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.
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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.

Rivers, streams, lakes, and the waterfront areas are the lifeblood of the communities where NTH Consultants serves, as both a critical natural resource and venues for recreation. They afford beautiful scenery, venues for outdoor recreation, and unique places to meet for dining and entertainment.

But they come with unique engineering challenges. Historically, urban rivers were the engines of industry, providing everything from process water to shipping channels. Impacted soils and “urban fill” materials commonly were placed or dumped within stream channels and marshy areas along the banks to expand buildable area near the waterfront.  Water intakes and outfalls were situated along the banks by necessity. Now we desire to construct tall buildings with waterfront views, despite the presence of contaminated soils with weak foundation qualities and a great deal of underground infrastructure. Also, with flowing water or wave action comes the probability of erosion along the waterfront.

Finally, each waterfront serves a broad array of users, each with a distinct vision. Stakeholders may include property owners, nonprofit conservancies, government regulators, power plants, and everyday citizens who are vested in their hometowns. It takes creativity and commitment to successfully balance these diverse interests. No matter the scope of your project, NTH can help you realize your vision in the face of these myriad engineering and stakeholder challenges.  Below are a few of our favorites to which we've contributed.

Detroit:
Over the past 11 years, Detroit’s Riverfront has become a beloved destination for tourists and locals alike. NTH has been part of the vision from the beginning, working with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to design the initial 3.5 mile stretch along the East Riverfront in 2007. Four years later, the nearby Port Authority building was completed, 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. We designed temporary shoring and bracing for Cobo Hall’s renovation, and we just began work on the highly-anticipated West Riverfront Park.

Further south is the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, where an award-winning dock and fishing pier provides public access to bring people closer to nature. While NTH has extensive experience with divers and underwater construction, they aren’t always necessary for a successful project. Designs relying on conventional construction methods may be more buildable by contractors, and significantly more cost-effective. On this project, NTH was able to reduce construction costs by 22% while maintaining the design intent, footprint, and appearance of the pier.  Waters once inaccessible except by personal watercraft are now open to all.

Cleveland:
Cleveland’s waterfront is poised to follow Detroit’s example through its involvement on a number of initiatives and projects. NTH’s Pat Nortz currently serves on the Board of Directors of Cleveland's Green Ribbon Coalition, whose mission is to nurture and protect the city's Lake Erie shoreline and help encourage a balance of green space and commercial development. A group of over 20 agencies and nonprofit organizations soon hope to establish a 23-acre public park at Irishtown Bend on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River – but first, a quarter mile-long stretch of  the Cuyahoga River bank must be stabilized to preserve the hillside and the river navigation channel. 

Any new development in the area of Irishtown Bend poses a risk exacerbating the already unstable slope.  In 2015, for example, NTH evaluated the soils for a permeable pavement design, which was ultimately installed at the nearby West Side Market. Permeable pavers offer an environmental boon but also could increase risk, as the increased infiltration of water into the soil can destabilize a slope.  NTH’s models demonstrated no increased risk of instability of the Irishtown Bend slope.

NTH is also assisting the contractor on the construction of a streambank stabilization project along Doan Brook, near the Cleveland Museum of Art.  The project involves relocation of approximately 800 feet of stream to help protect the slope.

Lansing:
Lansing’s River Trail was established in 1975 along the banks of the Red Cedar and Grand Rivers, linking parks, museums, and markets. The paved path now winds 20 miles through the downtown, extending to Michigan State University. The river’s infrastructure connects more than just people — this time of year, salmon make their annual journey across the Brenke Fish Ladder to spawn.  Unsurprisingly for a long-established trail that is among the largest in the country, the trail and riverbank require ongoing evaluation and maintenance. Over the years, NTH has designed a variety of site-specific solutions to prevent future slope failures along the River Trail. These include constructing retaining walls using sheet pile or gabion baskets, supporting pathways using helical piers, and protecting banks from erosion using rip-rap or vegetation. 

As they say, you can’t step into the same river twice – nor is there a single solution to streambank stabilization for every site! If your development vision includes the waterfront or shoreline, let’s start a conversation.

Earlier this year, the NTH Air Quality Group had the opportunity to help improve the quality of life of Michigan’s veterans. In late April, I was approached by West Michigan engineering firm Prein and Newhof (P&N) to evaluate air quality impacts related to construction and operation of proposed Community Living Center (CLC) facilities for veterans. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) was required by the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) to submit an Environmental Assessment (EA) to qualify for $80 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  To qualify for the funding, P&N needed to publish the draft EA by June 15th to allow for public comment and revisions to be completed by August 1st, 2018. Typically EAs take 6 months to a year to complete, and the project team was able to complete EAs for three locations in about a month. We were able to leverage our group’s experience with NEPA and air quality evaluations to complete the project on time, and within budget.

