COUNTING CONSUL NTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ECOLOGICAL STA LA BRATION USTAINABILITY POLICY & PLANNIN GE 2013 Environmental Services
Mar 12, 2016
CARBON ACCOUNTING
CONSULTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTECOLOGICAL STATUS
ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITSLANDSCAPES
RISK AND REMEDIATION
NOISE & VIBRATIONSUSTAINABILITY
POLICY & PLANNINGCLIMATE CHANGE
2013
Environmental Services
INDUSTRY
ENER
GY
& WASTE
WATER INFRASTRUCTU
RE
performance •
prod
ucts
& se
rv
ices •
environmental services
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The aim for Environmental Services is to become a valued
partner to our Sector Growth Strategies
• positioning & promoting •
peo
ple
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MWH delivers a broad range of environmental services in support of our Sector Growth Strategies, working alongside the Sector Directors and Account Managers in Water, Energy & Waste, Industry and Infrastructure.
The aim for Environmental Services is to become a valued partner to our Sector Growth Strategies, by:
• HelpingMWHbecomeatrustedadvisortoourclients (existing and new) through the delivery of high quality consulting services
• Offeringarangeofenvironmentalplanningservicesthat enables MWH to become involved early in the development of new infrastructure projects; helping position MWH for future opportunities
• IncreasingthebrandrecognitionofMWHinourtargetmarkets
• Workinginacoordinatedwaywithotherconsultingservice offerings in MWH such as strategic consulting and water resources – providing an integrated suite of consulting services
In promoting growth in this service area, we are setting objectives in four focus areas:
• Performance
• Products&Services
• Positioning&Promoting
• People
This interim report provides an update on progress in each of these focus areas:
➜ Performance
➜ Products/Services➜ Positioning/Promoting➜ PeoplE
introductionEnvironm
ental ConsultingW
ater ResourcesStrategic Consulting
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CARBON ACCOUNTINGENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS
CONTAMINATED LAND AND WASTE
RISK AND REMEDIATION
NOISE & VIBRATIONSUSTAINABILITYPOLICY & PLANNINGCLIMATE CHANGE
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CARBON ACCOUNTING
CONSULTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTECOLOGICAL STATUS
ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS
CONTAMINATED LAND AND WASTE
LANDSCAPES
RISK AND REMEDIATION
NOISE & VIBRATIONSUSTAINABILITYPOLICY & PLANNING
Gaining Consents for Capital DeliveryTheThirdPartyCoordinationteamsfrom4DandOptimisemetearlierthisyeartosharelessons learned, explore best practice and discuss challenges in providing a flexible and responsiveservicetotheAMPprogrammes.Gainingconsentsfordevelopmentisanintegral part of successful capital delivery and the experienced gained by these third party specialistswillbevaluableinsupportingfutureAMPprogrammes.AttendeesincludedNickGillott,GaryNoble,WillRogers,LynseyWheater,ChrisRochfort,ChrisHoggart,ClareTaylor and Michal Wright.
Gaining Authorisation to Operate MWH Treatment has been engaged by Wessex Water to construct a new digestion facility at Trowbridge STW. The project includes the provision of a new sludge thickening and digestion plant that will produce biogas. The biogas will be collected and forwarded toasingleCHPUnit(1.15MW),twinboilerplant(1.6MW)andFlareStack(600m3/hr). The environmental team has been engaged by MWHT to undertake the necessary EnvironmentalPermitwork,includingpermitapplication,noisesurvey,chimneyheightcalculationsandairdispersionmodellingforthenewfacility.(PeterDuncan,Warrington).
Evaluating Liability associated with Historical Landfilling Members of the ground engineering team with experience of evaluating risks associated with contaminated land have been supporting the project at Severn Trent’s Minworth site. In addition to an engineering assessment of embankments at two large lagoons and the design of river bank protection measures to protect lagoon embankments from erosion; land quality specialists are investigating landfill leachate and landfill gas generation and migration to provide a holistic view of the risk associated with the historical landfilling activities.(CarrieRose,Newcastle).
