NEWSLETTER
Our quarterly newsletter captures project spotlights, conferences and events attended, and recent staff updates.

    
ISSUE NO. 20 / September 2017 
ProjectsNeponset River Greenway - Connecting People to the River 
The staff at Epsilon are proud of their role in assisting the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) in restoring the Neponset River corridor, improving public access, and remembering the role the that the river played in developing the region's industrial roots. As a child, Principal Dwight Dunk played along the banks of the river at Hutchinson Field in Milton and enjoyed movies at the Neponset Drive-In.  During his professional career, he was thrilled to contribute to writing the Lower Neponset River Master Plan and then to play an integral role in the planning, design, permitting and construction oversight of the Pope John Paul II Park and Neponset Park. These two parks provide active and passive recreation opportunities, a car-top boat launch, have over two acres of restored salt marsh, and a spray pool for those hot summer days. A huge turnaround for these former contaminated sites and city dump! 

Epsilon has teamed with many partners to advance the DCR's plan to construct parklands and river access identified in the Master Plan. DCR's vision is a continuous eight-mile multi-use trail connecting the Blue Hills Reservation in parts of Milton, Quincy, Braintree, Canton, Randolph, and Dedham to the Boston Harbor at Castle Island in South Boston. We are proud of our integral role working with many partners to advance keys phases of the Greenway improvements. These include Greenway elements such:
  • The Neponset Greenway Corridor Completion Project - a bicycle and pedestrian route that links urban and suburban communities along the river, including a new pedestrian bridge over the Neponset River connecting the Ryan Playground with the Greenway. Epsilon provided support with natural resource mapping and securing project approvals.
  • Senator Joseph Finnegan Park at Port Norfolk- formerly the "Shaffer Paper" site. This park provides passive recreation and extends the Greenway through the Port Norfolk neighborhood. Epsilon provided support with natural resource mapping, salt marsh restoration design, and securing project approvals, and is currently providing on-going salt marsh restoration monitoring.
  • Neponset Greenway Segment 3 - Victory Road to Morrissey Boulevard. This segment brings an additional section to the bicycle and pedestrian route in Dorchester. Epsilon provided natural resource mapping and is currently working on securing project approvals. 
Our staff loves to see kids playing at the
parks, flying kites and biking along the Greenway! The images of kids enjoying the Greenway and parks provides an added sense of pride and pleasure for our hard "behind the scenes" work helping the DCR implement its vision to reconnect people to this important urban waterway. 
Critical Transmission Line Project Approved by New York PSC

Initiation of earthworks for the Cricket Valley Transmission Project.
Epsilon is pleased to announce that Advanced Power received a Notice to Proceed from the NY Public Service Commission to build a 17-mile long transmission line that will provide enough power to serve one million homes. The Cricket Valley Transmission Project in Dutchess County will carry power from the Cricket Valley Energy Center currently under construction to the New York power grid. Epsilon has been the lead environmental consultant since late 2013 for this highly anticipated energy project. We have provided comprehensive environmental consulting support from the Article VII application through to the Environmental Management & Construction Plan (EM&CP) development. Recently, the New York State Public Service Commission approved the project's EM&CP and issued the Notice to Proceed on September 1, a critical final step allowing construction to begin. Epsilon congratulates Advanced Power on achieving this important milestone!
200 MW Exelon Medway Peaker Project Begins Construction

Exelon Medway Project.
Epsilon is excited that our multi-year permitting effort assisting Exelon Generation with its expansion of the Medway Peaker Project has helped bring this project to fruition. Exelon recently received all state and local approvals to begin construction on this expansion project designed to bring a reliable, clean and efficient energy source to the region. Peaker plants deliver energy when the demand for electricity exceeds that provided by base-load power plants (those that run all the time and provide most of the region's electricity). This typically happens during the hottest and coldest times of the year. Unlike base-load facilities that may take several hours to start up, peaker plants must start up quickly (the newest models such as those proposed for Medway come on-line in about 10 minutes!). 

