By Jason Edberg, P.E., Senior Vice President

You may have seen some of the news this summer in Engineering New Record and other industry publications that the New Soo Lock is one of four Federal “Mega Projects” being evaluated as part of the US Army Corps of Engineers P3 Pilot Program under their Revolutionize USACE Civil Works initiative.  So what exactly does this mean?  

According to the USACE, they are considering using a design / build / finance contracting and delivery method for the New Soo Lock – and possibly operate and maintain as well. The $900 million project will be coordinated with the Michigan Department of Transportation as a non-Federal sponsor and may require granting authority to a non-Federal/private agency to collect fees, operate, and maintain a Federal facility. NTH is involved in some of Michigan’s largest design / build / finance / operate and maintain projects to date, including the $4 billion Gordie Howe International Bridge project and the $1.4 billion I-75 Modernization Project Segment 3.

NTH also has a long history working with the Soo Locks. Most recently, NTH performed a study to deepen the North Channel approach to the New Soo Lock up to eight feet through silt and bedrock to accommodate 1000-foot long Great Lakes freighters. (Click here for more information on this project.)

These mega infrastructure projects are a wonderful sign for our industry and signal a renewed commitment to improving our State’s critical transportation infrastructure.

More information on P3 projects:

Corps Picks Four Projects to Evaluate for P3s
Engineering News Record​

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Civil Works Public Private Partnerships Pilot Program
USACE

Water & Wastes Digest awarded their 2019 Top Project winners with crystal awards Monday, Sept. 23 at Maggiano's Little Italy in Chicago during WEFTEC 2019. According to their press release, "The winners exemplified excellence in collaboration, strength in overcoming project challenges and taking their project beyond just construction and technical goals."

NTH is proud to be a recipient of a WWD Top Project award for their project, Clinton River WRRF Influent Pipeline Rehab. This project was also chosen as the Project of the Year for ASCE MI earlier this year. 

Project Overview:
A 66-inch diameter sewer line, the primary influent line for the Clinton River Water Resource Recovery Facility, crosses over the Clinton River in Pontiac. In 2015, staff observed cracks in the sewer and retained NTH to study potential causes and subsequently to provide design services for a permanent repair. Without intervention, the pipeline was certain to fail, creating an environmental and economic disaster to the surrounding community. With improvements now in place, the infrastructure will last well beyond the 50-year life span of the original pipeline and offers expanded opportunities for future pipeline inspections, maintenance, and simplified future system connection / expansion options.

By Judi McInerney, ​Corporate Health and Safety Director

Last week NTH celebrated four years and counting of having no recordable incidents*.  This celebration coincided with a nationwide event titled “Safe and Sound” promoted by OSHA and MIOSHA to encourage every workplace to celebrate safety successes and for companies to have a safety and health program. NTH’s last recordable incident took place on May 25, 2015. The success of not having any recordable incidents for more than four years was a result of NTH employees embracing the concept that Safety is a Core Value; developing and/or using a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) for upcoming tasks; completing a Health and Safety Plan prior to project work where the potential hazards associated with the tasks are identified as well as a means to mitigate them; and exercising safe work practices when actually performing the work. 
 
During the safety celebration in Northville, a brief summary was offered on the various ways NTH management supports health and safety including, but not limited to, providing employees safety training, hi-vis jackets, shirts and hoodies; surveyor’s hi-vis vest (with lots of pockets); hard hat liners; cooling items for hot days; sub-zero gloves; Cold Weather Cut Level 2 hi-vis gloves; Neos Overboots; canopy for hot days; hand warmers; different types of body harnesses (to ensure comfort and fit for males and female employees); shaded safety glasses as well as regular safety glasses.  

*Recordable Incident – incident that results in death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness or any other significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or licensed health care professional.
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By Bridget Caddell, SHRM-CP, HR Specialist

NTH Consultants welcomed our summer interns in early May and already most of them are wrapping up their internships and heading back to school. It has flown by! Our Learning, Experience And Development (LEAD) Internship Program gives students the opportunity to learn and experience the civil engineering industry first-hand. Interns are provided with mentoring and guidance as a first step towards selecting a career upon graduation. We also see the LEAD program as an opportunity for interns to “test drive” the company. Is this really what they are looking for? Do they enjoy doing this every day? Do they like the environment they are working in? We want passionate people to join and stay with NTH because they LOVE what they do. This year, the group of interns exceeded our expectations and three will be staying on board during their fall semester!  
 
