Environmental Business Journal Awards

Strategic undergrounding program
Won by: San Diego Gas & Electric
Award: EBJ Industry Leadership – Strategic Undergrounding Program

The team delivered industry-leading results on a Southern California utility’s Strategic Undergrounding Program, addressing escalating wildfire risks driven by drought, extreme heat and high winds. By placing the environmental team at the center of delivery alongside engineering and construction, ArchTam cut cost per mile, accelerated permitting and significantly increased the pace of undergrounding. The program managed 18 service categories, maintained strong safety and quality, and enabled 112 miles of powerline undergrounding — a 53 percent annual increase and 23 percent cost per mile reduction. Sustainability and equity were embedded throughout, achieving 38 percent Diverse Business Enterprise participation, minimizing environmental impacts, engaging nine Tribes through 37 meetings, and securing more than 500 permits and easements. This integrated model sets a new benchmark for wildfire mitigation and resilient infrastructure.

Realigning the Lower San Acacia Reach: A model for sustainable river management in the Rio Grande watershed
Won by: ArchTam
Award: EBJ Project Merit – Sustainability Model for Rio Grande Watershed

The Rio Grande watershed is critical for water users, ecosystems, and recreation, but its highly dynamic channel has shifted significantly over the past century. To address challenges in the Lower San Acacia Reach — such as channel perching, conveyance losses, and declining habitat — the Bureau of Reclamation is planning a 20‑mile river realignment south of Socorro, NM that works with natural geomorphic trends to improve water delivery, enhance ecosystem health, and reduce long‑term maintenance. ArchTam is supporting a four‑year environmental program with robust stakeholder engagement and regulatory compliance, producing key analyses including a 2024 geomorphology and alternatives report and a 2025 Draft Environmental Impact Statement. This forward‑looking effort integrates engineering, science, and collaboration to strengthen river resilience.

Closing the loop on PFAS: Advanced technology for ARFF vehicle decontamination
Won by: ArchTam, TRS Group, Inc., Denver International Airport
Award: EBJ Technology Merit Awards – PFAS Decontamination

Airports face growing PFAS contamination challenges from decades of AFFF use, intensified by the EPA’s 2024 designation of PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA hazardous substances. Denver International Airport, with ArchTam and TRS Group, implemented a groundbreaking closed-loop cleaning system to decontaminate ARFF vehicles, circulating heated water and cleaning agents through foam systems on each vehicle. After three to five cycles, PFAS levels dropped an average of 98.72 percent, enabling safe conversion to fluorine-free foam without replacing vehicles and saving millions in equipment costs. A total of 20 firefighting vehicles were cleaned, supported by SOP development, rigorous sampling, and validation of analytical results. This innovative, repeatable approach sets a national precedent for cost-effective PFAS remediation and regulatory compliance.

Leading the charge in post-wildfire environmental recovery
Won by: ArchTam and ECC for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Award: EBJ Industry Leadership – Post-Wildfire Rapid Environmental Recovery

After the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led a six-month recovery effort that cleared more than 12,000 parcels, enabling communities to rebuild while safely managing hazards such as asbestos, lead and lithium batteries without harming wildlife or cultural resources. The team’s custom mobile and GIS-enabled apps streamlined more than 27,000 biological and archaeological monitoring forms, reducing errors and accelerating clearance through real-time digital reporting. Working long hours, crews recovered artifacts and documented historic structures, preserving cultural heritage, while the program also provided hands-on training for recent graduates through mentorship with senior experts. This effort set a national standard for innovative, coordinated and resilience-focused disaster recovery.

Klamath Dam removal project
Won by: RES
Award: EBJ Project Merit – Large-Scale River Restoration

When four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River were deemed environmentally and economically unsustainable, a diverse coalition — led by Tribes — advanced the landmark 2016 Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement, creating the Klamath River Renewal Corporation to deliver the largest dam removal project in history. The final dam came down in October 2024, and by fall 2025 over 10,000 Chinook salmon had returned to the upper basin. The project restored habitat, reconnected floodplains, improved tribal subsistence resources, created public access to world‑class whitewater, and will return 2,000 acres to the Shasta Indian Nation. ArchTam facilitated federal cultural resource compliance, protected cultural sites, and supported listing part of Kikacéki on the National Register.