Evaluating Constraints to Support DesignMWHhasbeenawardedtheOutlineDesignforWelshWater’sEast-WestTransferTrunkMain. The project is a joint environmental and engineering feasibility study to determine the most environmentally suitable and technically appropriate routes for the new pipeline(s). The project will identify potential environmental constraints associated with ecological, landscape, archaeological and socio economic as well as flood risk and land uses, which may impact upon the route selection. All of the constraints will be mapped in GIS and used in conjunction with the engineering constraints to determine a preferred route corridor. (ClareTaylor,Cardiff).
WATER
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“Delivering value to our clients in our established and growing sectors”
4Delivery: Southern WaterAMP 4: 202 Planning permissions grantedAmp 5: 114 Planning permissions granted
ENERGY & Waste
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4Delivery: Southern WaterAMP 4: 202 Planning permissions grantedAmp 5: 114 Planning permissions granted
Rowantree Wind Farm Connection Project Involves undertaking environmental studies to gain consent for an overhead line connecting a new terrestrial wind farm to the national grid; with migrating birds being one of the key environmental constraints.
Crystal Rig Substation Expansion Project Project involves undertaking studies to gain consent for a major extension to the existing Crystal Rig substation to support connection to a new offshore wind farm; with landscape and hydrology being key constraints
Supporting Renewable Energy Development in ScotlandMWH is successfully delivering two Environmental Studies awarded under the Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN): Environmental Planning Framework awarded to MWH at the end of2012.
InadditiontotheenvironmentalstudiesatCrystalRig,variationsforadeflectographystudyfor the access road and a landscape and planting design of the finished substation, have been commissionedbySPEN.Also,asthisprojectmeetsthecriteriafora‘MajorApplication’,theMWH team has designed and delivered public consultation events in the project area. (Simone Medonos, Edinburgh)
Improving the Stakeholder Engagement ExperienceNationalGridhasawardedMWHthe3DVisualisationmodellingoftheproposedsubstationandoverheadlineaspartoftheMid-WalesWindFarmConnectionProject.ThisNationallySignificantInfrastructureProject(NSIP)requiresextensiveconsultationwithstatutoryauthoritiesandthepublicandthe3Dvisualisationmodelwillbeusedatstakeholderconsultationeventsinlatesummer2013.Theenvironmentteamisworkingwiththe3Dmodellingteamtoagreeviewpoints,fly-through’sanduserinterfaces.(KwanLeeand Matt Smith (Warrington).
Improved Environmental Management for AD OperationsBiffa has appointed MWH to review and improve the existing Environmental Management System(EMS)fortheirAnaerobicDigestion(AD)plantinCannockfollowingareviewandsubsequent enforcement action by the Environment Agency. MWH is reviewing and updating the existing EMS, which includes a review of site activities, identifying significant impacts and mitigation to reduce impacts; with particular focus on noise, odour and emissions to air land and water.
Exit Strategy for Industrial OperationAteamcomprisingMWH-UKandMWHTreatmentwerecommissionedbyGEEnergytoprovide planning, management and decommissioning services to support the exit of their Parts,RepairandService(PRS)FacilityinBasildon,Essex.Theprojectwasdesignanddeliveredby environmental services staff with experience of working in the industrial sector, working alongsideandMWHTdirectdeliveryteam.Theworkwasdesignedtoleaveanon-hazardoussite for future occupiers and included; scoping Investigations, permit closure, equipment testing & cleaning prior to export, tank Investigation & decommissioning, validation reporting. (GilesFarrant,HighWycombe).
Maintaining Compliance with Environmental Regulations AteamfromMWHUKundertookanPollutionPreventionControl(PPC)complianceauditofHoneywell’s manufacturing facility in Waterford, Ireland. The site produces fan blades and vanes components for the Aerospace industry and involves processing steel in forges. The PPCpermitlimitstositeemissionsandsetsaframeworkfordealingwithgeneratedwastesandmanagingenergyandwater.TheauditassessedcompliancewiththePPCpermitandidentifiednon-compliancesandareasforimprovement,whichwecommunicatedtolocalandcorporate Honeywell staff through reports and briefing. (Nick Gill, Warrington).
