During our February webinar there were several questions asked by attendees; we were able to answer many, but we ran out of time before getting to all of them. As promised, our presenters have drafted answers to all of your questions. Please see the full Q & A below. 

Our next webinar will be on April 10, 2019 at 12:00 pm. We will update our webinar page once the details are finalized.

1. Do the discharge requirements include PFA's and PFO's?  
   In general, discharge requirements for storm water permits currently do not include PFAs or PFOs. The facility’s permit should be checked to determine the discharge requirements as these compounds, or others, may be incorporated to more recent updated permits.
   
   
2. Is a City DPW garage considered an Industrial Site where you need and Industrial Site Operator? 
   It depends, if the DPW garage performs vehicle maintenance including fueling activities, and is located in an area with separate storm sewers then yes the facility would be considered an industrial site and would meet the applicability for a stormwater permit; therefore, the facility would need an industrial stormwater operator.  If these activities do not occur at the DPW garage it would not be considered an industrial site and would not meet the applicability for a storm water permit. So, depending on the activities on-site and the presence of separate storm sewers, would determine if the facility requires an industrial stormwater discharge permit.
   
   
3. How often does the storm water need to be tested for maintenance? 
   Storm water visual assessments are required on a quarterly basis, as stipulated in your permit. If you have engineered stormwater controls that require maintenance (oil water separators, sedimentation basins, etc.) inspections of these structures should occur on a regular basis. Depending on the structure and on-site activities, quarterly maintenance may not be frequent enough, and for the control to operate properly it may need to be inspected and have maintenance performed on a more frequent basis.
   
   
4. Who establishes the impervious acre/month fee in the various localities? 
   The various entities establish the fee themselves. It is likely connected to their own expenses related to the temporary storage and treatment of the local stormwater. Some locales are more expensive than others, it just depends on where your site happens to be.
   
   
5. Are there specific states that establish these fees or is this a local requirement? 
   As of now, the fees are a local requirement. Some entities don’t have any stormwater fees, but many of these programs are getting rolled out as weather gets more unpredictable and cities become more urbanized. As they start to have more problems with flooding or uncontrolled/untreated releases, they establish stormwater fees in an attempt to reduce the stormwater flows entering the system.
   
   
6. Do sites that stockpile excess excavated materials like soil, shale, topsoil, asphalt, etc. for eventual reuse in other construction projects need an Industrial SW Permit? 
   The requirement to obtain an industrial storm water permit is based on the facility’s SIC code, as such, the facility may not need to obtain an industrial storm water permit. The facility may need to obtain a construction storm water permit (an SESC permit from the appropriate Part 91(in Michigan) permitting agency) if disturbing greater than an acre and/or is located within 500 feet of a water of the state. Please check with your permitting agency to confirm the need for a SESC permit.
   
   
7. If our SPCC/SWPPP is off of the old NPDES permit, do we need an update for the new required SIC code changes or change we wait till it expires in 5 years?  
   Your SPCC/SWPPP are “living documents” and should be updated with changes to your facility, incorporating the requirements of your current NPDES permit.  If your current NDPES permit does not have a requirement to perform visual assessments or benchmark monitoring, it is OK to wait to update your plan until a new permit is issued.
   
   
8. What is the benchmark testing requirement for storm water discharges?  As there are so many chemicals used at industrial facilities, how are the primary parameters determined? 
   The benchmark monitoring requirements are generally state dependent and tend to focus on specific industries. While the federal multi-sector general permit has specific parameters for benchmark monitoring, some states have opted to add additional parameters, while other states have put the burden on the specific industry to determine what parameters to include in their benchmark monitoring plan.
   
   
9. If my site discharges to a sanitary or combined sewer, do I need a stormwater permit? 
   Storm water discharges to a combined sewer do not require a storm water permit. There may be instances where a municipality may inquire about pollution prevention practices, but generally, a permit is not required.
   
