Expert Details
Water Resources Regulation and Compliance
ID: 735776
Maryland, USA
Expertise includes local planning and zoning review, interagency liaising, project management, biomonitoring, engineering, remedial design, stormwater management, and wetland and stream mitigation/restoration. He is experienced in all applicable aspects of water resource regulation and determining the appropriate practicable resource management practices and design criteria to minimize and mitigate potential resource impacts to assure consistency with local, state, and federal environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Expert has degrees in Biology and Chemistry, completed numerous continuing education courses in regulatory disciplines, and is an Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals (ABCEP) Certified Environmental Professional (CEP). He is on-call faculty for Lorman and HalfMoon Continuing Educational Services, prepares seminars and workshops, publishes industry-related and natural resources articles along with technical reports, and provides expert testimony, written studies, and opinion papers. He is also an appointed member of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council.
Expert has provided extensive expert testimony regarding Clean Water Act (CWA) and federal/state/local water resource and wetland/waterway compliance including stormwater management and nonpoint source pollution control, water quality regulation, CWA Section 402 NPDES, CWA Section 404, and 401 waters of the U. S. wetland permitting, and U. S. EPA Anti-degradation policy compliance for various processes including state Senate and House Environmental and Legislative Committees, County Boards of Commissioners and Planning Commissions, County Councils, Boards of Appeal, as well as provided depositions for pending litigation and prepared deliberative documents and rebuttals for court and administrative hearings. He has successfully partnered with environmental and land use/zoning attorneys working on behalf of clients in a team environment.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 2018 | Degree: Continuing education and post-graduate course work | Subject: Environmental Compliance | Institution: Various |
| Year: 1976 | Degree: BS | Subject: Chemistry | Institution: University of Tampa |
| Year: 1976 | Degree: BS | Subject: Biology | Institution: University of Tampa |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2013 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Executive Principal and Environmental Consuiltant | Department: |
Responsibilities:Provide problem-solving executive consulting services to government and private client base in resource assessment, CWA compliance, and feasibility studies including: permitting; watershed, wetland, forest, and NEPA analyses; stormwater management; environmental site design; and water quality and NPDES monitoring to assure sustainable project goals. Expertise includes, project management, interagency liaising, biomonitoring, bioengineering, remedial design, wetland and stream mitigation, fisheries, and evaluation of proposed alternatives including watershed restoration plans. Determine the appropriate resource management practices and design criteria which minimize and mitigate potential impacts to assure consistency with NEPA, CWA, and other local, State and federal environmental laws, regulations and policies. Evaluate the environmental, economic and social aspects of proposed alternatives and practices including appropriate construction techniques. Prepare seminars and workshops, provide expert testimony, and prepare written studies and opinion papers.• Act as primary permit liaison and expert between agencies, subcontractors, and clients to facilitate compliance. • Manage and coordinate subcontractor work and deliverables. • Obtain water resource permits for major capital improvement transportation and utility projects in sensitive environmental areas including NEPA EA and EIS compliance. • Prepare deliberative guidance documents to demonstrate compliance criteria of effective of water quality management and resource restoration practices. • Prepare and execute environmental service proposals in response to procurement notices. • Implement environmentally sensitive design of major new developments in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. • On-call senior specialist for Straughan Environmental, Inc., and Navarro & Wright Consulting Engineers, Inc. • Prepare continuing on-call continuing education seminars for Halfmoon Education, Lorman Educational Services, and Maryland Construction Network for industry professionals on topics of water quality, nonpoint source pollution control, and wetland regulation. • Participate in the development of new water quality, TMDL, NPDES, stormwater management, and forestry policy and regulations as a member of the Chesapeake Bay Program Citizens Advisory Committee, Maryland Patuxent River Commission, and Maryland Building Industry Association Environmental Committee. • Represented Rhode Island Building Industry Association providing expert testimony to the Rhode Island Legislative Task Force on Wetland and Onsite Waste Water Treatment Systems Setbacks regarding the establishment of new uniform stream buffer legislation. • Invited panelist at the University of Delaware’s Water Science & Policy Graduate Program First Annual Symposium. • Represented USA in Fulbright Experts Exchange Program providing expertise and seminars for the Regional Environmental Center for Eastern Europe and the Central European University Environmental Studies Program. • Invited presenter at following symposia: Society of Wetland Scientists Annual Meeting, Water Quality and Wetlands: Lessons Learned National Association of Environmental Professionals Annual Meeting, Wetlands and Stormwater Management Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council Citizens Advisory Committee, Overview of Stormwater Management Maryland Building Industry Association Land Development Course, Clean Water Act Criteria Affecting Stormwater. International Water Association International Water Week, Amsterdam, Netherlands symposium on wetlands and stormwater management International Water Resources and Wetlands Conference, Tulcea, Romania on wetlands management • Awarded first environmental Legislative Award from the Maryland Building Industry Association. |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2009 to 2013 | Employer: Whitman Reuqardt & Associates, LLP | Title: Associate | Department: |
