An Environmental Engineer's Journey

I apologize (to anyone who is listening) for the lengthy hiatus from this blog. Alas, life intrudes and I just haven't had anything interesting to blog about. That got me thinking: is there really anything about environmental work that is truly 'interesting?' Hmmm, why did I get into this field again?

I suppose it was vague ideas about making the world a better place to live . . . oh, that and it was definitely a leading edge career choice when I was in college. There wasn't even an 'environmental' engineering degree in those days. Sure you could get an 'environmental' subdiscipline with a Civil Engineering degree - which meant that basically you could design and run wastewater treatment plants - but that really didn't trip my trigger.

At the time, I was far more interested in environmental contamination and remediation. That could have something to do with growing up next door to the Chemical Corridor of Ashtabula, Ohio (once a booming part of the US war infrastructure), and having an NPL site almost in my back yard (Fields Brook). I suppose, too that the idea of carving out what I thought, in my young idealism, I needed in order to do 'real' environmental work held a certain appeal to my non-conformist side. I guess that's why I ended up in Agricultural Engineering at Ohio State (now called the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering). At least there, they let me carve out my own path towards an engineering degree. I ended up in the soil and water engineering subdiscipline. For my MS, I did my thesis work on groundwater contaminant transport.

Of course, I was better off than my predecessors in the environmental field, who learned their job entirely on the fly (not to say that I didn't learn most of the real environmental work on the fly, mind you). Now there are degrees in Environmental Engineering. I've actually taken several courses toward a MS in Environmental Engineering through Findlay University. What I wouldn't have given to have some of these courses at the beginning of my career!

But back to my initial question, what is interesting in the Environmental field? Well, actually, looking back on my career, I've done some pretty neat stuff. My first job out of college was with a consulting firm. I got to do investigative drilling, and evaluate the results to determine the remediation path forward. When I moved back to Ashtabula County, Ohio, I got to be involved in some of the early work of the Ashtabula River Project, an innovative approach to cleanup coordination for the Ashtabula River Area of Concern (downstream of the Fields Brook NPL site) that has now been modeled in other places.

I worked at another facility where they treated hazardous waste (my introduction to a RCRA facility), and worked for several years on the program monitoring the contamination at old inactive units, and helping to develop the remedial action plans. Now, years later, as a consultant, I am actually witnessing those plans comes to fruition.

I also worked at a DOE decommissioning project. While I learned A LOT about environmental regulations while working on that project, I also vowed that I would NEVER work for the government again. Long story, probably mostly politically-incorrect, so I won't relate it here. While there, I did get to do some actual remediation project management work on one of the operable units associated with Fields Brook (not related to the DOE project, mind you). Completing the PCB cleanup, and certifying closure of the unit was probably one of my proudest achievements as an Environmental Engineer.

My foray into industrial environmental management was also frought with excitement, especially working for a reinforced plastic composites manufacturer (right around the time the Quad W MACT came out). There was a huge learning curve there, and the work was never really boring, but it was extremely demanding. If you've ever worked in industry, you know that in general it is always about efficiency. Unfortunately, I was doing the work of two people, with no end in site, and a sh**-load of 'new' work coming down the pike.

It definitely takes a dedicated person to become a career industrial environmental manager. I have since struck out on my own, and offer support services to those poor, over-worked, and generally over-looked environmental managers, many of whom are also tasked with managing the safety program. It is a career choice filled with challenges, and in the challenges are significant opportunities.

In fact, there are always new rules and regulations coming out, presenting new challenges, and new opportunities to demonstrate the rewards that environmental stewardship can have for a company. It is in facing these challenges head-on, and making the case for the business oppotunities present in the challenges that the excitement of an environemtnal management career reside.

Yes, the environemntal field is interesting - endlessly so!

So, does anyone else care to share their journey in the environemental field? I'd love to hear YOUR story!