   
10. I have a discharge permit, how do I know I need a SWPP? 
    The requirement to develop a SWPPP is permit dependent and generally included in the facility’s permit. Most discharge permits that have a storm water component will require a SWPPP if the facility falls within specific SIC code categories.
    
    
11. I have an SPCC plan for my stormwater facility, do I need a SWPP?  
    Regardless of whether a facility has a SPCC in place, a SWPPP may be required depending on your SIC code and/or permit requirements. The requirements of a SWPPP are differenct than those of an SPCC. The two documents can be combined or the procedures in the SPCC can be incorporated into the SWPPP, or the SPCC incorporated into the SWPPP as an attachment or by reference.
    
    
12. What is the level of effort required to get credits? 
    It depends on both the site and the entity. If the site is large and has a lot of potential for different green infrastructure solutions, then the design and the review of the design will take longer. Also many of these stormwater credit programs are new, and sometimes the entities need longer to review because they’re still structuring the review process.
    
    
13. If I get credits, how long do they last? 
    Again, it depends on the entity. NEORSD is 1 year. DWSD is 3 years. You can ask the entity or your engineer and they will know. You will need to maintain your stormwater management practices to continue receiving credits when their time is up. Renewal of stormwater credits will require an stormwater credit renewal application.
    
    
14. Are there underground retention options? 
    Yes, underground detention is an option for stormwater credits, but will only generate peak flow credits for your site, no credits related to volume.
    ​
15. Do you have some examples of applications. Some examples can be found at these links:
    
    ​DWSD Drainage Charge Adjustment Application
    https://detroitmi.gov/document/drainage-charge-adjustment-application
    
    ​DWSD Drainage Charge Credit Application
    ​https://detroitmi.gov/forms/drainage-charge-credit-application
    
    NEORSD Stormwater Credit Applications
    https://www.neorsd.org/fee-credit/

If you were not able to attend the webinar, you can view it here: 

​Continuing its streak of recognition for exemplary company culture and employee engagement, NTH announced that it has recently been named a Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation. The Best and Brightest Program honored 512 national winning organizations from across the country out of 2,400 nominations. 

The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in operations and employee enrichment that lead to increased productivity and financial performance. It scores potential winners based on regional data of company performance and a set standard across the nation. The award celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole. The 2018 national winning companies were assessed by an independent research firm which reviewed a number of key measures relative to other nationally recognized winners. 

Earlier in 2018, NTH received the “ESOP Company of the Year” award, as well as earning a spot as one of “Metro Detroit’s 2018 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For”. 

University Prep Math and Science Middle School, Detroit Wins Best Engineered Project 

NTH Consultants was proud to sponsor the 2019 Michigan Regional Future City Competition on January 22, 2018, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan.The ESD Michigan Regional Future City Competition is designed to engage students' interest in math, science, and engineering through real-life, practical and hands-on activities. Future City is a cross-curricular educational program where students work as a team with an educator and volunteer mentor to design a city of the future. 

This year, the Future City Challenge theme was "Powering Our Future!"  The teams were challenged to design a city with a resilient power grid that can withstand or recover quickly from natural disasters. 

As in the past, NTH judged the "Best Engineered Project" special award. There was considerable competition in this category, and all of the teams had interesting engineering solutions that would allow their cities to withstand natural disasters. University Prep Math and Science Middle School, Detroit did stand out to our judges due to the layout of their city and their infrastructure design, however, it was their solution to river flooding that really caught our eye. They designed the banks of their river to be surrounded by balloon-type structures that would inflate automatically at the first sign of rising waters in order to protect the city from flooding. These structures would then deflate when the threat disappeared without any physical work needed to remove them, like sand bags or other manual solutions would require. 

