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EDUCATION
B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Notre Dame, 1974
PROFESSIONAL LICENSES
Registered Professional Engineer - Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
Elected Member, International Board
Past Director, Landfill Gas Division
Past Chairman, Landfill Gas Division, Energy Recovery Feasibility Committee
Past President, Ohio Buckeye Chapter
Past Local Chairman, Cincinnati Convention Committee
Chairman, Landfill Division, Policies, Rules and Regulations
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Past President, Cincinnati Section
Past Vice Chairman, Landfill Subcommittee
Member, Solid Waste Management Committee
Co-author, Landfill Design and Operation Manual
Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce
Past Chairman, Solid Waste Subcommittee
Past Chairman, Environment and Energy Committee
American Public Works Association (APWA)
Member, Institute for Solid Waste
Engineers and Scientists of Cincinnati (ESC)
Past President
Past Chairman, Annual Engineer-for-a-Day Event
National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA)
Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA)
Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Since joining SCS in 1974, Mr. Walsh has worked almost exclusively in the area of solid waste management, primarily sanitary landfills and landfill gas (LFG). He regularly serves as a Project Director and Reviewing Principal for SCS landfill and LFG projects. His project experience, coupled with his involvement in professional and industrial associations, has earned Mr. Walsh an international reputation in these specialty fields.
Notable landfill activities have included:
Significant landfill leadership activity. He served as Project Manager and primary author of the U.S. EPA landfill manual. He served as Project Manager and Chief Investigator on several U.S. EPA landfill R&D efforts relating to leachate, gas, and liner/cap performance. He has been engaged on over 100 landfill design and permitting projects, including sites with double composite liner systems. He has managed or directed several successful green field and landfill expansion permits with design capacities in excess of 25 million tons of solid waste.
Project Director in preparation of hydrogeologic and engineering documents for a permit-to-install (PTI), at the Harrison County Landfill near Cadiz , Ohio . This is a proposed 3,000 ton per day facility, with a projected landfill life of over 30 years. A comprehensive hydrogeologic investigation was performed including soil borings, rock corings, test pits, and ground water monitoring wells. A detailed hydrogeologic report was prepared. Engineering drawings were developed in accordance with new Ohio Landfill BAT Regulations. Over 130 such drawings were prepared.
Project Director on an analytical review of Ohio landfill BAT rules for monofill considerations. Took the lead in reviewing, commenting, and proposing alternative language on selected design considerations to better address paper mill sludge disposal into monofills. Chief contact and liaison with Ohio EPA during the comment period to effect incorporation of suggested changes into the final rules.
Project Director on development of a closure plan for the Westlake Landfill near Cleveland , Ohio . A final grading plan was developed. A report was prepared describing final refuse filling activities, closure, and post-closure maintenance.
Project Director on a landfill expansion plan for ELDA Landfill in Cincinnati , Ohio . Developed potentiometric ground water maps, excavation plans, and final grading plans. Determined air space and soil volumes.
Project Manager on an eight year long effort for Fulton County , New York in developing a new regional solid waste disposal facility. SCS services included closure of existing county dumps, countywide landfill selection, hydrogeologic investigation, permit plans and documents, public hearings, construction, and start-up operations. A permit-to-construct (PTC) and permit-to-operate (PTO) were successfully acquired for this site. This represented the first such permits for new site development in New York state within the past eight years.
Project Manager in the development of an expanded landfill operation for the Town of North Hempstead, New York. SCS provided expert testimony on behalf of the Town assessing proposed site development plans, as compared against alternatives proposed by state regulatory authorities and local citizens.
Project Director in the preparation of an NPDES permit for Statewide Landfill, Canton , Ohio . Coordinated with Ohio EPA on baseline water quality data and the need for additional sampling and analytical work. Prepared permit package and acquired approval from Ohio EPA.
Project Director in the preparation of a closure plan for the Statewide Landfill. Prepared plans for control of leachate and landfill gas emissions from the site. Estimated leachate volumes. Prepared fill and final grading plans.