EAs require review of a potential project’s impact on air quality, land use, water quality, wildlife, economics, and other impacts. We are also required to address how the project will mitigate these impacts. EAs must be posted for public comment for 30 days. We reviewed local meteorology and potential air quality concerns at three potential sites, prepared the EA’s air quality sections, and our NEPA specialist Rob Bates reviewed public comments on the EA. The EA resulted in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), allowing the project to proceed without requiring us to complete a NEPA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that would have slowed the project down by years and put federal funding in limbo.
​
MVAA recently announced that they will be constructing CLCs at a former military housing facility in Macomb County known as Sebille Manor, and at the existing Grand Rapids Home for Veterans in Kent County. Each of the 128-bed CLCs will house veterans in four neighborhoods with a community center area. The CLCs emphasize layouts that create common living spaces for socialization, dining, and activities. The CLC is intended to provide nursing, domiciliary, and adult daycare services in a home-like environment, rather than typical dormitory-style housing used at many VA facilities. Medical services will be geared to serve the special needs of veterans including elder care, physical and occupational therapy, and mental health services in an environment with military values and structure. The neighborhood buildings include resident rooms (with private bathrooms), shared kitchen and dining facilities, and shared living spaces. The community center building includes multipurpose rooms, a chapel, café and bistro, occupational and physical therapy spaces, medical offices, and administrative offices. The grounds surrounding the facility are designed for additional recreation and exercise opportunities with landscaped walking paths and gardens.
​
Governor Rick Snyder issued a statement saying that the proposed CLCs realize “our goal to expand accessibility to long-term care facilities for Michigan’s veterans,” and that the project “is a significant achievement for the state of Michigan as we move forward to modernize and expand long-term care services to Michigan veterans.” The long-term plan is to construct seven new MVAA facilities across Michigan.
 
I am proud to have helped pave the way for modern state-of-the-art housing for our veterans, and look forward to working with P&N on other VA facilities in the near future.

NTH Consultants, Ltd. is pleased to announce that Bradley Venman, NTH Quality Officer and Senior Vice President, was selected by Governor Rick Snyder to serve on the Environmental Permit Review Commission through 2022. The Environmental Permit Review Commission was created as part of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to act in an advisory capacity, according to Public Act 268.
 
The 15 members of the advisory commission were personally chosen by the governor due to their expertise in engineering, geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, and air / water quality.  Among other duties the commission will perform, the department director will at times select members to review and advise on permit applications based on their areas of experience. According to the state’s press release, Governor Snyder said, “this board will work to protect Michigan’s environment by having field experts on the committee carefully review all permits to ensure projects are in the best interest of preserving Michigan’s resources and environment.”
 
Venman, from NTH’s Lansing office, has more than 38 years’ experience in environmental regulatory compliance and toxicology / risk assessment. Prior to joining NTH, Venman was Chief of the Waste Characterization & Land Application Unit in the MDNR (now MDEQ). As a toxicologist for the State, Mr. Venman had key roles in the development of risk-based regulations for surface and groundwater discharge criteria, and was instrumental in the development of Michigan’s risk-based cleanup criteria for the remediation and solid/hazardous waste programs. During his tenure with the MDNR, Mr. Venman was involved in development and implementation of the Surface Water, Groundwater and Waste Management Divisions’ regulatory programs, and he continues to be active on various MDEQ stakeholder advisory work groups.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Alma College and a master’s degree in environmental and industrial health and toxicology from the University of Michigan.
 
“It comes as no surprise that Brad would be chosen by the governor to serve on this elite body of advisors; not only does NTH depend on his expertise daily, but the State recognizes the significant value his knowledge and input brings to the table,” said Jeff Jaros, Executive Vice President and COO. “We were also pleased to see that Lansing Board of Water and Light’s Lori Myott, a previous NTH staff member, will serve alongside Brad on this commission; we offer congratulations to both of them and the rest of the board.”
 
You can learn more about NTH’s Environmental Services and our many successful projects here: www.nthconsultants.com/environmental-services

​On the heels of receiving the “ESOP Company of the Year” award, NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) announced that it recently earned a spot as one of “Metro Detroit’s 2018 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For”. This year, NTH and our employee-owners are celebrating 50 years in business, which makes both wins even more significant.
 
“The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in their human resource practices and employee enrichment. Companies were assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more. In order to be considered, companies complete a comprehensive submission packet followed by anonymous employee surveys. 

“As an employee-owned firm, all of our staff are invested in the company’s performance and client satisfaction, resulting in a creative, cooperative atmosphere that benefits our staff, clients, and project outcomes,” said Jeff Jaros, Executive Vice President and COO. “We are proud to be honored with this award, which highlights our inclusive, community-driven, and supportive culture and demonstrates our commitment to the success of our staff, our company and our clients.”
 
If you would like to be a part of the vibrant NTH culture, visit our careers page to learn more and search our job openings.  

​Find out what YOU can do at NTH: www.nthconsultants.com/job-opportunities