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Extending best wishes to our friends, clients and colleagues during this holiday season.
As we look forward to the many opportunities that await in 2016, we hope you enjoy reading a few project and staff highlights from the last few months of a busy 2015.
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ISSUE NO. 13 / DECEMBER 2015
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| Fourth tier in place along the bluff. |
Epsilon is providing environmental permitting and coastal geology services for the installation of a fourth tier of geotextile tubes at the toe of Sconset Bluff. Sconset Bluff, located on the eastern coast of Nantucket, is a very active coastal erosion area.
In an effort to protect public infrastructure and a historic community, the Town of Nantucket partnered with private homeowners to install three tiers of geotextile tubes on an emergency basis in early 2014. In order to provide adequate protection to the Bluff from a severe storm and the effects of sea level rise, a fourth tier of geotextile tubes is currently being installed, just in time for the winter. The project and surrounding beaches will be subject to an extensive monitoring system over the next several years.
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Plymouth Airport Receives Final Permit
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Runway extension construction.
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Epsilon has led the extensive permitting effort for the Plymouth Municipal Airport located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The airport's need to extend a runway and taxiway as well as construct two stopways to improve safety has required numerous environmental permits and approvals. These have included federal, state and local permits, such as:
- A Final Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment under the Massachusetts and National Environmental Policy Acts
- Clean Water Act Section 404 Individual Permit
- Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certificate
- Conservation and Management Permit from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program
- MA Wetlands Protection Act Variance Order of Conditions
- Plymouth Wetlands Bylaw Order of Conditions
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| Wetland replication area construction. |
Epsilon also developed mitigation plans for potential wetlands and rare species impacts. After receiving the final permit in October 2015, the $7 million construction project to extend the runway has finally begun. Epsilon continues to be involved, providing environmental monitoring services to ensure compliance with the multiple permits, including oversight on a 2.2-acre wetland replication area and 12-acre grassland habitat mitigation area.
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POAH Completes Three Historic Rehabilitation Projects
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Epsilon congratulates Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) on the recent completion of three historic rehabilitation tax credit projects; Old
Middletown High School in Middletown, Connecticut and Central Annex and Union Court located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Epsilon assisted POAH in securing historic rehabilitation tax credits for these projects, which not only preserved three important local landmark buildings but collectively preserves over 160 units of affordable housing.
For more information on each project, check out the full write up.
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Highlighted below are some of the events we attended throughout the fall.
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Amanda Atwell and Alyssa Jacobs at the MAMA Conference.
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Epsilon returned as an exhibitor to the Massachusetts Airport Management Association (MAMA) 2015 Conference. Alyssa Jacobs and Amanda Atwell from Epsilon's Ecological Sciences group staffed the booth and were available to talk to conference attendees about our services available to airports.
Principal Mike Howard spoke at the MACC Fall Conference during the session on How to Get it Right Using the Wetland Protection Act Regulations: Requirements and Realities.
Principal Rob O'Neal and Senior Consultant Maria Hartnett traveled to Savanah, Georgia to the Dredging 2015 Conference, where Rob was a moderator and Maria presented on water quality monitoring results from the Fore River Bridge project.
Epsilon's Managing Principal Peggy Briggs spoke at the NAIOP Women of Influence Luncheon. The event focused on how women could have successful  careers as well as families. Peggy provided some great insight based on her own experience as the Managing Principal of Epsilon and mother of three. A great summary on this luncheon can be found on Solomon McCown's website.
Principal Doug Kelleher spoke at GREB REBA's Education Series Riverwalk - A Revitalization Success. He spoke alongside Jay Ash, the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Sal Lupoli, the CEO and Founder of Lupoli Companies.
Our upcoming events include:
EUEC 2016 Conference | February 3-6, 2016 |
More Info
Epsilon Speaker: Steve Slocomb
MACC Annual Environmental Conference | March 3, 2016 |
More Info
Epsilon Exhibiting
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There have been quite a few new faces around the office in the past few months. We are excited to have welcomed Brian Stice to the GIS group, Fiona Vardy and Erik Rexford to the Planning group, Rhianna Sommers to the Ecological Sciences group, and William Young to the Historic Preservation group. For more information on each of these people, please visit our News Web page.
Epsilon is also pleased to announce some well-deserved promotions. David Klinch was promoted to Associate, Geoffrey Starsiak was promoted to Senior Consultant, Joe Sabato was promoted to Senior Scientist, Cory Emil was promoted to Senior Engineer, Brian Lever was promoted to Senior Preservation Planner, and Talya Moked was promoted to Project Planner. For more information on these promotions, click here.
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