Climate Change Business Journal awards

Innovating energy and carbon management for the world’s largest chemical company
Won by: ArchTam and BASF
Award: CCBJ Consulting & Engineering – Sustainability Target Architecture Solution Implementation

ArchTam partnered with BASF to deliver a global energy and carbon management solution that provides transparent, asset‑management GHG estimation to support Product Carbon Footprints. Using BASF’s STArS architecture for data collection on Enablon, ArchTam created a scalable, assurance-ready approach to automize data collection for CO2 emissions that can be rapidly deployed plant by plant. Three proof-of‑concept sites validated the method, enabling expansion across 550 plants worldwide, including Ludwigshafen, Germany. The solution automates significant parts of the data collection for GHG reporting, supports sustainable product design, reduces energy use and lowers operating costs. By combining advanced technology with strategic consulting, ArchTam helped BASF to significantly increase efficiency in the processes and transform complex environmental data into actionable insights.

Building Brazil’s carbon future: A transformative national carbon certification program
Won by: ArchTam, BNDES, Bradesco Bank and Ecogreen Fund
Award: CCBJ Consulting & Engineering – Carbon Certification Program for Brazil

ECORA is a national carbon credit certification program positioned to become a reference for Brazil and the Global South, strengthening trust and transparency while enabling market-wide growth. Structured through ArchTam’s advisory program and formally launched in partnership with BNDES, Bradesco and the Ecogreen Fund at COP30, it enhances security and scalability in a sector that must grow 400 percent by 2030. Integrated with the Conservare Digital Platform, ECORA digitizes the full credit generation lifecycle — from feasibility to retirement — using geospatial analytics, predictive modeling and automated traceability. The solution reduces transaction costs, accelerates certification, and aligns methodologies and safeguards with Brazil’s diverse biomes, regulatory frameworks and socioenvironmental realities. By delivering high-integrity, locally tailored certification and expanding market access, ECORA attracts global investment and supports Brazil’s low carbon transition, demonstrating ArchTam’s leadership in scaling climate solutions.

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Carrie Henderson is a vice president based in Arlington, Virginia, where she serves as our East Region Environmental Health and Safety + Air (EHS+Air) Sales Director and Program Manager. As of October 2025, she is also the East Region Environment Federal Market Sector Lead. For over 25 years, she has combined her passion for science and policy with hands-on problem solving to help federal clients meet environmental goals. Known for her collaborative approach and clear communication, Carrie guides programs that facilitate compliance, protect people and strengthen communities.

What inspired you to join the industry?

My fascination with environmental science started young, sparked by Saturday mornings spent watching an environment-themed TV show called “Captain Planet” and a high school recycling project that led me to the National 4-H Congress.

As a chemistry major and one of the first environmental studies minors at Wake Forest University, I was fascinated with how science drives environmental policy and compliance. I realized environmental consulting would allow me to help a range of organizations reduce emissions and meet their environmental responsibilities.

This discovery led to my 25-year journey supporting clients across the U.S. on everything from regulatory compliance to sustainability planning. Throughout that time, my motivation has remained the same: to facilitate science and policy working together to protect people and places.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

One of the most rewarding projects was developing the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) PFAS management program, which regulates a group of persistent chemicals found in firefighting foams and industrial products. Over three years, our team built the program from the ground up to help the agency address one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges.

We analyzed regulatory actions across all 50 states, developed policies that standardize PFAS management enterprise-wide and created an environmental management information system (EMIS) to collect and report data. We also designed and delivered training to help hundreds of environmental professionals across the agency use the system effectively.