Another team that stood out to us for their engineering and their excellent presenting skills was St. John's Lutheran School. Their city and supplemental collateral were an excellent way to convey their engineering solutions. It turns our that our instincts were right on as this all-female team ended up winning the entire competition. In February, the winning team from each region competes at the national finals in Washington, DC, so St. John's will represent Michigan to compete in the finals. (Click here for the link to all winners.)

Our judging team was thrilled to participate in the competition again this year and enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm, intelligence and creativity from these 6th - 8th grade students. We expect to be working alongside some of them in the future here at NTH!

​NTH today announced the promotions of two key leaders within the firm to support the firm’s growing public infrastructure and underground engineering initiatives. 
 
Jason Edberg, P.E., who has provided his leadership to the firm’s operations for a number of years, and has been instrumental in creating a vision and charting the course for NTH’s Underground Engineering Division, has been promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice President. In this position, Jason will  manage NTH’s portfolio of water, wastewater, and transportation clients and lead the firm’s public infrastructure initiatives, building upon recent high-profile project wins, such as the Gordie Howe International Bridge and Segment 3 of the I-75 Modernization Project.
 
Jason joined NTH in 2004 and was named Young Engineer of the Year in 2009 by the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers (Detroit) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (Michigan).  Jason has more than 19 years of experience in heavy civil / structural design and project management, and during his time at NTH, he has taken the helm of several major infrastructure projects, garnering local, regional, and national awards. 
 
Saju Sachidanandan, P.E. has been promoted to Vice President. In this position, Saju will lead the expanded Underground Engineering Division that began under Jason’s leadership and will oversee the infrastructure design, subsurface exploration, geo-structural, and construction support teams as well as laboratory operations for NTH. Saju has more than 18 years of experience in civil / structural engineering and will bring the high-level project delivery and operational skills he has developed with NTH to maintain the firm’s 50-year tradition of providing excellent service to our clients. Saju joined NTH in 2005 and has served in technical and project management roles in the design and construction of major civil infrastructure projects.
 
“NTH is committed to providing growth opportunities for our staff and has a history of rewarding hard work and strong leadership. Jason and Saju have proven that they have the depth of experience and the vision to help move NTH forward to where we want to be as a company,” said Jeff Jaros, Chief Operating Officer.

NTH has been part of the reclamation of the Detroit Riverfront for many years and our experts have completed several condition assessments on and around Belle Isle over the last three decades. In fact, between the Rouge River and the Detroit River, NTH’s Detroit Office has been involved in more than 40 shoreline and shoreline structure restoration projects. For example, NTH worked with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to design the initial 3.5 mile stretch along the East Riverfront in 2007. Four years later, NTH completed the nearby award-winning Port Authority project, a complex project in which NTH rehabilitated a 90-year old wharf structure while maintaining two active CSO outfalls and a raw water pump station and transmission main in a densely developed area. Also, NTH designed temporary shoring and bracing for the award-winning Cobo Arena renovation, and we just began work on the highly-anticipated West Riverfront Park.

In addition, just outside of Belle Isle, NTH performed a condition assessment of the Edison Boat Club in 2015 to identify the capital funding needed to bring the existing facility and appurtenant structures up to current design codes and standards.

NTH has also worked directly on Belle Isle over the years. Some of those projects include:

The Detroit Boat Club: Detroit Boat Club is a well-known landmark located just east of the bridge on Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan. In 1991, NTH was retained by the City of Detroit Recreation Department to perform a condition survey of the facility. The investigation and recommendations addressed the building, its foundations, the attendant structures on shore and the dock system that existed at the time. In 1996, NTH was again retained to assess the current state of the structure and compare it to the 1991 study. This assessment included roof framing and sheathing, asbestos, lead based paint and the pile foundations. 