Responsibilities:Managed and developed the firm's environmental services and technical personnel to promote evolving multi-disciplines in water resources and engineering. Provided full-service capabilities to government agencies and developer client base in water and forest resource assessment, feasibility studies, and regulatory compliance specializing in privatization and sustainable development projects. Compliance measures include watershed analysis and restoration including wetlands, streams, forest, stormwater management; environmental site design; and water quality monitoring. Expertise includes permitting, bioengineering, remedial design, mitigation, fisheries, and evaluation of proposed alternatives and restoration plans. Responded to government Requests for Proposals and managed the appropriate distribution of work and staffing including the assessment and inventory of on-site resources to assure environmentally compliant public works and land development projects that meet client goals. Determined the appropriate resource management practices and design criteria which minimize and mitigate potential impacts to assure consistency with NEPA, CWA, NPDES, and other local, State and federal environmental laws, regulations and policies.• Prepared and executed responsive environmental service proposals including NEPA and EIS studies for complex and sensitive projects for Department of the Army, Maryland Transportation Authority, and local governments. • Acted as lead permitting specialist for largest private development client in Charles County, Maryland. • Established protocol and procedures for interagency liaising and coordination regarding complex, large-scale and sensitive public projects. • Established new and efficient internal environmental services including GIS level preliminary and in-house GPS survey environmental constraint studies to reduce costs and timelines. • Established and promoted a multi-disciplinary environmental team for the main office through training and providing multi-faceted one-stop-shop services for internal project managers as well as external client base. • Implemented additional procedures for establishing budgets and procedures for managing scope of work regarding new environmental compliance requirements and methods. • Provided expert testimony to Charles County Commissioners, Maryland on water quality regulation in regards to a new proposed Master Plan. • Represented industry on regional environmental committees participating in policy development and application while keeping company current on cutting edge and changing criteria. • Prepare continuing on-call continuing education seminars for Halfmoon Education and Lorman Educational Services for industry professionals on topics of water quality, nonpoint source pollution control, and wetland regulation. |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2001 to 2009 | Employer: Soltesz, Inc. | Title: Associate | Department: |
Responsibilities:Provided full range of corporate environmental consulting services and expertise to the private and government land development, engineering and public works industries. Managed a multi-disciplinary team of environmental scientists, specialists and project managers for six regional offices throughout Maryland and Virginia. Represented the firm in all environmental matters including client services and marketing. Determined the appropriate distribution of work and resources, team hiring and establish and monitor budgets. Responsible for services such as the assessment and inventory of on-site resources including forests, streams, wetland and floodplain to assure environmentally compliant public works and land development projects. Determined the appropriate resource management practices and design criteria which minimize and mitigate potential impacts to assure consistency with NEPA, CWA, NPDES, and other local, State and federal environmental laws, regulations and policies. Obtained applicable environmental permits from federal, State and local regulatory agencies. Provided ongoing educational and seminar services in the environmental and water resource disciplines including expert testimony, continuing education and public outreach.• Developed and increased company environmental services as in independent profit center from three to 11 persons. • Developed new contemporary multi-disciplined environmental services protocols and skill sets in response to changing and evolving water resource regulation. • Developed new water quality compliance monitoring services and protocols in response to new construction monitoring NPDES requirements. • Prepare continuing on-call continuing education seminars for Halfmoon Education and Lorman Educational Services for industry professionals on topics of water quality, nonpoint source pollution control, and wetland regulation. • Recognition: o National Award for Smart Growth Achievement for Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland in the category of Overall Excellence nationwide, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. o U. S. Green Building Council LEED for New Construction Gold certificate for Maryland project and Green Building finalist award from the National Association of Home Builders, National Green Building Conference. o Merit awards from the Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association for innovative and environmentally sensitive land development designs and Maryland Department of Natural Resources award demonstrating innovative water quality management and sustainable design. o Award from Homebuilders Association of Maryland for Outstanding Committee Work in drafting of the Maryland Stormwater Management Act of 2007. o Interviewed by National Public Radio regarding U. S. Supreme Court decisions affecting waters of the U. S. o Provided testimony to the Montgomery County Council, Maryland regarding the technical merits of its newly issued NPDES permit and the technical merits of proposed impervious cap overlays. |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 2000 | Employer: Maryland Department of the Environment | Title: Division Cheif - prior title Environmenta Specialist | Department: Wetlands and Waterways Program |
Responsibilities:Administered multi-disciplinary State and federal water resource regulatory programs requiring supervision of environmental specialists and water resources engineers. Determined the potential environmental effects of development and public works activities. Identified impacts to waterways, flood plains and wetlands including resources of concern such as sensitive, threatened or commercially valuable species. Determined the appropriate management practices and design criteria to minimize and mitigate potential resource and water quality impacts to assure consistency with NEPA, CWA, NPDES, and other federal and State environmental laws, regulations and policies. Evaluated proposed alternatives and appropriate construction techniques. Participated in EA and EIS studies as well facilitating public/agency participation processes. Evaluated watershed improvement projects including the restoration of flood plain, stream and wetland systems and nonpoint source pollution management retrofit projects. Participated in the development of regulations, policy and guidance documents. Represented Department at public meetings, hearings, committees.• Improved efficiency of the Nontidal Wetlands and Waterways Division’s Southern Region by establishing more efficient project review procedures and commended by the Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary. • Lead MDE project manager for largest Maryland new highway construction, Intercounty Connector. Appointed as MDE representative to Senior Technical Team, Maryland Department of Transportation. • Lead project manager for major projects in sensitive areas of suburban Washington, DC area - nominated for MDE merit award. • Received merit award from the MDE Secretary for assisting the Maryland Department of Transportation in resolving environmental and economical conflicts from associated roadway construction. • One of founding members of Montgomery County Wetland Coordinating Committee to facilitate interagency coordination of county/State/federal environmental regulatory programs. • Received merit award from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District Commander and the MDE Secretary for contributing to an interagency Process Action Team optimizing a new federal environmental permit process. • One of founding members of Interagency Mitigation Task Force creating federal/State wetland mitigation policy in the form of Maryland Compensatory Mitigation Guidance. • Invited presenter to Millennium Wetland Event, International Association for Ecology and Society of Wetland Scientists, 2000, Quebec and Management of Large River Basins, 8th River Basin Conference, International Association on Water Quality, 1998, Hungary. |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1998 to 1999 | Employer: U. S. Information Agency, Fulbright Experts Exchange Program | Title: Environmental Expert | Department: |
Responsibilities:Consultant for two short-term contracts for U. S. Information Service, in Washington, DC and U. S. Embassy, Budapest. Lectured at the Central European University, Environmental Sciences and Policy Department and Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe on the topic of the multi-disciplinary approach to environmental regulation and management. Represented U. S. Government and the Maryland Department of the Environment at International Association on Water Quality conference on the Management of Large River Basins affording opportunity to environmental experts from Eastern Europe and the Community of Independent States to improve information exchange efforts to address water resource management issues. Made presentation on the topic of balancing the needs of development projects and water resource protection. Forged links with nongovernmental organizations and the educational community. |
|||
Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1986 to 2000 | Agency: Maryland Department of the Environment | Role: Employer | Description: Manager |
| Years: 2002 to 2019 | Agency: Charles County, Maryland | Role: Intermittent on-call consultant | Description: Environmental consulting |
| Years: 2014 to 2019 | Agency: Maryland Transportation Administration | Role: Internmittent on-call consultant | Description: Permitting compliance |
| Years: 2015 to 2019 | Agency: Washington Metroploitan Transit Authority | Role: Intermittent on-call consultant | Description: Permitting compliance |