The program we built helps DHS protect people and the environment while setting a foundation for continuous improvement. Helping clients protect communities and the environment is the kind of impact that makes this career so fulfilling.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

As a military spouse, projects that improve the lives of service members and their families mean a lot to me.

I’ve supported the Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) Environmental Management Program for nearly a decade, leading initiatives that enhance environmental compliance, conservation and communication across installations.

One of the most impactful efforts has been supporting outreach for veterans and families affected by historic drinking water contamination at Camp Lejeune. Our team manages information distribution and operates a help desk staffed by veterans who can connect with callers through shared experience and empathy. It’s a reminder that environmental programs are ultimately about protecting people.

Beyond Camp Lejeune, our work with HQMC includes advancing PFAS management, air and water quality initiatives, and sustainability programs that directly improve the environments where Marines live and work. Knowing our work contributes to that mission is incredibly meaningful.

Share a piece of career advice.

My advice is to always deliver your best work and say yes to new opportunities, even when they push you outside your comfort zone. Early in my career, a major reorganization changed my trajectory overnight. Instead of seeing it as a setback, I treated it as an opportunity to redefine my path, which led me to larger program leadership roles. Whether I’m leading complex environmental programs that bring together multiple agencies or mentoring early-career professionals, I focus on accountability and communication. Those qualities build trust with clients, teammates and regulators — and that trust is the foundation for delivering lasting environmental solutions.

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While at WEFTEC 2024, Lucy facilitated two panel discussions: “PFAS Management for Industrial Dischargers” and “PFAS Removal and Destruction Using Novel Technologies.” There, she was encouraged by the level of engagement and exchange of ideas between industry professionals and experts on one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges — PFAS contamination. While significant obstacles remain, progress has accelerated, and the solutions under development are getting closer to tackling this complex issue. 

The quick fix: Moving PFAS from one medium to another 

Due in part to a deeper awareness of PFAS impacts on human health and the environment, many industries are proactively treating this class of contaminants. However, as we learn more about PFAS and their behavior, it’s become abundantly clear to these same industries that PFAS removal doesn’t resolve the problem, but rather perpetuates a cycle.  

As an example, while treatment solutions such as activated carbon adsorption remove PFAS from wastewater or other sources, as discussed in our sessions, spent carbon media requires disposal or regeneration, which means transferring PFAS to landfills or other waste management systems.   

Another point made was that much of the PFAS discharged in domestic wastewater to public water reclamation facilities end up in the biosolids. The biosolids may be disposed of in a landfill, then the landfill may send their leachate containing PFAS from biosolids back to the water reclamation facility. This circular relationship doesn’t solve the root of the problem, but instead transfers the burden to another industry that is attempting to manage the contaminants. Breaking this cycle is imperative. 

The power of destructive technologies 

The most promising long-term solutions are those that focus on breaking down PFAS compounds instead of moving them from one medium to another. Technologies such as electrochemical oxidation and supercritical water oxidation, which were highlighted during the event, are at the forefront of these efforts. These processes demonstrate potential for destroying PFAS entirely, reducing the levels that circulate within our environment. However,  there’s a strong need to further refine and optimize technologies so they can become mainstream, scalable and more widely accessible. We can expect considerable advancements in the coming years as the demand for PFAS solutions accelerates. 

The challenge of regulatory inconsistencies 

A lack of uniform federal regulations governing PFAS discharges to the environment requires companies and utilities to navigate a patchwork of state-by-state requirements. This can complicate compliance, especially for global or even national companies with facilities in multiple states. While some states have set strict limits for PFAS in wastewater discharges, others have yet to address the issue. This inconsistency can lead to significant cost disparities between industry approaches—even within a single company — depending on where they are operating.  

Industry’s role in PFAS solutions 

Despite current regulatory challenges, there is hope that federal standards will eventually bring clarity and uniformity to PFAS treatment requirements. As someone who works closely with industries grappling with these issues, I have a deep appreciation for the work being done to address PFAS contamination. Companies that have produced or used PFAS didn’t create this problem with malice; they are now facing significant costs to resolve a problem that impacts us all. But they are rising to the challenge. By adapting to evolving regulations, investing in technologies, and working with experts to find effective solutions, industries are playing a crucial role in reducing PFAS from the environment. 

