environmental projects with excellent results.

– Randy A.
 

I want to thank you and Brickhouse for your help throughout this process. I will recommend you to everyone that requires environmental services. Your company is truly professional. Thanks again.

– Tommy M.
 

Thanks Dave. Outstanding effort by you and your team in getting this done.

– Richard F.
 

I just heard from my colleagues in Philadelphia about the case.  They had nothing but praise for the effort your firm contributed.  Thanks for stepping up to this project at the last minute.

– John C.
 
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