There were many new additions to our LEAD internship program this year, including sponsoring our interns to participate in the After 5 Intern Program in Detroit, MI. This program introduces new workers to Detroit, allows them to experience the dynamic social and business life that it offers, and gives them the opportunity to network with other interns. The goal is to retain young talent and convince them that their future is in the Detroit area. Similarly, NTH believes that by improving the intern experience, young professionals will be inclined to stay with or return to NTH for full-time employment.

We have partnered with various college liaisons to stay in touch with talent and receive feedback from students. One of NTH’s college partners is Kyle Liechty, Intern and Co-op Coordinator at Michigan State University. On Wednesday, August 7, we welcomed Kyle to our Northville office to learn about the experience the Facilities Rehabilitation Intern, Ethan Frakes, had this summer. It was a great way to hear from the student and college mentor on how to best attract intern candidates in the future and to discuss the overall internship experience. Kyle was able to see NTH’s office environment and meet the Asset Management team that Ethan has been working with. It was helpful to receive feedback on how to attract interns and to improve our program. Ethan is pursuing his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University and plans to return to finish his final semester this fall.

Overall, our LEAD program was a success this year. We had some talented, energetic and bright interns who chipped in on many of our most significant and high-profile projects. In addition to Ethan, we had the following five interns this summer:

• Colton Morrow returned to NTH as a Geotechnical Intern this year. Colton is working towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering at Michigan State University and will finish his final semester this fall. Colton will be staying on board with NTH, working from the Lansing office.
• Tiff Raetzel came to NTH this summer as a Civil Design Intern. Tiff recently received her Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan.
• Jordyn Kreucher started her first internship with NTH this summer as a Geotechnical Intern. Jordyn is pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Michigan and will be returning there for her junior year in the fall.
• Emily Loftis joined NTH this summer as a Construction Support Intern in our Livonia Lab. Emily is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Michigan State University. She will return to MSU in the fall for her junior year and will continue to assist Construction Support with project work in the Lansing area.  
• Mikayla Topp started with NTH this summer as an Air Quality Intern in our Grand Rapids office. Mikayla is pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Calvin University. She will return to school in the fall for her junior year and continue to assist the Air Quality team in Grand Rapids.

We want to thank all of our 2019 Interns for committing to this opportunity. It is inspiring to see young professionals with such high aspirations and initiative and we are happy to have them as part of our NTH family! Prospective 2020 interns should watch for postings in January and apply here. 

​NORTHVILLE, MI — NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) today announced that Philip Rasor, P.E. has joined the company as a Principal Engineer. Rasor will bring his 35 years of experience in designing, managing and directing civil infrastructure projects to our Public Infrastructure Market. Mr. Rasor will work to grow our service offerings within the transportation market to better serve our DOT, county, and municipal clients.
 
Prior to joining NTH, Mr. Rasor served as VP of Operations for an ENR’s Top 100 Design Firm’s Transportation Discipline. In that role he worked with the Division Managers on execution and delivery of key projects, quality assurance protocols, resource leveling, monitoring of backlog and replenishment, as well as the P/L for the individual profit centers and the overall discipline over a geographic area of five states and two overseas offices for municipal, county, state and federal agencies. Mr. Rasor also served as a City Engineer and led design teams on a variety of transportation infrastructure, municipal infrastructure, and public utility projects. 
 
“Phil is an important strategic hire for us due to his experience in bridge and roadway design, as well as his track record for excellent client service, responsiveness, and leadership,” said Jason Edberg, Senior Vice President and Public Infrastructure Market Lead at NTH. “We are confident that Phil will be able to lend his expertise to NTH’s existing core strengths of condition assessment and structural rehabilitation to help improve our region’s bridge and roadway infrastructure.” 
 