In our January 2017 newsletter, we reported that Exelon received initial permission from the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) to move forward on its expansion of the generating facility in November 2016. The final EFSB approval allowed for the start of construction in August, 2017. Epsilon's extensive permitting effort included an Air Plan/Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) air permit application, air modeling, conducting a sound level measurement program, performing sound modeling, development of an on-site groundwater supply, and wetlands delineation and support throughout the EFSB, MEPA and local permitting effort.
Epsilon Breaking Fieldwork Record

Fieldwork at a wind farm in Upstate New York.
In the month of August, the Acoustics Group pulled off the single biggest month of fieldwork in our 20 year history.  We completed 6 one or two week Existing Condition sound level measurement programs across four states - Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, and Massachusetts. 

Kudos to  Alyssa Mathews ,  Abbey Nack ,  Clint Cyr ,  Ryan Callahan ,  Rhianna Sommers ,  Fiona Vardy , and  Rob O'Neal  who worked long hours to squeeze in "summer" conditions before fall arrived .
ConferencesWhere We've Been (And Where We're Going)
Highlighted below is the most recent event we participated in.

Professionals Giving Back -  In June, Senior Scientist Amanda Atwell co-taught a class for the  Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions on hydric soils. The class included a morning session reviewing basic hydric soil descriptors as they relate to the "Field Indicators of Hydric Soils" published by the USDA-NRCS followed by an afternoon in the field.
 
Our upcoming events Epsilon is sponsoring or exhibiting at include:
 
MAMA 44th Annual Conference   | September 25-26, 2017 |  More Info 
Epsilon sponsoring and exhibiting at event
 
MACC Fall Conference  | October 28, 2017 | More Info 
Epsilon speaker: Mike Howard

Microgrid 2017 Conference   |  November 6, 2017 |   More Info
Epsilon exhibiting at event

AMWS Annual Conference  | December 1, 2017 | More Info
Epsilon attending

Click here  to learn more about these and other upcoming events.  
CompanyWhat's New At Epsilon
Recent promotions. Epsilon believes in supporting and recognizing the success, talent and hard work of our dedicated employees. This year we are pleased to congratulate some of our colleagues on their recent promotions.
Brian Lever was promoted to Senior Consultant, both  Karen Gilbert and Megan Kearns were promoted to Project Scientist, and Nick DeFilippo was promoted to Project Engineer.

Staff on the move.  As the importance of sustainable design and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)  certification continues to grow within the development community, Epsilon continues to grow and enhance our capabilities along with it.  We are pleased to announce that Associate  Geoff Starsiak and Planner  Talya Moked recently attained LEED AP® Building Design + Construction credentials, and Planner Fiona Vardy attained the LEED Green Associate credential.  These additions to our already strong LEED-credentialed team further enhance our ability to provide clients with the best, most up-to-date information and strategies to comply with Article 37 of the Boston Zoning Code (Green Buildings) and to meet LEED standards.

Kudos! Senior Consultant  Dorothy Buckoski  was recently elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) . This esteemed honor is given to those who have made both significant contributions to AIChE and to the profession. She is an integral member of the Air Quality Group providing air quality consulting services to clients throughout Massachusetts and New England. For more information on this honor, please visit our website .

Epsilon is growing.  Over the summer, we welcomed two new employees,
Ryan Callahan and  Trish Foster . Ryan is a Senior Engineer in our Acoustics Group working on a range of modeling, monitoring, and noise control projects. Ryan is a great addition to the firm, and augments our expertise in the acoustical field. Trish joined our Ecological Sciences Group and will be providing permitting and regulatory compliance support, largely focusing on our larger utility projects.

In the community.  Many staff are involved in local non-profits helping the local environment and community. Principal  Andy Magee is involved with OARS and Epsilon is supporting this organization by sponsoring their 31st Annual River Cleanup , which  took place on Saturday, September 16th along the Assabet, Sudbury and Concord Rivers.

In August, Senior Consultant Vincent Tino, and a number of others formed the TriCounty Strutters, a local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation representing Norfolk, Bristol, and Plymouth counties in Massachusetts.  Mr. Tino is the chapter's inaugural treasurer.

Congrats Steve! Principal  Steve Slocomb will be participating in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk on September 24th.  This is Steve's 5th year participating in the walk. He will be walking the entire 26.2-mile Boston Marathon route in support of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's mission to conquer cancer.