Opportunity to Grow in Oil & Gas SectorMWHhasbeenappointedbyBPona3-yearMasterServicesAgreementforEnvironmentalConsulting&EngineeringServicescoveringUK,Netherlands,Italy,NewZealandandAustralia.ExploratorymeetinghavealreadybeenheldatBPInternationalheadofficeinSunburytodiscuss services to be delivered under the framework, including:
• Remediation Services • Environmental Compliance Assurance and Auditing• Modelling - Including air, surface water, groundwater, dispersion, fate and transport• Environmental Permitting • Water and Wastewater Management• Impact Assessment• Social and Sustainability Reporting
INDUSTRY
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Sector NewsThe permitting team has been looking at the effects of the new Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) that came into force this year on industry. The IED has introduced tighter emissions limits for nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter from 2016, requiring significant investment by some industry operators. If you want to know how the IED may affect your project; contact Nick Gill at Dominion House.
Improving Environmental Management at RAF Bases
MWHisdevelopingEnvironmentalManagementPlansonbehalfoftheDefenceInfrastructureOrganisationforthreeUSoperatedairforcebasesintheUK,RAFCroughton,RAFFairfordandRAFWelford.TheindividualManagementPlanscoverairquality;wasterecycling;solidwastemanagement; backflow prevention systems, and lead paint management.
The project includes review of documents, site surveys, interviews with facility operators and report writing; identifying compliance issues and areas for improved environmental management.PresentationstoUSAFEnvironmentalFlightChiefsarescheduleforlatesummer2013.(PeterDuncanandJimmyKnowles,Warrington).
Environmental Agency: Improved Access to Legislation MWH has undertaken a review, on behalf of the Environment Agency, of the Agency’s guidance and policy relating to environmental permits, included data held on its user website. The critique was designed to highlight ease of use for the site users, gaps in the data, redundancy in the content and simplicity in providing advice to operators. The work forms part of the preliminary stage for porting the contents of theEAwebsitetothe.GOV.UKsite.TheprojectwasdeliveredbyPeterDuncan(Warrington)andLauraChapman(HighWycombe).
INFRASTRUCTURE
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Commitment to Excellence MWH has successfully retained its IEMA EIA Quality Mark. The Quality Mark provides third party verification of MWH’s commitment to excellence in environmental impact assessment inthefollowingareas:EIAManagement,EIATeamCapabilities,EIARegulatoryCompliance,EIAContext&Influence,EIAContent&PresentationandImprovingEIAPractices.(Janet
Langsford, Newcastle).
Investment Decisions based on Environmental RiskThe MWH environment team has developed an environmental quantitative risks assessment (EQRA) tool to assist our clients in evaluating risks to asset on sites that require Environmental PermitsandtheapplicationofBAT.TheEQRAtoolusesthesource-pathway-receptortheoryto asses those assets most likely to cause harm to controlled waters through fugitive emissions. The EQRA tool comprises a two stage repeatable, robust and transparent assessment process which is accepted by the Environment Agency. (Nick Gill, Warrington).
360 Camera supports Industrial Environmental Due Diligence: The MWH industrial team has been trialling applications ofSpheronVR360cameraforseveralglobalindustrialclients including for the recent decommissioning project forGEEnergy,whichinvolvedtheexitoftheirParts,RepairandService(PRS)ShopinBasildon,Essex.Thecamerawasused to document and accurately record the site condition and provide the level of knowledge necessary to satisfy the"innocentlandowner"(ILO)defenceundertheUSComprehensiveEnvironmentalResponse,Compensation,andLiabilityAct(CERCLA),commonlyknownasSuperfund.
Social LicenseThe environment team continues to develop processes and capability in the delivery of public consultation events forinfrastructureprojects.Over21stand22ndMay2013,MWH organised a public consultation event in advance of thesubmissionoftheplanningapplicationfortheCrystalRigSubstationExpansionProjectforScottishPower.Theconsultation involved advertisement in local newspapers, preparation of a consultation leaflet, a questionnaire for handingoutattheeventanddisplayboardsforthe2-dayevent, which covered the following themes:
• General project information• Landscape & Visual• Archaeology & Cultural Heritage• Ecology• Flood Risk & Water Resources
“Developing and communicating best practice and innovation in our products and services”
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Internal Platform for Communication: ThePlanning&PermittingdisciplinegrouphascreatedaTeamSitetoshareinformationon topics such as changing environmental legislation, webinars, conferences, technical development and new wins. The site promotes internal communication with practitioners based in eight different MWH offices, including staff on secondment in client organisations and with environmental staff at MWH Treatment.