Mr. Rasor is a graduate of Ohio State University with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Civil Engineering. He has served as a Board Director (2015) for the American Society of Highway Engineers (Central & NE Ohio) and has been a member of the American Public Works Association, the Ohio Water Environment Association, the County Road Association of Michigan, the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners, and the Society of Military Engineers.
 
Mr. Rasor joins our team of professionals who are committed to improving the quality of life in the regions we serve by providing efficient, economical, and sustainable solutions to our water, wastewater, and transportation infrastructure clients. NTH experts help our clients extend the service life of their existing infrastructure through our intense focus on asset management: inspection, condition assessment, and rehabilitation of transportation, water, and wastewater infrastructure.

Michigan is about to experience rapid growth in the solar energy market as the opportunities for solar development in our state have never been better. NTH Consultants is in a prime position to help developers with their solar projects. We have the local knowledge and technical expertise in our five Michigan-based offices to help with all stages of development.

View the video above to take a look at how NTH can help you with your solar development project from Land Acquisition to Permitting to Construction and beyond. 

You can also learn more at www.nthconsultants.com/wind-solar.

​Sustainable water-based economic development is imperative for our Great Lakes region – responsible development can reclaim access to our water for both conservation and recreational opportunities. 

NTH’s vision is to bring people and water together responsibly, protecting our water resources and restoring our lakes, shorelines, and waterways. NTH’s Water Resource Team has been providing sustainable, cost-effective, low-impact solutions for reclaiming and stabilizing our shorelines for decades.

​Our experience with designing a wide variety of shoreline restoration systems and rehabilitating maritime, riverine, and riparian structures, affords NTH a unique perspective that allows us to quickly ascertain the critical project elements and pursue value-added solutions. NTH has served both public and private clients in providing critical engineering services on several award-winning shoreline and waterway projects that have helped transform our region’s industrial legacy into accessible, sustainable interaction between the public and their water.

There is good news coming out of Governor Whitmer’s office this week (see news release here), as her Office, in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), announced a decision to allow commercial solar development on Michigan farmland enrolled in PA 116. This opens up an additional 3.4 million acres in Michigan for solar development. 

We've seen even more related good news from the Michigan Public Service Commission (see news release here) who has indicated that it has approved Consumers Energy’s integrated resource plan, with key features that include:

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• Conducting annual competitive bidding administered by an independent third party for adding power generation capacity, including 1,200 MW of new solar energy from 2019-21. Consumers can own up to half of all the future additional capacity that it procures through competitive bidding and it must buy the remaining electricity through power purchase agreements with third parties, excluding Consumers affiliates.
• Modified the avoided cost rates and terms set in Case No. U-18090 for small, alternative power producers under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. These changes include a five-year planning horizon (instead of 10 years) when determining whether the company needs additional capacity; updated avoided cost rates for energy from the independent producers based on wholesale power prices or forecasts; and capacity rates based on the company’s competitive bidding results.
• Approval of a financial compensation mechanism for power purchase agreements the company enters into with third-party power suppliers, including power producers under PURPA, as authorized by the 2016 energy laws to remove disincentives to arrange supplies from third parties.

 
NTH is in a prime position to help developers and utilities with their solar projects as we have the local knowledge and expertise through our Detroit, Northville, Lansing, and Grand Rapids offices. Early on in a new development, NTH can assist with the planning; including ecological studies, wetland delineations, Phase I & II site investigations, site civil engineering, and geotechnical engineering. Then as projects move forward, NTH can assist with permitting and regulatory requirements, as well as construction services and material testing. And as the project comes online, NTH can execute post construction surveys, mitigation, and habitat restoration that may be required.
 
Learn how NTH can support you through the development of your solar projects by contacting Rob Bates, Senior Project Scientist at 248.662.2038 or rbates@nthconsultants.com. You can learn more about our services here as well. 

