Geosciences - Site Investigations, Field Audits, Expert Testimony

Site Investigations
Environmental Standards is unique in the time we spend developing a full understanding of a client's business needs and objectives prior to designing and implementing site investigations. By carefully understanding a client's broad business objectives and site management strategy, we develop investigation plans to address the right questions the first time, thereby avoiding multiple investigation phases. Environmental Standards understands both traditional and innovative site investigation procedures. Our investigation services include groundwater well network design, installation, and monitoring; surface water studies; indoor air vapor studies; and soil investigations. Our clients also benefit from our proficiency in contaminant fate and transport and groundwater modeling.

Third-Party Field Audits
As part of Environmental Standards' environmental data quality assurance services, our Geosciences Department conducts independent third-party field audits of our clients' field sampling contractors. The field audits are conducted for the following four primary purposes:

To identify ways to reduce sampling costs.
To verify that contractors adhere to work plan procedures and SOPs during field operations.
To provide independent assurance that field procedures, QA/QC protocol, and field documentation are sufficient to produce data of satisfactory quality.
To provide our clients with a "defense" in the event that field procedures are called into question.

Data Visualization
Environmental projects tend to generate a large amount of data; in fact, it has been estimated that most Fortune 500 companies have more environmental data "records" than tax records. Comprehension and evaluation of these data are critical to a project's technical and economic success. Geographic Information System (GIS), AutoCAD, and Environmental Visualization Services (EVS) can be a tremendous aid both in the evaluation and comprehension of data for sound business decision-making.

Environmental Standards routinely uses GIS software to analyze and visualize a wide variety of client data. GIS is a computer software program that produces dynamic maps by linking geographic information (where things are) with descriptive information (what things are like).

Not every project requires the power of GIS. In many cases, AutoCAD will suffice; we maintain the latest version of AutoDesk's AutoCAD.

Environmental Standards uses the latest version of the EVS software package developed by Ctech, Inc. EVS is a powerful software package that allows the display of environmental site data in a three-dimensional (3-D) framework. The software can quickly process data and display the results graphically as three-dimensional sampling locations, three dimensional plume volumes above a certain action level, and three-dimensional kriged contoured surfaces.

Fate and Transport Modeling
Contaminant fate and transport modeling provides a means of evaluating the potential for chemicals to migrate and impact a receptor. In the first step of the two-step process, the geology of the study area is characterized (understood physically) and the pattern of fluid movement in the subsurface environment is ascertained (hydrogeology). The second step is the evaluation of the movement of contaminants dissolved in the water and in a pure product form, if present. The movement of chemicals in the environment is determined either by mass-balance calculation or by analytically, semi-analytically, or numerically simulating the movement of contaminants using computer models.

Litigation Support/Expert Testimony
Environmental Standards is a highly respected firm capable of providing technical assistance during litigation and testimony proceedings. Environmental Standards personnel have provided geologic and hydrogeologic litigation support services to private industry, insurance companies, and law firms. Some clients benefit from our third-party damage claims review through which we are able to offer a technical basis for challenging unrealistic damage, as well as punitive and compensatory, claims.

Brownfields Redevelopment
We have successfully guided clients through many state programs by applying science and current technology to develop efficient, cost-effective strategies that make optimum use of the flexibility allowed in the programs. Our experience at nearly 100 brownfield sites affords us the opportunity to provide property redevelopment services of unparalleled value in short timeframes conducive to the fast-paced world of real estate and project finance.

For more information regarding our Consulting Geosciences services, contact Director of Geoscience/Principal Daniel P. Claycomb, P.G., at 610-935-5577.