The Belle Isle Aquarium and Conservatory: While not directly on the waterfront, NTH was retained to provide a building envelope evaluation of these structures due to our experience in the area. NTH conducted a detailed investigation of structural members to identify evidence of physical deterioration and loss of structural capacity. Our professionals obtained representative samples of structural members for laboratory analysis of yield strength, ultimate strength, and elongation of the structural steel. We also analyzed samples of protective paint coatings on structural members, through atomic absorption spectroscopy, to identify lead content. Finally, NTH performed an evaluation of exterior masonry walls and glass/glazing systems to document conditions of physical distress, deterioration, and suitability for future rehabilitation and prepared a detailed report to document existing conditions for each facility, and included recommendations for long-term restoration of the structural and facade systems.

Belle Isle Intake Dike Inspection: NTH performed dive and above water inspections of the shoreline protection systems at the Belle Isle Intake and the design of repair and restoration measures.  

Belle Isle Shoreline Restoration: NTH provided analysis and design of a shoreline protection system for an eroding portion of the shoreline at the west end of the island.

Our experience with analysis of numerous shoreline systems and with investigating and repairing failed shorelines and shoreline structures affords NTH a unique perspective that allows us to quickly ascertain the critical project elements and pursue appropriate solutions. If you have a waterfront project that requires consultation with industry experts, let us know how we can help.

Why did DWSD Start Charging for Stormwater?
In October 2016, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) started charging property owners a fee to discharge stormwater generated from each parcel within city limits to sewers. Like many older communities, Detroit has a combined sewer system, meaning the sanitary sewer and stormwater flow to the same piping system and end up at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) or combined sewer overflow (CSO) control facilities. To offset the fee, DWSD also rolled out a stormwater credit program, encouraging their customers to reduce their monthly stormwater charges by earning volume credits (lowering the volume of stormwater leaving their site), or peak flow credits (retaining their stormwater temporarily after a rain event before releasing it to the sewer). Volume credits are available because DWSD’s portion of the costs associated with running the WWTP are determined based on the amount of wastewater volume generated by parcels in the City of Detroit. Peak flow credits are available because Detroit has to build CSO control facilities to detain and treat the water during large storm events. Reducing the amount of stormwater entering the system would reduce the need to build and maintain more of these facilities.
​
How to Lower the Cost of a Stormwater Bill
DWSD determines the stormwater bill for each customer by calculating the amount of impervious area (parking areas and roofs) on the site and multiplying it by a drainage charge rate. Therefore, the best way to achieve savings is by removing impervious surfaces (unnecessary parking/pavement areas, unused buildings) from the property and replacing them with pervious surfaces (grass, landscaping, gravel), if plausible. Customers can reduce their stormwater fees because they are not billed for pervious areas on their property, only the impervious areas.
Of course, customers cannot remove all impervious areas on their site, and that’s where the stormwater credits and green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) practices provide financial relief. Credits can be achieved through a number of common GSI practices, including bioretention (rain gardens, bioswales, planter boxes), roof drain disconnection (sending gutters to lawn areas or GSI practices instead of the sewer), detention basins, green roofs, rainwater harvesting/ reuse, and permeable pavement. Customers can achieve volume credits with retention, by allowing their stormwater to infiltrate into the ground on their site rather than entering the sewer. They can earn peak flow credits with detention by releasing their stormwater slowly over a period of time. Customers can receive up to an 80 percent reduction of their stormwater charge by implementing practices that achieve both volume and peak flow reduction, or 40 percent for implementing one type of practice (volume or peak reduction). 

Receiving Stormwater Credits: The Process
To begin the process, customers first contact DWSD and set up a free site assessment. DWSD representatives will come out to the property, perform a site assessment, and develop a conceptual report and plan, including projected costs, savings, and payback period associated with the installation of GSI practices. During this process, the customer can hire a consulting engineer to move forward with the conceptual plan and perform a full design for the site; a licensed professional engineer (PE) is required to seal the construction drawings. The consulting engineer can complete design and construction plans, finalize the cost estimate, complete the appropriate credit applications and supporting documentation, and help the customer receive approval from DWSD through negotiations. The property owner will need to hire a contractor to install the GSI practices, and after it is built, a PE certifies constructed conditions to receive credits. The credits remain valid for 3 years; afterwards, if a PE or certified stormwater operator confirm acceptable operation and performance, the owner will continue receiving stormwater credits for another 3 years.