International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 1998 to 1999 | Country / Region: Hungary | Summary: Expert exchange program |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals (ABCEP) Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) teaches seminars, publishes industry-related and natural resources articles, is a member of several industries and citizen advisory committees, recipient numerous awards of recognition, and provides expert testimony and media interviews. Member of: International Water Association National Association of Environmental Professionals DevEx Society for International Development Society of Ecological Restoration Society of Wetland Scientists Association of Wetland Managers Society of Environmental Journalists North American Travel Journalists Association International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) by Eminence from the Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals (ABCEP). |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Participate in developing new water quality, TMDL, NPDES, stormwater management, and forestry policy and regulations as a member of the Chesapeake Bay Program Citizens Advisory Committee, Maryland Patuxent River Commission, and Maryland Building Industry Association Environmental Committee. |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| • Represented Rhode Island Building Industry Association providing expert testimony to the Rhode Island Legislative Task Force on Wetland and Onsite Waste Water Treatment Systems Setbacks regarding establishing new uniform stream buffer legislation. • Invited panelist at the University of Delaware’s Water Science & Policy Graduate Program First Annual Symposium. • Represented USA in Fulbright Experts Exchange Program providing expertise and seminars for the Regional Environmental Center for Eastern Europe and the Central European University Environmental Studies Program. • Invited presenter at following symposia: Society of Wetland Scientists Annual Meeting, Water Quality, and Wetlands: Lessons Learned National Association of Environmental Professionals Annual Meeting, Wetlands and Stormwater Management Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council Citizens Advisory Committee, Overview of Stormwater Management Maryland Building Industry Association Land Development Course, Clean Water Act Criteria Affecting Stormwater. International Water Association International Water Week, Amsterdam, Netherlands symposium on wetlands and stormwater management International Water Resources and Wetlands Conference, Tulcea, Romania on wetlands management • Awarded first environmental Legislative Award from the Maryland Building Industry Association. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| • Just Tell Us What the Rules Are • Balancing Water Resource Regulation and Politics • Paving the way • NTU is Not a University • Stream Buffers – is more Really Better? • The State of Stormwater Management • The Limitations of Impervious Limits • Tier II Waters Regulation and Your Project • The Muddy Waters of the NTU • Going Batty Over Rare Species • Waters, Waters Everywhere • Balancing Wetland and Stream Preservation with Stormwater Management Goals, Stormwater Magazine • Authored chapter Balancing Wetland and Stream Preservation with Stormwater Management Goals: a Case Study in Short Subjects for Design Professionals for professional development series textbook: Engineering Methods and Techniques for Improving Water Quality, Landscape Architects Registration Board • Published and presented the paper Balancing Wetland Habitat and Stream Preservation with Stormwater Management Goals: A Case Study in the following venues: Journal: Water Science and Technology, Elsevier Science, Ltd., the proceedings of, and presented at, the Watershed-Wide Strategies to Maximize Wetland Ecological and Social Services, Association of State Wetland Managers, VA; the Land Development Breakthroughs Best Practices Conference, SC; the Wetlands Regulatory Workshop, U. S. EPA, NJ • Section 401 Water Quality Certification Stormwater Management Guidelines, Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland • Turbidity: a literature review of its impacts on aquatic resources, Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Ongoing contributor to Build Magazine • Just Tell Us What the Rules Are • Balancing Water Resource Regulation and Politics • Paving the way • NTU is Not a University • Stream Buffers – is more Really Better? • The State of Stormwater Management • The Limitations of Impervious Limits • Tier II Waters Regulation and Your Project • The Muddy Waters of the NTU Ongoing contributor to Straughan Environmental, Inc. blog • Just Tell Us What the Rules Are • Going Batty Over Rare Species • Waters, Waters Everywhere Ongoing freelance ecotourism and environmental travel journalist for various publications - examples • Ecotourism in St. Lucia: Lassoing Lionfish, Food Wine and Travel Magazine • Sea Turtle Summers, Destinations Travel Magazine • An immersive adventure in Baltimore’s National Aquarium, Elliott.org on-call Destinations travel column • Discovering Cancun's Isla Mujeres and Underwater Museum, Destinations Travel Magazine • All's Whale in Massachusetts, Destinations Travel Magazine |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has provided extensive expert testimony regarding Clean Water Act (CWA) and federal/state/local water resource and wetland/waterway compliance including stormwater management and nonpoint source pollution control, water quality regulation, CWA Section 402 NPDES, CWA Section 404, and 401 waters of the U. S. wetland permitting, and U. S. EPA Anti-degradation policy compliance for various processes including state Senate and House Environmental and Legislative Committees, County Boards of Commissioners and Planning Commissions, County Councils, Boards of Appeal, as well as provided depositions for pending litigation and prepared deliberative documents and rebuttals for court and administrative hearings. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Prepare to continue on-call continuing education seminars for Halfmoon Education, Lorman Educational Services, and Maryland Construction Network for industry professionals on water quality, nonpoint source pollution control, and wetland regulation. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Manage and run own Maryland consulting corporation since 2013. |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| English | Fluent |
| Hungarian | Working knowledge |