Notable landfill gas (LFG) activities have included:
Significant involvement on New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and Title V programs as they relate to landfill and LFG. Active during the development of the NSPS standards, with comments and presentations that had a direct impact on the language in the rule. Provided commentary to EPA on behalf of SWANA and other organizations.
Personally involved on over 100 NSPS projects and over 15 Title V programs. NSPS tasks performed have included design capacity reports, Tier 1 gas models, Tier 2 field tests, Tier 3 pump tests, control system designs, and surface emission performance testing. Title V tasks have included applicability reviews, emission inventories, and preparation of operating permit applications.
Project Manager or Chief Engineer on a number of international LFG assignments in New Zealand , the Dominican Republic , and Brazil . He has been engaged on four different LFG recovery and control projects at Rosedale , Redvale, Booker, and Green Island landfills in New Zealand . He performed LFG to energy feasibility determinations at three landfills in the Dominican Republic . He was involved in the preparation of pump test and LFG to energy feasibility evaluations at several landfills in Sao Paulo , Brazil .
Project Director and Chief Engineer for the proposed bentonite slurry cut-off wall proposed for a housing subdivision in Savannah , Georgia . As proposed, the wall was to be 600 ft long and 40 ft deep. The wall was to be constructed into the groundwater table, and accommodate wide variations in groundwater level. The cut-off wall was proposed to block the outward migration of combustible LFG from an existing sanitary landfill, into an adjacent housing subdivision known as Weatherwood.
Reviewing Principal on a proposed bentonite slurry cut-off wall for lateral LFG control at the Port Washington Landfill in the Town of North Hempstead, New York. As part of this investigation, a case study investigation was performed on other bentonite slurry cut-off walls installed for combustible LFG control at sites nationwide. Case study investigations were performed on three such prior sites. All sites appeared to be affected historically in their application. The project concluded with a determination that slurry walls could be effective. A final slurry wall was then designed.
Designed a passive gas control system for the Watergate Townhouse Development in Alexandria , Virginia . The townhouse development was to be constructed atop an existing dump abandoned in 1910. To mitigate combustible gas hazards still existing, SCS proposed the excavation of some of the waste material to shallow depth and removal to off-site disposal. A horizontal passive venting system was then constructed below that portion of the construction still existing atop remaining waste deposits. Lastly, passive gas cut-off trenches were proposed for the entire site perimeter, to block the migration of combustible gases from disposal areas outside the site, onto the proposed development itself. The gas cut-off trench was to consist of a 2,000 ft long 6-ft deep trench, backfilled with gravel and a geomembrane plastic.
Project Manager and Chief Engineer for an active and passive gas control system at the Frostburg Industrial Park in Allegany County , Maryland . An industrial park had been constructed atop an abandoned sanitary landfill. Gas controls were retrofit ted to the facility. These included an active gas withdrawal system over much of the landfill surface. Collected gases were fed through wells and headers, and to a blower/flare facility. At this location, the collected gas was combusted. Gravel filled cut-off trenches were installed around much of the site perimeter to prevent any remaining migration outward to on-site facilities. Lastly, crawl space ventilation was provided below an existing high rise building, to mitigate the accumulation of combustible gases in this facility.
Technical Advisor on a proposed active and passive gas cut-off trench to be installed at the Operating Industries Inc. (OII) Landfill in Los Angeles , California . SCS was the selected subcontractor on this large Superfund investigation and design, specifically responsible for LFG control aspects. SCS was tasked with evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of the proposed cut-off wall, including an evaluation of its cost effectiveness and constructability. The cut-off trench was to consist of gas extraction at shallow depths, followed by passive venting at greater depth. The proposed construction cost for the gas cut-off trench was estimated at in excess of $5 million.
