Dorchester County Greenbelt Master Plan
By Kim Morganello, Lucas Hernandez and Rachel Cotter, RLA. Dorchester County, South Carolina, is home to diverse ecosystems, including swamps, blackwater rivers, bottomland hardwood forests, longleaf pine savannahs and tidal marshes. Residents and visitors can partake in outdoor recreational activities across the county’s vast park system, trails, waterways and forests. The county, however, has undergone significant growth and development in recent years, and has embraced the challenge of managing rapid urban growth while also trying to mitigate environmental damage and degradation. Continue reading→
The Eversource Business Energy Advantage Program Helps Businesses Achieve Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Goals
By Rebecca Mauser-Hoye. Eversource’s Business Energy Advantage (BEA) Program is designed to provide cost-effective, turnkey services for medium-sized business customers to help them achieve energy efficiency targets, lower their carbon footprint, and improve building operations. The goal of the program is to help them make small investments that together can generate large benefits for their bottom line and for the environment. Continue reading→
Chicopee’s Willimansett Brownfields Area-Wide Plan: How Brownfields Can Become Catalysts for Neighborhood Reinvestment
By Cassie Bethoney. Like many mill towns in the region, the neighborhood of Willimansett in Chicopee, Massachusetts followed a pattern of urban development and had been one of the area’s most thriving industrial centers for over a century. During that time, the neighborhood was almost entirely built out with few land parcels left undeveloped. However, during the mid-20thcentury, businesses began closing, leaving these industrial facilities and structures empty and unused. Continue reading→
Equity-Driven Climate Action: Connecticut’s Path to a Resilient, Net-Zero Future
Figure 1: The impacts of climate change, like this severe inland flooding from extreme precipitation, are impacting communities across the country (Weston & Sampson).
CSO mitigation, wet weather flows, and regulatory compliance—a look into Fitchburg’s collection system separation and rehabilitation plan
By Christopher Mackin and Frank Occhipinti. In 2012, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, entered into a consent decree (CD) with the United States Department of Justice, EPA, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). This was a result of the city failing to meet the combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharge requirements in its 2010 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit (United States, Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. City of Fitchburg, 2012). Continue reading→
Flush with Success: The Hidden Value of Clean Wastewater Systems in Commercial Real Estate
By Bill Idarola. In the competitive world of commercial real estate, the often-overlooked cleanliness and maintenance of wastewater disposal systems can make a significant difference. Proper management of these systems not only protects property values and operational efficiency but also helps avoid costly blockages, environmental fines, and unwanted publicity. Continue reading→
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Efficiency and Sustainability in the Water Industry
by Amy Vredevoogd In municipal water management, maintaining aging infrastructure while predicting and meeting the ever-evolving needs of communities presents an ongoing challenge. Traditional approaches often struggle to keep pace with the complexities inherent in such a dynamic environment. These approaches frequently rely on the use of spreadsheets, physical filing cabinets, knowledge of experienced but... Continue reading→
You’ve Got to Know the Problem Before You Implement a Solution: A Science-Based Solution for a Failed Wastewater System
ABSTRACT | The owners of a multi-unit senior care facility in Vermont were faced with replacing an on-site, soil-based wastewater disposal system. This was not the first time this issue was faced; this particular system had failed and been replaced multiple times over several years. Previous replacement designs expanded the leachfield footprint and used chamber-style... Continue reading→
Golf Course Irrigation: A hydrogeologist offers perspective on water-management solutions
Rob F. Good, Jr. authored an article in PRB+ entitled, "Golf Course Irrigation: A hydrogeologist offers perspective on water-management solutions" that details how golf courses can select the best water source to meet irrigation needs. Continue reading→
Using GIS as a Tool to Site New Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Weston & Sampson is in the process of executing an important project for the City of Boston to help guide curbside electric vehicle (EV) charging station installations within the city and help meet their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions target. The project goals include identifying 30 suitable curbside locations throughout the city for successful EV... Continue reading→