​Sources of Funding
DWSD set up the Capital Partnership Program (CPP), in which non-residential customers can receive a grant that covers up to 50 percent of a GSI practice installation project with a maximum grant of $50,000. To receive a grant, the applicant must meet the requirements outlined in the application and sign an agreement with DWSD for ongoing maintenance. Non-profit organizations can earn credits through community outreach by educating residents about the stormwater credit program. Non-profits can receive credits by sharing information with residents, collecting awareness surveys, providing testimonials, and hosting events for DWSD. To be considered for this program, non-profits must submit an application, enter into an Outreach Credit Agreement, and, once approved, submit validation of successful outreach activity. There are other sources of funding available in the area, such as from the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund, a public-private partnership to improve natural resources in Southeast Michigan.

Summary
GSI practices offer benefits to DWSD due to lower volumes, which help Detroit comply with federal environmental mandates, but also offer benefits to a property owner, as the upfront cost will eventually pay off through savings on the stormwater charge in the future. GSI practices also improve water quality, restore natural features, and reduce flooding concerns and combined sewer overflows attributed with large storms. 

​NTH can help clients with similar challenges through creative GSI design. If you are interested in a consultation with your stormwater project, please contact me at sgrant@nthconsultants.com. 

Links to More Information
DWSD Drainage Guide and Applications
Community Outreach Credit Information
DWSD Capital Partnership Program Application
Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund Information

On October 17, Rob Bates presented our fall webinar, Lifecycle Of Renewable Energy Project Development. Rob covered a lot of information and our audience was very engaged with questions for him. Unfortunately, we were not able to get to all of them in the time we had. As promised, Rob has answered all of the questions - you can see all of the questions and answers below:

Q: For Solar energy, is there an average per State based on how 'sunny' a State is? Being in Michigan, much of winter is cloudy and didn't know how much this affected potential for solar energy.
A: The National Research Energy Lab (NREL) has interactive U.S. State Solar Resource Maps that show Direct Normal Irradiance as well as Global Horizontal Irradiance for the U.S. Michigan’s Resource Range for Direct Normal Solar is 3.4 to 4.4(kWh/m2/Day) and Michigan’s Resource Range for Global Horizontal Solar resource is 3.5 to 4.0(kWh/m2/Day) https://www.nrel.gov/gis/solar.html 

Cloud cover certainly reduces the power generated by a solar panel, as does the length of day as you move North and South in the U.S. These factors are accounted for by the interactive maps described above.

Q: What is included in evaluating the economics? 
A: There are many techniques and models that can be used to evaluate your proposed projects economics, including some free ones available through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, like CREST (Cost of Renewable Energy Spreadsheet Tool). 

Q: If you were to install solar panels on a landfill, what would be the maximum slope they could be installed on?
A: Ideally, a fixed solar energy system should be at an angle that is equal to the latitude of the location where it is installed. However, pitch angles of the panels between 30 and 45 degrees will work well in most situations. As too how steep of a slope you can install panels on will depend on the type of installation, either a fixed installation (panels do not move) or a tracking installation (panels move to track the sun’s path, and optimize the most exposure), and also if the mounting systems will be installed in foundations or driven into the ground.

Q: What kinds of renewable energy projects will people likely invest in in SE Michigan, SW Michigan, and other parts of Michigan? What will we see in Detroit area for renewables? As a consultant, what will be our roll?
A: With wind projects currently having a more difficult time with siting in Michigan, it looks like the largest growth will be in Solar.

