Environmental Engineering

A remediation review can extend from the original site characterization through remedy design and long-term operation. Design calculations, treatment specifications, pilot or treatability studies, extraction and injection rates, monitoring results, equipment performance, contaminant trends, maintenance records, and cleanup objectives can show whether the remedy addressed the conditions it was designed to manage. EPA similarly treats site characterization, monitoring, remedy selection, implementation, and performance as connected parts of contaminated-site cleanup.

Dispersion modeling can become important when counsel needs to examine how emissions from a source may have affected concentrations at surrounding locations. The model combines source information, such as emission rate and release characteristics, with meteorological and terrain data to estimate concentrations at downwind receptors. An expert can test the inputs, model selection, receptor configuration, assumptions, and interpretation of the output. EPA identifies AERMOD as its preferred regulatory dispersion modeling system for many air-quality applications.

PFAS disputes can require engineering analysis of site characterization, groundwater movement, treatment selection, containment, disposal, or remediation performance. The expert may compare sampling data with the conceptual site model, investigate potential migration pathways, and examine whether a treatment or management approach matches the PFAS-containing media and site conditions. EPA's current PFAS guidance addresses technology selection and uncertainties associated with treatment, destruction, disposal, landfills, underground injection, and thermal processes.