Greetings from Olsson Associates

In this month's e-newsletter, we have a handful of articles I hope you will find interesting and beneficial.

Ken Fairchild, leader of our power electrical team, explains the importance of the U.S. EPA's final rule concerning National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollution (NESHAP) for reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) and what steps need to be taken to become compliant.

Todd Lorenz recently visited a legislative committee and spoke in favor of LB 388, the Site and Building Development Act, which would redirect money into a fund for developing sites and buildings statewide.

We also introduce you to Paul Woodward, the group leader of our Omaha Water Resources team, and then take you south to Springfield, Missouri, to read about our work with one of the city's most visited parks and gain some insight into the work our water resources team is performing there.

If you have questions or would like more information on the information shared in this e-newsletter, or about any of our services, don't hesitate to give me a call.
 

  
Michael Piernicky, PE, PTOE
Omaha Region Leader
402.938.2434 or [email protected]

Municipal Generators:

Understanding RICE NESHAP and Creating a Plan for Compliance

By Ken Fairchild, PE, Power Electrical


If your municipality has reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) in a power plant, you need to begin working now to ensure that you are able to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final rule concerning NESHAP emissions. The rule is fairly complex, but I'll walk you through the basics and help you create a plan.

The EPA has set National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for many previously excluded engines. The regulations we'll address in this article pertain directly to existing stationary compression engines over 500 horsepower.
 

The compliance requirements: READ MORE 

Featured Engineer

Paul Woodward, PE, CFM

Omaha Water Resources Group Leader

 

Paul has been with Olsson for just over two years with experience managing various types of water resources projects. He combines technical expertise in the hydrology and hydraulics of watersheds with a practical understanding of what it takes to get a project completed. Having previously worked for a local watershed and natural resources district, Paul has been involved with a range of projects from flood control dams and levees, to new floodplain mapping, to even wetland banking. He is very familiar with current floodplain and stormwater management requirements. Paul has used and is trained in several modeling programs, including HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, XP-SWMM, and NRCS SITES.


Paul can be reached at 402.341.1116 or [email protected].

 

Q and A with Paul

Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies?
A: Hunting and camping. It is great to be outdoors and even better when you are with family and friends.

Q: If you could have one super power, what would it be?
A: The ability to be at two or more places at once, like on Valentine's Day when you have a major project deadline the next day.

Q: What has been your favorite/most memorable project to work on while at Olsson?
A: My favorite "project" is actually chasing proposals. I really enjoy the opportunity to get to learn about a problem, collaborate with other teams for ideas, propose a creative solution, and then win the project. It is exhilarating!

Q: What is the most challenging part of your job with Olsson?
A: Keeping current on my "to do" list. I am blessed to be keeping busy.

Q: Do you ever see things in your community that you know you could improve with your skills?
A: When I think about our community in and around Omaha, I am constantly reminded about the deterioration of our streams and lakes due to ongoing changes in our watersheds. Growing up, my dad's career as a water resources engineer always included work toward conservation and stewardship of our natural resources. This same focus can help us change the adverse affects of our city on the environment by mimicking natural systems and stormwater functions. I always remind myself that everything is a "natural" resource (including myself and the computer I am typing on) and therefore, everyone works with natural resources everyday.

Olsson Joins Effort to Support Industrial Development Opportunity in Nebraska


Todd Lorenz, PE, Land Development, recently represented Olsson's Industrial Site Consulting team at the request of the Nebraska economic development community and the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce to provide testimony in favor of LB 388 to members of the Nebraska Legislature's Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee.

LB 388, known as the Site and Building Development Act, proposes to change provisions related to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF). This bill would redirect a portion of the AHTF into a newly created fund for developing sites and buildings statewide, allowing for increased access to capital for development projects.

Olsson Associates is proud to serve as a recognized leader in industrial site consulting services. Our team has the unique ability to provide "horizontal to vertical" analysis and design approaches to industrial development, with services ranging from conducting site analyses and due diligence through targeting, master planning, and designing marketing services to showcase individual properties to site selectors.

To learn more about Olsson's Industrial Site Consulting team, please contact Courtney Dunbar, CEcD, EDFP, economic development leader, at [email protected] or 402.938.2432.

Featured Project: Doling Park Channel Bioengineering | Springfield, Missouri

Shoring up a park's future 


Doling Park has a rich history and some of the elements of the historic park have deteriorated over time. The existing shoreline erosion and poor water quality in the pond are major significant problems. The outlet structure is aging and beginning to fail. There are cracks and seeps in the perimeter walls of the pond that prevents it from staying full during winter months. 
 

READ MORE

In This Issue
Understanding RICE NESHAP and Creating a Plan for Compliance
Featured Engineer: Paul Woodward
Olsson Joins Effort to Support Industrial Development Opportunity in Nebraska
Featured Project: Doling Park Channel Bioengineering
News Around the Firm
 


Our Norris Viaduct project in Cheyenne won the Wyoming Engineering Society's project of the year award!

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Justin Petersen, PE, PTOE, has been promoted to the position of group leader for the Omaha/Lincoln Traffic team.

He takes the place of Mike Piernicky who moved into the role of Omaha region leader in December.
Olsson Practices

Stay in Touch with Olsson! 

 
 
At Olsson, everything is Elemental:  LAND | WATER | AIR | LIFE 
To learn more, please visit www.oaconsulting.com.