InadditiontotheteamsitethePlanningandPermittingTeamnowhasacapability brochure which helpfully lists the services the team can offer. The brochure can be found at: http://issuu.com/mwh_uk/docs/mwh_planning_permitting/1
CIWEM Conference: ClareTaylorgavetheclosingpresentationatCIWEM’sFebruaryconference‘EIA-PuttingitinContextandMakingitfitforPurpose’.
Theconferencewhichwasattendedbyinexcessof100delegatesoutlinedtheEuropeanCommissionproposalstostreamlineenvironmentalimpactassessmentandmakeiteasiertoassess the potential impacts of major projects, without weakening existing environmental safeguards. The conference provided the opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders including developers, policy makers, legal experts, regulators and EIA practitioners to put forward their views of the existing and proposed EIA regulations as well as suggesting some alternative approaches to the topic.
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) considers Water Sensitive Urban DesignClareTaylorwasinvitedbytheRoyalTownPlanningInstitute(RTPI)topresentaworkshopatitsWalesconferenceinJuneonWaterSensitiveUrbanDesign.Theconferencewasattendedbyover300planningprofessionals;andtheworkshopwhichwasrunbyClareandGayeMcKay(Edinburgh)wasattendedbyover50ofthedelegatesincludingrepresentativesfromGovernment, Local authorities and Natural Resources Wales.
IEMA New Directive Workshop: On28thJanuary2013theMWHNewcastleofficehostedanIEMAregionalworkshoptodiscusstheproposedchangestotheEIADirectiveandinputtotheIEMAPositionStatementonthesubject.TheeventwashostedbyJanetLangsfordwithkeyaddressbyJoshFothergill,IEMA’sPolicy&PracticeLead.
Annual SiLC ForumCarrieRoseattendedtheAnnualSiLC(SpecialistinLandCondition)forumduringApril2013.SiLCmembersfromconsultants,localauthorities,defenceinfrastructureorganisation,contractors,NHBCandclientorganisationswereinattendance.ThetopicsdiscussedincludedanupdateontheCatergory4ScreeningLevelsandNewGuidanceforRiskBasedManagementof Asbestos in Soil.
“Raising MWH brand awareness in technical communities and market sectors”
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who’s who?To help internal staff access environmental services we have anumberof‘go-to’peopleforkeytechnicaldisciplines,including:
Clare TaylorPLANNING
Carrie Rose
LAND QUALITY
JANET LANGSFORD
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
PETER DUNCAN
ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING
MICHAEL WRIGHTENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES LEADMichael Wright is the Environmental Services lead for MWH UK, helping connect our technical capability to our markets. Please contact him if you identify any environmental opportunities with your clients.
JOHN ALLISONWASTE & MATERIAL MANAGEMENT
NICK GILLCOMPLIANCE & AUDIT
DAVID INMAN
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISOR (MWHT)
NICK GILLOTT4D
CHRIS ROCHFORT
OPTIMISE
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Professional Development
Increasing Capability & Resources
Increasing team capability through staff development is a core part of the team strategy; severalstaffhaveachievedIEMAandCharteredEnvironmentaliststatusthisyear
Sharing KnowledgeAndyMorgan’sabstract‘SoundDesign–integrating audible output with detailed design’hasbeenacceptedforthe2013BreckenridgeConferenceinBroomfield,Colorado.Haveagreattrip!
In recognition of the increasing work load and opportunity for environmental services in MWH, a number of authorisations to recruit have been raised and initial interviews held with several strong candidates for:
Carrie Rose
LAND QUALITY
Simone Medonos CEnvMIEMA
Chris Rochfort CEnvMIEMA
Nick Gill MIEMA
Laura Chapman MSc/MSEnvironmentalAssessmentandManagement
• EIAProjectManager• LandscapeArchitect• EnvironmentalPlanner
• SeniorGeo-environmentalConsultant/PTL.• GraduateGeo-environmentalConsultant• EnvironmentalGraduates
CARBON ACCOUNTINGENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITS
RISK AND REMEDIATION
NOISE & VIBRATIONSUSTAINABILITY
CLIMATE CHANGE