Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute Boston Chapter/Emergency Preparedness
VOLUME 45 | ISSUE 10| June 2021

Letter From the Editor
An update from Katie Swanson
Perhaps it’s fitting that we end Volume 45 with a focus on the future and lessons from our past. “Emergency Preparedness” is a topic familiar to civil engineers and planners, and after this year-plus of the pandemic, it’s a topic familiar to pretty much everyone. Be it extreme storms, sea level rise, or lack of toilet paper, it’s just good sense to be prepared. ... Read more

Lead Article
Understanding Our Changing Behavior in Response to Climate Change 
While the coronavirus pandemic may have driven a record drop in carbon emissions, we know that the climate is still changing and that we remain locked into a degree of warming, along with the associated impacts that it will bring. Collective adaptation to these changes is non-negotiable; even if we continue to decrease our carbon emissions to net-zero, it is impossible to eradicate the risk from climate change impacts. ... Read more

President's Report
An update from Bruce Jacobs
This is my final President’s Report, I am turning over the reins this month to the competent hands of 2021-2022 BSCES President Shallan Fitzgerald, PE, from Harvard University | Harvard Allston Land Company. I am convinced more than ever of the value of BSCES to its members. ... Read more

Featured Group Article
Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute Boston Chapter 
As stewards of critical infrastructure, engineers have a responsibility to be prepared to respond effectively to emergencies. This article provides a summary of resources available to assist engineers, companies, and agencies to be prepared for, and respond to, natural disasters. ... Read more

Update on New Committee
BSCES Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Update 
The newly formed BSCES Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee hosted their first event in April, titled Finding a Roadmap Forward. The event featured guest speaker Dr. Lisa M. Black, the Director of Cultural Belonging and Social Ethos for ASCE and was followed by a breakout group discussion. The event aimed to introduce members to the DE&I Committee’s proposed mission and gather feedback regarding priority issues as described by BSCES members. ... Read more

In Memory
Remembering Dom D’Eramo 
Former BSCES president and honorary member Domenic E. D'Eramo passed away on March 18 after a long illness. Dom’s professional accomplishments were many, he is best remembered by us for his lasting impact on colleagues and contributions to the Massachusetts engineering community. ... Read more
Better Data Acquisition from the Supply Chain: Steps to Take 
Data capture demands are increasing. Cost and data management specialist Tristan Harvey-Rice shares steps client organizations can take to incentivize and help their suppliers provide accurate project data. ... Read More
Standing up to Extreme Storms: Federal Products to Support Coastal Emergency Preparedness and Resilience 
Are you ready for this? What do we expect from 2021 in comparison to 2020? Not only did we have to deal with a pandemic, but the Atlantic hurricane season included 31 total cyclones, naming 30 of them. Of the named storms, 14 became hurricanes and 11 made landfall in the U.S. This broke a record standing since 1916 of 9 landfalling hurricanes. ... Read More
Update on America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 
This is a reminder of the upcoming deadlines for America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA). The following is required by June 30, 2021: Public water systems serving 50,000 to 99,999 people must submit certification that they have completed their Emergency Response Plan (ERP) update and public water systems serving 3,301 to 49,999 people must submit certification that they have completed their Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA). ... Read More
MWRA’s Climate Change Strategy: A Pragmatic Approach to Sea Level Rise Adaptation   
Resiliency describes an entity’s ability to be prepared for disruptive events, recover within a reasonable timeframe with minimal damage, and resume normalcy as quickly and smoothly as possible. MWRA’s climate change resiliency program aims to make resilience principles, planning, and implementation an integrated aspect of business strategy and operations, along with facilitating cooperation among key internal and external stakeholders to increase mutual security. ... Read More
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BSCES Civil Engineering Practice Journal Needs Your Help
Social distancing? Stuck at home? Go clean out the garage or better yet, write an article for the reborn BSCES Civil Engineering Practice journal. ... Read More
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2020 - 2021 Society Sponsors
BSCES Newsletter Editorial Board
Chair: Kathryn Swanson, PE
Vice Chair: Michael Sullivan, PE
Todd M. Clark, PE
Michael R. Cunningham, PE
Annahid Dastgheib-Beheshti, PE
Susannah Davis EIT
Jessica DeBellis, PE
Sean Horan, EIT
Bruce L. Jacobs, PhD, PE
Richard F. Keenan
David M. Manugian, PE
Angus J. O’Leary, PE


2020 - 2021 BSCES Board of Government
President: Bruce L. Jacobs, PhD, PE
President-Elect: Shallan C. Fitzgerald, PE
Secretary: Todd M. Clark, PE
Treasurer: Gregory L. Mirliss
Assistant Treasurer: Anthony M. Richardson, PE
Senior Vice Presidents: Ronald K. Burns, PE, LSP; Michael R. Cunningham, PE
Vice Presidents: Christopher P. Hersey; Kathryn Swanson, PE
Past President: Richard D. Maher, PE
Western MA Branch Vice President: Vacant
Institute Chapter & Technical Group Chairs
Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute Boston Chapter: Daniel W. O'Connor, PE
Construction Institute Boston Chapter: Artur Lebedev, EIT
Engineering Management Group: Lee M. Koska, EIT
Environmental & Water Resources Institute Boston Chapter: Denise N. Prussen, EIT
Geo-Institute Boston Chapter: Michael T. Flynn, PE
Structural Engineering Institute Boston Chapter: Scott R. Bruso, PE
Transportation & Development Institute Boston Chapter: Tyler de Ruiter, PE
Younger Member Group: Mark Ruberti, PE
2020–2021 BSCES Program Sponsors
Alfred Benesch & Company | BETA Group | BSC Group | CDM Smith | Childs Engineering
Cianbro Corporation | Collins Engineers, Inc. | Dewberry | Green International Affiliates, Inc. 
GZA | Haley & Aldrich, Inc. | HNTB | Horsley Witten Group | Howard Stein Hudson
Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc. | Jacobs | J.S. Held LLC | Kleinfelder | Nitsch Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University
Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc. | Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
Skanska USA Civil | Stantec | Tighe & Bond, Inc. | TranSystems | TREVIICOS
Tufts University - Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering | Weston & Sampson | WSP
Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section/ASCE
One Walnut Street, Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617/227-5551, Fax: 617/227-6783

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