Q: What is considered a sensitive receptor for a renewable project?
A: Sensitive receptors are people or other organisms that may have a significantly increased sensitivity  to a project either during the construction phase (e.g. traffic, noise, dust…) or operational phase (e.g. noise, glare, shadow flicker…) by virtue of their age and health (e.g. schools, day care centers, hospitals, nursing homes), and status (e.g. sensitive or endangered species)
 
Q: What kinds of impacts are you talking about with shadow flicker studies?
A: Impacts associated with shadow flicker are the sensitive receptors, as described in the previous question, and is mostly an impact on quality of life and causes a nuisance effect for receptors that are affected. Some concerns are raised that shadow flicker has the “potential” to cause nausea, dizziness, and disorientation.

Q: How would you perform a glare study – what is involved in that?
A: The most important aspect of the glare study for commercial and utility solar projects is to ensure that the glare does not cause travel hazards and impair the quality of life of the surrounding residences and businesses (sensitive receptors). The study is completed by running simulations for different observation points around the project using computer modeling, such as the Solar Glare Hazard Analysis Tool.

Q: For biomass, are odor/prevailing wind siting factors?
A: Yes, when looking at siting your project, odor/prevailing wind would be considered, and dependent on what type of biomass you are considering to burn would impact your decision and potential air quality permitting requirements.
 
Q: If you install solar panels, and someone puts a massive billboard or building up shading your investment. Who is responsible for the loss on the return of investments?
A: You would need to consider these possibilities prior to developing your project, either by leaving a sufficient buffer on your property or coming to an agreement with neighboring land owners, likely in the form of a solar easement.
A solar easement is a bit more complicated than a traditional easement for a pipe under your yard or a walkway from your home. A solar easement restricts what your neighbor can build or grow on his property within his or her airspace, because the neighbor cannot block sunlight to your solar panels.

Solar easements are the best method of assuring that you will have solar access, even if your neighbor sells the home, since easements are a permanent part of the parcel’s property record. (While you could ask your neighbor to refrain from planting a tall tree blocking your panels, this promise would not bind a buyer of the house who moves in next year).

Unlike a power company, which can claim an easement under your land by necessity, solar easements are voluntary. This means you can’t force your neighbor agree to a solar easement; you will likely have to provide what's known in contract law as "consideration," meaning some form of payment.

Q: What issues or impacts are generally overlooked while proposing a renewable energy project?
A: Although permitting generally comes to mind first, carefully ensuring that you are considering all potential permits and impacts your project may encounter, the largest delays I have experienced on projects have come from public opposition. Because of the delays I have seen from the public and other interested stakeholders (i.e. non-profit organizations), I highly recommend making public outreach and education a high priority throughout the life of the project.

Q: How do you interrelate AC & DC current?
A: There are some topics that are better suited to be answered by other experts, unfortunately, this is one.

Q: Is shading considered a wetland disturbance for these renewable energy sources?
A: Presuming that this is related to a wind turbine, the impact would most likely be shadow flicker on a sensitive receptor within the wetland, such as a rookery of herons and egrets, or another breeding species. So careful evaluation of potential sensitive receptors is important early on in the projects lifecycle.

Q: At what % design completion is major changes not to be considered? 35%?
A: Final design and changes ultimately are up to the project owner and the projects timeline. The further into the projects timeline, major changes have a higher potential to cause delays, especially with permitting through regulatory agencies.

Q: When do you recommend applying to a utility? Do you account for interconnection fees and system upgrades in your analysis? (Asked by CMS)
A: If your project is going to distribution, the local utilities are a major stakeholder that should be engaged early in the project timeline. 

Q: Does the MDEQ have a required amount of time for review and provide comments?
A: According to MDEQ, “generally it will take from 30 to 90 days from the time we receive a complete application until a decision is made on your permit.” Other factors include:

• The size and complexity of your project.
• The number of corrections and additional information that are required for your original application to be administratively complete. 
• If the project requires a Public Notice or a Public Hearing. 
• The season of the year, with spring and summer being the busiest. 
• Correct application fee paid.