NTH today announced that Brett Schwenke joined the company as a Principal Scientist, bringing his expertise in environmental solutions in the energy, mining, solid waste and transportation markets, to support our clients. Mr. Schwenke is a seasoned executive with nearly 30 years of experience in environmental consulting, wildlife biology, habitat restoration, and project management. Prior to joining NTH, Mr. Schwenke served in various leadership positions for engineering and environmental services firms where he developed an environmental / construction services division and led teams of compliance specialists, engineers, and surveyors. He has served as Principal and Senior Consultant for a natural resources consulting firm focusing on state and federal permitting, regulatory resources, inland lakes and streams, petroleum conveyance, natural gas conveyance, non-metallic mining, solid waste, roads and bridges, multi-use trails, renewable energy, and overhead and underground utilities. 
 
“Brett is an important strategic hire for us due to his extensive environmental background supporting utilities in both the public and private sectors,” said Jeffrey P. Jaros, COO and EVP at NTH Consultants. “We look forward to Brett strengthening our renewable energy initiatives as we expand our expertise and technical capabilities. He will be a valuable asset as we support our clients in their efforts to move toward cleaner, renewable energy systems.” 
 
Mr. Schwenke is a graduate of Northern Michigan University with a degree in Environmental Science. He served in the U.S. Army as a Bridge Specialist/Combat Engineer where he received a letter of commendation and multiple decorations. Mr. Schwenke has been involved with, and served in, leadership positions with numerous private and public sector groups and associations. They include the North American Waterfowl Management Plan Steering Committee, the Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority, the Marquette Area Wastewater Treatment Facility Advisory Board, the Community Mental Health Board of the Central UP, Midland County Parks & Recreation Commission, and the Board of Directors of the Economic Club of Marquette County. 
 
Mr. Schwenke joins our team of professionals that specialize in providing sustainable solutions to complex problems. Our specific services include environmental assessments, ecological studies, EA / EIS assistance, NEPA Assistance, habitat mitigation, wetland delineations for new combustion turbine plants, renewable energy, and transmission and distribution (linear facilities).

​About NTH Consultants, Ltd.
NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) has been providing professional engineering consulting services to the energy, urban renewal, water resources and infrastructure markets since 1968. From a small, Detroit-based, geotechnical engineering firm, our company has grown significantly providing a wide range of services in geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, and facilities engineering. For more than 50 years, NTH has helped our clients address some of the most challenging and complex issues facing our environment today and provides innovative and creative approaches for each project it undertakes. NTH is constantly exploring new technologies and solutions that are safe, well-developed, and cost effective for its clients. NTH is headquartered in Northville, MI and serves its diverse client base from five offices throughout Michigan and Ohio.  

​NTH is an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company, which means we are an employee-owned firm. We recognize that job seekers want to make the best decision for their future, so we want to make sure prospective employees understand the advantages of working for an ESOP company, and why joining NTH could be the next best step in their careers.
 
One of the biggest benefits of working at an ESOP company is that it can provide an employee with significant retirement assets, in addition to a 401(k). Since stock is allocated to each employee’s account based on a contribution by the company, the employee bears no cost for this benefit. ESOP enables employees to accumulate shares in the business without contributing any of their own money. Instead, the company makes contributions every year that are used to buy shares. Upon retirement or separation from the company, disbursements are made to the employee-owner to be used in retirement over and above their 401(k) assets.

Also, according to a recent Rutgers study, employee-owned companies tend to provide a more generous benefit packages to their employees such as health benefits, flex time, parental leave, tuition reimbursement and more that help with employee’s financial lives. In addition, the report stated that employee-owned companies provide more transparency to employees to help with their understanding of their company’s financial situation. NTH follows this trend as, in addition to our retirement plans, we offer a very generous benefit package, a Wellness program and a Volunteer Time Off program.
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Another unique ESOP benefit for employee-owners is that it gives each employee-owner a stake in the success of our company. Everyone is working to build his or her, and everyone else’s, successful future. When the company succeeds, we all succeed! This helps to improve morale and lends itself to a more engaged team with supportive co-workers.
 
Shared ownership makes people part of something bigger than themselves. Being able to benefit directly from the overall success and profitability of the company adds significant motivation to work harder, think creatively, and work efficiently as a team.