Looking ahead: A positive path forward 

The ideal solution would be to prevent future unnecessary PFAS use, control the PFAS that are essential (e.g., certain medical devices), and destroy the PFAS described above. PFAS replacement means consumers, industries, and others would need to stop using goods and materials that rely on these chemicals — water-repellant and stain-resistant textiles, fume suppressants, firefighting foams, etc. The regulations in the European Union and current state-specific PFAS bans are increasing the likelihood of that happening. However, there is a need to find alternatives within a short span of time to have the greatest benefit. Current federal regulations in the U.S. are focused on controlling the use of PFAS and limiting their introduction into the environment. Similar to the spirit of the interactive discussions at WEFTEC, an overall solution requires the collaboration of many — from regulatory agencies to technology developers, from multiple public and private industries, down to their consumers.  

The PFAS issue is complex and far-reaching, but with continued collaboration and ingenuity, I am optimistic that we will find lasting solutions. ArchTam’s experts, in the meantime, will continue to stay on top of the latest regulations and technologies related to PFAS. We will also continue to trial potential treatments through our treatability labs, such as our current research on innovative sorbents for PFAS removal, and electrochemical oxidation and other technologies for PFAS destruction. It’s this process of continual innovation here at ArchTam and across the industry that will minimize costs while maximizing PFAS treatment and destruction capabilities.  

Thankfully, we are moving in the right direction, toward a future where destructive technologies will become more mainstream, costs will come down, and the environmental and public health impacts of PFAS will be significantly reduced. 

The post Collaboration and innovation: Addressing PFAS challenges from an industry perspective  appeared first on Blog.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become a lightning rod in environmental and public health discussions globally, so much so that PFAS have earned a formidable nickname: ‘forever chemicals.’

This term, however, is misleading and, in fact, a misnomer. PFAS can be treated and even destroyed. While the PFAS chemistry and uses are as complex as the dialogue surrounding them, a simple structured approach to managing them is essential — and attainable. The key is to employ a three-pronged strategy that will achieve worldwide success: prevention, control and elimination.

A three-pronged strategy for PFAS

When strategizing how to break the PFAS cycle, we must consider what we know about PFAS to date — how prevalent they are, the illnesses they can contribute to, their persistence in the environment, and their resistance to destruction. With PFAS already present throughout the environment and occurring in a lot of everyday materials and products, we need to focus on disrupting the relentless cycle of PFAS in the environment far into the future.

Eliminating PFAS from drinking water through regulation is a highly targeted approach. It’s a big task but very narrow in its scope, and barely a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of PFAS management. To see the bigger picture, we need to step back a few paces and explore how and why PFAS enter the environment. Controlling those mechanisms via prevention and bookending that with cleaning up what PFAS are already out there.

This three-pronged approach — prevent, control, eliminate — can help us tackle what otherwise seems like an enormous problem.

Prevention: Stopping PFAS at source

PFAS are synthetic compounds, which means humankind has 100 percent control over whether they are made, how they are made, and how they are used; they don’t occur naturally, but they are present throughout nature because PFAS are released from goods that humans use. So, with this control, what do we do? In the early 2000s, manufacturers in the U.S. agreed to stop making two of the most common PFAS of concern: PFOS and PFOA. Was this enough? Not quite. First off, manufacturing continued elsewhere, and the global marketplace continued to distribute those PFAS in goods. Secondly, other PFAS were introduced as substitutes, and that didn’t eliminate other PFAS of concern from being released into the environment.