Q: Is the claim that solar is more efficient than wind in MI true?
A: In the United States, wind power is significantly more popular than solar. Out of all the renewable energy produced in the U.S. in 2017, 21% came from wind, while just 7% came from solar power. Utilities and large scale operations prefer to utilize wind energy while homeowners prefer solar energy.

The primary benefit of wind over solar power is that wind turbines aren’t dependent on sunlight. This means that they have the ability to generate power 24 hours a day, whereas solar panels only generate power during sunlight hours. Wind come with a significant caveat, however: in order to be effective, wind turbines need to be situated high above any obstacles that would block the wind.

Q: Is there a typical way these projects are financed?
A: Some examples of financing include loans, third party investors, banks, etc… P3’s are still relatively rare in the U.S., but interest from smaller communities looking to develop a project without the upfront cost.

Q: As public outreach is so important, should a company engage a PR firm prior to embarking on a project?
A: If your development group does not have a dedicated PR group with experience, I would recommend using a PR firm with a good track record on renewable energy projects, and carefully vet any firm you are considering hiring.

Q: What is the best approach to engage the community surrounding project areas?
A: There is no “silver bullet” when it comes to community engagement, and this is where a well-studied and experienced PR group will greatly benefit your project.

If you were not able to attend the webinar, you can click here to view it. 

​NTH is an employee-owned (Employee Stock Ownership Program [ESOP]) firm, which means that all NTH staff are Employee Owners. As a result, our team is invested in the company’s performance and client satisfaction, a combination that provides a creative, cooperative atmosphere that benefits our staff, clients, and project outcomes.

During ESOP month, NTH hosts many activities to celebrate our Employee Owners. Today we had a "Breakfast with the Bosses" event at which several bosses chipped in to serve the Employee Owners breakfast that was cooked by our dedicated ESOP committee. 

We had more than 30 employees recognized for being between 20% and 80% vested and one employee, Kelsey Kritzman, celebrated becoming 100% vested in the ESOP program. Kelsey received her personalized NTH / ESOP vest for this achievement. In addition, all employees who are 100% vested received new name plates to show that  they are a fully vested Employee Owner.

At the event, we also held a brief educational webinar, where our CFO explained our ESOP investment statements to help Employee Owners better understand how the ESOP works for them.

NTH will host several more events throughout ESOP month. NTH has an engaged and vibrant company culture and the firm truly values its Employee Owners and their contributions. If you are interested in learning more and how you can become a part of our team, click here to view the career section of our website. 

As the energy market evolves from large centralized systems to more decentralized networks comprised of cleaner, lower carbon and renewable sources, development of renewable projects such as wind and solar are a key focus. As part of these projects, renewable project owners and developers need to evaluate the lifecycle, environmental impacts, and property acquisition as they plan, budget, and execute their renewable project.

Join us on October 17 @ 12:00 pm ET to learn about the timeline and importance of development steps involved in these projects. 

By Jason Edberg, NTH Vice President ​& Principal Engineer

2018 has seen more than its fair share of disasters, from the wildfires and mudslides that devastated portions of California, to the eruption of Mount Kilauea in Hawaii, to Hurricane Florence, the US and the world has been rocked by what seems like one emergency situation after another.  One advantage of living in the Great Lakes region is that we aren’t often faced with emergencies and disasters of this magnitude, at least not natural ones.

Our disasters are more commonly man-made, and often are either caused by or have a tremendous effect on our aging infrastructure.  It’s been 15 years since a tree branch in Ohio knocked out power to more than 50 million people in Michigan and throughout the Midwest, Northeast, and Canada.  Catastrophic sewer collapses have impacted hundreds of thousands of people in suburban Detroit. While efforts are underway to fund improvements to our water, wastewater, transportation, and energy infrastructure, disaster can still strike at any moment – affecting the lives of millions of people.

