Whether it’s addressing emerging contaminants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or managing Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) projects, the United States government is responsible for a broad portfolio of projects that call for extensive multidisciplinary coordination with private-sector partners to achieve site closure.

On behalf of our federal clients, Geosyntec addresses the most challenging projects, employing—and often creating—inventive technical and management approaches to achieve effective solutions while reducing costs and expediting project completion.

Read on to learn from Geosyntec’s Cory Reiter, Justin Knight, and Damon DeYoung, leaders in the firm’s federal practice. Below, they discuss how they help agencies remediate contaminated sites and highlight our record of delivering best-value, innovative solutions on behalf of federal clients.

About Our Practitioners

Cory Reiter, PE, is a Senior Principal Engineer based in Indiana with more than 25 years of experience managing federal, civil, and environmental projects. He often addresses flood control, utility installation, site assessment and remediation, and construction oversight.

Justin Knight, PE, is a Principal Environmental Engineer based in Georgia with more than 20 years of experience managing federal environmental projects. He offers expertise in site assessment and remediation, environmental planning and management, and project delivery.

Damon DeYoung, PG, PMP, is a Principal Geologist based in California with more than 20 years of experience focused on geologic and hydrogeologic investigations, program development and management, and environmental restoration of federal sites.

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Proven Technical and Regulatory Expertise to Bring Federal Sites to Closure

Much of the federal government’s remediation effort focuses on closing legacy sites impacted by now-outdated disposal practices or unintentional releases. Here, our practitioners discuss how Geosyntec implements innovative solutions on behalf of our federal clients while managing costs and schedules to reach closure.

When asked about obstacles to closure, Justin says, “These are old sites where a lot of work has been done over the years. Often, we get involved because a site is not progressing toward closure.” One reason for the lack of progress could be that the wrong solution was chosen. When that’s the case, “We take a step back and revisit the conceptual site model by applying high-resolution site characterization tools and techniques to fill data gaps and better understand the dynamics of the plume. With an improved site model, we can design custom remedial systems that better address contaminants and bring the site to closure.”

Another barrier to closure is the absence of a clear goal that can be effectively communicated to state agencies. According to Cory, the goal is to help the agency move beyond additional studies and gain acceptance by state regulatory authorities. Cory notes Geosyntec’s success in achieving acceptance for PFAS-related remedial investigations. “I can probably count on one hand how many PFAS-related final remedial investigation reports have been completed and received regulatory acceptance or approval. Geosyntec has played a key role in two of those.”

Remedial Solutions that Let Clients Get Back to Work

When sites must remain in use or downtime must be minimized, the remediation can get more complex. Below, Justin delves into one example of how we conduct remediation at active sites by developing creative, technically sound solutions that allow federal clients to keep working or quickly get back to work.

One such project involved a one-million-square-foot hangar with active work and office spaces where volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were found in indoor air. “Other consultants recommended installing subslab soil vapor probes across the entire building, which would have been an incredibly expensive and invasive approach,” Justin says.

In this case, Justin consulted with Geosyntec’s vapor intrusion experts and applied high-volume sampling (HVS), which involves extracting thousands of liters of subslab soil gas over one-hour periods. “Using HVS, we can observe VOC concentrations across a large area with fewer samples and less time in the building, while still getting a clear understanding of the soil vapor plume and its geometry,” he explains.

This HVS investigation successfully identified the source of the vapor intrusion, allowing the team to focus on remedial designs that addressed source reduction and mitigation of the vapor intrusion pathway.

Local Technical Experts with Nationwide Perspective

Cory, Damon, and Justin all note how helpful it is to have Geosyntec practitioners working in proximity to federal sites. They also highlight the strength that comes from being able to collaborate with colleagues nationwide who are experts in their fields and who bring experience with federal clients.

“Having an office near pretty much all 44 Army Corps of Engineers districts makes it easier for our professionals to regularly meet with these districts and their personnel,” says Cory.

“For most of my projects, there’s a practitioner within 20 miles of the installation who can support.” Damon adds. “You can run over to the base and help resolve a problem on the same day or the next day without incurring air travel or associated costs. Being able to work directly with installation-level folks is incredibly important.”

Justin explains how he brings lessons learned from his colleagues across the firm. “At Geosyntec, our groundwater practitioners meet each year to share the projects we’re working on, foster collaboration, and discuss emerging technologies. So I have a network of folks within the groundwater industry—whether I need expertise in bioremediation, in situ chemical oxidation, vapor intrusion, or permeable reactive barriers—to support proposal efforts or help address project challenges.”

Consultants Who Value Working with Federal Partners

With a long history of working with federal government partners, all three practitioners express their satisfaction with the private and public partnerships they have built.

“I really enjoy working in the federal sector,” says Justin, “because it’s a true partnership. We often team with small businesses, and we joint venture. We might also be in a subcontractor role. Regardless, we build a true team to address the client’s problem effectively. And we also partner with communities and regulators to achieve success.”

Damon adds, “We work with people who are helping address the impacts of past decisions. That’s enjoyable to me, that at the end of the day, we’re coming together to make a better planet.”

Referencing Geosyntec’s federal practitioners across the country, Cory says, “I’m proud to be able to say we’re all a part of Geosyntec. And we can reach back to just about any of our local offices, and they all jump in, roll up their sleeves, and support us in the federal market. It’s refreshing.”