Project Director/Reviewing Principal on engineering services at LFG recovery projects in Birmingham, Alabama; Pensacola, Florida; Arlington, Texas; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Services have included due diligence, modeling, pump tests, collection system design, construction engineering, and start-up and well field adjustment.
Project Director/Manager on LFG utilization feasibility studies which included well installation, pump tests, preliminary design, cost estimating, market/economic investigation, and report preparation. Sites studied have included Campground Landfill, Louis ville , Kentucky ; Royalton Road Landfill, Cleveland , Ohio ; I-95 Landfill, Lorton , Virginia ; Riverview Landfill, Detroit , Michigan ; and others in Cleveland , Ohio ; Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania ; Richmond , Virginia ; Virginia Beach , Virginia ; Cranston , Rhode Island ; and Franklin County, Ohio.
Project Director/Manager on LFG hazard assessments which included well installation, monitoring, pump tests, report preparation, and recommendation of control measures. Hazard assessments have been performed in Westlake , Ohio ; Garfield Heights , Ohio ; Uniontown , Ohio ; Cleveland , Ohio ; Canton , Ohio ; and Louis ville , Kentucky among others.
Project Director/Manager on LFG control and design projects which included design of control systems, system installation, and start-up and balancing of collection systems. These efforts have been performed at numerous sites in Ohio ( Cincinnati , Cleveland , Columbus , Dayton , Garfield Heights , Akron , Canton , Westlake , and Uniontown);Pennsylvania (Harrisburg ,Pittsburgh ,Monroeville ,Johnstown ,& Washington)Michigan (Detroit , Canton Township , and Ypsilanti ); and New York (North Hempstead and New York City ).
Expert Witness on a proposed landfill gas recovery project at the Pennsauken Landfill, New Jersey ; on a landfill gas system at the New Halls Ferry Landfill in St. Louis , Missouri ; and on two combustible gas hazard projects in Cleveland , Ohio .
Project Director on a project for landfill gas recovery for space heating at a landfill in Northwood , Ohio . Directed the design of a system to withdraw gas from wells, perform nominal clean-up, and feed medium Btu gas to a retrofitted heating system.
Project Manager and Chief Designer for active LFG control systems (i.e., LFG extraction wells, flares, etc.) and passive LFG control systems (i.e., cutoff trenches, membrane barriers, etc.) for projects in the Midwest U.S.
Designer of a LFG computer model to determine the feasibility of LFG recovery. This model is used on feasibility studies performed by SCS, and has proven effective as a first step prior to pump test programs.
Project Manager on an evaluation of landfill gas analytical techniques and cleaning technologies for the Gas Research Institute (GRI). Objectives included: (1) develop, field validate, and refine cost-effective field analytical methods for determining trace constituent levels in LFG; and (2) identify and evaluate gas processing techniques available to remove these trace constituents from LFG.
Project Manager on two DOE/Argonne National Laboratory sponsored endeavors. The first of these was to develop a data base of potential LFG utilization sites throughout the U.S. The impact of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) on the potential for LFG utilization was addressed on the second project.
Project Manager on three federally sponsored investigations of LFG generation from landfill simulators. The first of these projects was sponsored by EPA and entails the monitoring of LFG quality and quantity on a daily basis from 19 landfill simulators each loaded with 3.5 tons of municipal refuse and selected industrial sludges. The second of these projects was sponsored by DOE and GRI and entailed the demonstration of proposed LFG enhancement techniques in 16 simulators containing 800 pounds of municipal refuse each. The third project was sponsored by EPA and investigated the landfill gas quantity and quality produced by 28 landfill simulators loaded with varying amounts of municipal waste, anaerobically digested sludge, and lime treated sludge.
East Coast Manager on three EPA nationwide studies to determine the environmental effects of LFG and leachate from landfills. These three projects included:
Five case study refuse landfills generating surface leachate.
Eight case study landfills receiving municipal sludge.
Five case study landfills receiving oil spill debris.
LFG and ground water monitoring wells were installed, and comprehensive monitoring programs performed. |