Beyond outright production bans, another response is a societal commitment to no longer make or use PFAS unless absolutely necessary for the benefit of humankind or the planet. This is the recommendation currently under consideration in the European Union, with a decision on what uses might be exempted still pending. In Canada, a less restrictive limitation on importation of goods with certain PFAS is in place. One thing seems certain: by weaning ourselves from the non-essential applications of PFAS, we can lessen the burden of these fluorinated organic compounds for future generations.

That’s made defining PFAS — and the extent of their prevalence — an essential part of the prevention solution.

Control: Managing existing PFAS

PFAS are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, creating a perfect storm for human health and the environment. Controls are being implemented for addressing the PFAS already in the environment, products that end up in landfills, and even drinking water.

Some countries already have regulations in place to control PFAS by understanding where we are using them. In the U.S., for instance, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires manufacturers to report past PFAS usage, and the Toxics Release Inventory requires reports on current use including within every product supply chain. Such measures help track and manage these substances and create opportunities to control their unnecessary use.

We also have regulatory mechanisms that control PFAS. Regulations set limits on PFAS concentrations in water, soil, and biosolids to minimize exposure and contain their spread. I already mentioned the drinking water limits. Those are intended to control PFAS from water consumption, which makes up about 20 percent of a typical person’s PFAS exposure. Imagine, though, that PFAS are also present as aerosols, occur in soil and rainwater — and the list grows daily. In response to these broad exposures, we are beginning to see additional regulations. In some European countries (Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark), PFAS concentrations in soil are regulated for human exposure. In other geographies, soil PFAS concentrations are limited to meet groundwater or surface water criteria. In the U.S., there are limits in a handful of states on the application of biosolids on agricultural lands based on their PFAS levels. These are all components of methods to control PFAS that are already implemented and protect people and the environment from exposure.

Elimination: Removing PFAS from the environment

The goal is to eliminate PFAS from the environment. Removal technologies used in treatment, such as granular activated carbon filtration, ion exchange foam fractionation, and membranes, can effectively separate PFAS from many liquids. These engineered solutions are tailored to specific conditions — high-volume drinking water with low PFAS versus leachate with higher PFAS levels and many other organic and inorganic contaminants versus intermittent stormwater applications — ensuring efficient and cost-effective removal.

Once removed, the PFAS concentrate needs further attention. Incinerating spent media has raised concerns about aerosolization and incomplete destruction. Putting concentrated materials into landfills still generates PFAS-containing leachate in the future. There is a need for a permanent destructive solution coupled with the separation.

Complete PFAS elimination also involves remediating contaminated sites and developing methods to destroy PFAS completely. A handful of destructive solutions have entered the clean-up market as commercially available and reliable. Environmental engineers are focused on selecting the best overall technology for each specific PFAS site. There is not likely to be a single destructive treatment solution — as some of my colleagues say: there’s no silver bullet. But there is promise, and there is ongoing innovation being spurred by the prospect of breaking the PFAS cycle permanently.

Global efforts

Just as important as selecting the right technologies is adapting to each region’s unique regulatory and methodological ecosystems. Different countries adopt strategies aligned with the prevent, control, eliminate approach to manage PFAS. For instance, Canada, the UK, Australia, and the U.S. have methodologies reflecting these principles.

Even as regions vary in their approaches, addressing the PFAS challenge requires coordinated global efforts focusing on prevention, control and elimination. By stopping the production and use of PFAS, managing their spread, and removing existing contaminants, we can mitigate their impact on human health and the environment. This structured approach, supported by regulatory frameworks and technological advancements, paves the way for a cleaner, healthier future.

How we can help

Breaking the PFAS cycle is challenging, but with innovation, commitment and collaboration, we can transform the PFAS problem into a solution, ensuring a safer environment for generations to come.

At ArchTam, we have the expertise and technologies to help the public and private sector as well as government agencies to understand the PFAS regulations currently applicable to their operations, anticipate amendments and implement solutions that future-proof their ability to respond.

