Hunt Valley, Maryland (29 August 2024)—EA is proud to announce that the Western Dredging Association (WEDA) has bestowed a best paper award to “Dredged Material Confined Disposal Facility Design Optimization during Construction at Spirit Lake, Duluth, Minnesota.” The paper was authored by seven industry experts, including five EA employees:
- James Beaver, PE, EA Senior Engineer
- Matthew Bowman, PE, CCM, CMQ/OE, EA Vice President and Chief Engineer
- Michael Ciarlo, EA Senior Scientist and Project Manager
- Luke Rief, EA Senior Engineer
- Mark Loomis, Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO)
- Jeff Boltz, PhD, EA Senior Vice President and Chief Scientist
- Dustin Bauman, J.F. Brennan Company, Inc., Director, Environmental Services
Beaver, who led development of the paper, presented the paper at WEDA’s Dredging Summit & Expo ‘24 recently held in Tampa, Florida. At the conference, he represented the seven authors in accepting the Moffatt & Nichol Best Paper Award.
“We are proud to contribute to the body of knowledge that advances our industry and helps shape a sustainable future,” said Boltz. “This recognition underscores EA’s commitment to technical excellence and innovation in environmental services.”
The award-winning paper presents the intricate design and construction challenges overcome during the Spirit Lake Sediment Remediation project. The paper highlights the importance of design optimization in coordination with the constructors, proactive schedule management, and active engagement with agencies and stakeholders. The project’s success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our dedicated professionals and their unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship.
“We’re very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with EPA GLNPO and the non-federal sponsor on the Spirit Lake feasibility study, remedial design, and remediation construction,” said Beaver. “It’s important to share the innovative approaches needed to overcome challenges during construction for projects of this size and complexity, and very rewarding to be recognized by WEDA for our conference paper.”
Located within the St. Louis River Area of Concern in Duluth, Minnesota, the Spirit Lake Great Lakes Legacy Act Sediment Remediation Project involves a multi-disciplinary team that includes consultants, contractors, and the EPA’s GLNPO, and their non-federal sponsor. EA led the design and construction oversight to remediate impacted sediment and shoreline of the St. Louis River at Spirit Lake while also enhancing wetland habitat and creating new open water. In addressing chemical constituents of concern, environmental cleanup involved extensive hydraulic and mechanical dredging of more than 460,000 cubic yards of sediment, capping of 86 acres, and 138 acres of aquatic habitat restoration plantings. The project was recognized in 2023 with WEDA’s Environmental Excellence Award for Partnerships and Outreach/Education and by the Environmental Business Journal with a Business Achievement Award for Project Merit.
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