Since 1978, NTH has answered the call on more than a dozen emergency response situations related to failed underground infrastructure.  We’ve responded to catastrophic sewer collapses throughout Southeast Michigan and Ohio, a collapsed drinking water reservoir in St. Clair County, a collapsed CSO basin in Wayne County, and even failed shoreline protection seawalls at power plants and major shipping terminals.  This experience has made us experts in handling infrastructure emergencies by stabilizing disaster areas, providing temporary service (water, sewer, etc.), evaluating the cause, designing the repair, and restoring service with the least possible impact to public health and welfare. 

While emergencies and disasters cannot be entirely avoided, proper planning and emergency preparedness can make the recovery process faster, cheaper, and more transparent.
​
Emergency Action Plans (EAP) are critical for any organization, but for purposes of this article, we’ll consider them from a water/wastewater utility owner’s perspective.  When a major piece of infrastructure fails, the first questions are:

• Who do I notify?
• Who do I call for help?
• How did this happen?
• How do I fix it?

A good EAP is designed to provide a utility employee with enough system background, communication information, and response details so that a failure event can be responded to in a timely and organized fashion. The document should be laid out so an employee can turn straight to the appropriate section and begin working on the problem at hand.

The Emergency Action Plan should include details on the normal operating conditions, system construction, likely failure scenarios, methods for stabilization and temporary service, and basic repair details for use during an emergency situation.  Another vital part of the plan is internal and external contact information for appropriate notification in the event of a disaster. 

Key information includes:

• An overview that contains information intended for all readers, describing the facilities’ operation, location, and construction.
• More detailed information regarding the construction, design, key connections, underlying crossings, history of repairs, and a current condition assessment summary.
• An analysis of system flow, detailing maximum flow rates and flow depths.
• An analysis of likely failure scenarios and modes of failure that the utility could experience.
• Notification plans, phone trees, stake-holder contact information, service providers for emergency response, and typical response requirements (traffic control, security, permits, health and safety requirements, etc.).
• An analysis of flow diversion options, existing bypass options, and conceptual bypass pumping system requirements.
• Detailed information on the consequences of a failure scenario and detailed information on the appropriate repair methods and typical repair drawings.
• A spare parts list for recommended critical items to keep in storage for use in the event of a failure.

Whether you prepare this plan in-house or engage a consultant to assist, the process of developing the plan and the understanding that comes with it can often be much more valuable than the plan document itself.  Developing a written plan will force you to collect and inventory all of your vital information and identify information gaps that can be addressed well before disaster strikes.  It may even bring to light simple, cost-effective modifications to your utility system to implement now that will make responding to an emergency much simpler, or the impacts of an emergency less severe.

Our experience has also shown us that these emergency situations can have other types of impacts, such as scrutiny over the decisions made and money spent, questioning of procurement processes and no-bid contracts, allegations of impropriety, and even costly litigation.  To avoid these pitfalls, utility owners should consider procuring a series of emergency response contracts ahead of time.  This will ensure that procurement and contracting practices are consistent with an organization’s culture, policies, and requisite transparency – things that are too often disregarded in the midst of a disaster.

So who do I call?

Most often, NTH gets the call when an emergency strikes because, frankly, we were there when the last one struck!  This works, as long as there is someone within the utility owner’s organization that remembers the last time.  A more effective approach would be to know exactly who to call ahead of time – either listed in your EAP or by procuring as-needed contracts with consultants, contractors, and suppliers, selected on a qualifications basis, on a three to five-year basis.  Consultants under these contracts would be expected to have information assets, regulatory requirements, maintenance of service plans, and other supporting services immediately at hand when an emergency situation arises.  Contractors would agree to maintain certain equipment at the ready, and have agreements with suppliers to keep critical components “on the shelf” and readily available.

Having a solid Emergency Action Plan in place and qualified, experienced service providers under contract before disaster strikes will ensure that your system is back up and running as quickly, cost-effectively, and with as little negative impact as possible.