Learn more about how our experts are innovating the next generation of PFAS solutions — and breaking the cycle of contamination: ArchTam – PFAS | Home

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Kunal Olimattel is a resident engineer focused on water and wastewater treatment, with an emphasis on the removal of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS). She joined ArchTam in 2021, after completing her doctoral degree program in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida. She recently completed work on the Toho Parkway Water Reclamation Facility Water Quality Evaluation and will soon be starting work on a PFAS treatment study for Seminole County in Florida.  

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry. 

As a child, I was told my grandfather — a civil engineer — built the apartment building we lived in. I now know he was part of the team that helped build it, because it takes a team to do something like that. But I remember going out and seeing the buildings my grandfather and his team built, thinking about the people who benefited from their work. That started me on the path to being a civil engineer.  

After I completed my bachelor’s degree and started my first job, I quickly realized the importance of reliable water infrastructure for communities. Fresh out of engineering school, I was tasked with stage testing a river and studying infiltration rate for a subsurface cooling water intake project for a large power plant in Chhattisgarh, India. The intake system comprised of a network of large diameter perforated pipes under the riverbed and extended across the riverbanks. The water seeped into the pipes and was conveyed to an intake well where it was pumped into the plant.  

During the study, I met local farmers from the protected Korwa tribe. I was inspired by their ingenious way of manually digging shallow wells using a pulley system made of bamboo. The farmers shared how they come to the riverbanks every year to grow produce which would be harvested before the arrival of the monsoon floods. These manually dug, shallow wells tapped into the equally shallow water table which was used to water the plants. Between the submersion of the area from a future dam, and the impacts of the power plant, the farmers had a lot of questions about how they would sustain themselves during those months.  

This experience was an impactful one. It shaped my understanding of water’s value as a resource and how people’s livelihoods depend on it.  

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I’m always learning. And that means there’s a favorite part of every project I work on. An example is one of my current projects, which involves helping communities in Florida affected by hurricanes. My team and I are tasked with reviewing engineering applications for flood protection projects and putting together a cost-benefit analysis by comparing the storm damages before and after the mitigation project.  

It’s really interesting work. Not only have I learned about different ways of estimating storm damages and how flood mitigation projects are designed, but I also got to understand the workings of public grants from the side of the funding agency. The success of this project will grant funding to municipal groups, providing the resources they need to prepare and reduce the effects of future flooding events. 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

We are currently working with the Toho Water Authority in Central Florida. They’re servicing the Kissimmee, St. Cloud and Poinciana areas, which have seen steep population growth in the past decade. That growth has resulted in new service areas being added and booming customer numbers in existing service areas. ArchTam was tasked with evaluating nine water plants to improve the quality of their tap water and meet the growing water needs. 

During this evaluation, I conducted bench and pilot scale studies to evaluate two treatment options – effectiveness of force draft aeration and pH adjustments followed by chlorine oxidation for sulfide treatment for some of the plants. Results from pilot testing, like the optimal pH and CO2 doses, formed the basis of design for the full-scale treatment. So far, one project is under construction and another will begin construction shortly, while the remaining are in the design phase. 

I come from a background of research and experimentation, and I spend a portion of my time doing field experiments and practical research to study the effects of a proposed treatment. We begin by testing at bench scale in stepwise increments to optimize process parameters like chemical doses, contact times and feed quality. These parameters are further optimized by longer and more rigorous pilot scale studies. Based on this research, you get the design of the final system, which then gets put into place. And for me, as an engineer, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing projects come to fruition — as something that I tested on a bench goes out in the plant, which then serves thousands of people.

Share a piece of career advice. 

Do work that interests you and surround yourself with good people. As someone who is curious by nature, I want to know what’s going on with the water during treatment. At ArchTam, I get to find the answers to these questions regularly. I also have the privilege to work with, interact and learn from industry experts who have done pioneering work in their field.  I researched PFAS treatment during my doctoral studies and recently the EPA announced new PFAS regulations for drinking water. I see this as the ideal opportunity to leverage my doctoral research experience to help develop solutions that will ultimately benefit people and the industry.  

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