EBJ News for December 12, 2019
EBJ News for December 12, 2019 – The following section highlights the latest stories in the Environmental Industry.
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Pace Analytical acquires Shealy Environmental Services
Pace Analytical Services LLC (Minneapolis, Minn.) has acquired Shealy Environmental Services Inc. (West Columbia, S.C.), a full-service environmental testing company. The Shealy lab expands Pace’s reach and capabilities in the Southeast United States while supporting the company’s strategy to engage with clients at a local level. Shealy’s services include testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and it is one of four labs participating in the EPA’s Contract Laboratory Program. Both Pace and Shealy also maintain accreditation with the DOD and DOE. Pace was ranked #2 on Environmental Business Journal’s list of top environmental labs in 2019 and is the largest American-owned laboratory network providing environmental and life sciences analytical information and services. EBJ estimates the environmental lab market at $2 billion in revenues in 2019.
Jacobs announces FY19 results, launches new global brand
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Dallas) announced results for the fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal year ended September 27, 2019. Revenue of $3.4 billion in Q4 2019 grew 13% year-over-year and up 15% on a net revenue basis. Revenue growth for the year was 20% and pro forma net revenue growth 11%. Fiscal year highlights included the sale of Jacobs’ Energy, Chemicals and Resources business; the $903 million acquisition of KeyW; and the approximately $300 million pending acquisition of Wood Nuclear PLC. Jacobs also launched its new global brand reflecting a “transition from engineering and construction to a global technology-forward solutions company” and a name change to Jacobs Solutions Inc. The earnings call took place at Jacobs’ new London flagship office. “Britain is a critical market for Jacobs. This investment is an indication of our ongoing confidence in the U.K. economy and its long-term infrastructure plans,” said Jacobs’ President and COO Bob Pragada.
Tidewater wins potential $230 million USACE contract
Tidewater Inc. (Elkridge, Md.) has won a potential five-year $230-million contract to provide environmental support services to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to Govconwire. USACE received 25 bids for the firm-fixed-price contract. Tidewater’s Environmental Division provides environmental compliance, investigation, and remediation services in the United States and abroad. Founded in 1983, Tidewater entered the SBA 8(a) Program in 2004 and has grown to more than 140 employees in its Environmental and Infrastructure divisions. It has eight offices throughout the United States and personnel in Japan, Korea, and Germany.
Nevada approves PPA for $1 billion solar and battery storage project
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada has approved Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners’ 25-year power purchase agreement with NV Energy (Las Vegas, Nev.) for the AC Gemini solar and battery storage project northeast of Las Vegas. Gemini is one of the largest projects of its kind globally with plans to host 690 MW of solar PV arrays on up to 7,100 acres, coupled with battery storage infrastructure, according to Quinbrook. “This decision… clears the path for Quinbrook to progress into the final stages of project design and procurement planning for what could be one of the world’s largest ever renewables projects,” said David Scaysbrook, co-founder and managing partner of Quinbrook. The project is expected to exceed $1 billion in capital expenditure and help reduce carbon emissions by 1.5 million tons per year. Gemini will continue to be overseen by Quinbrook’s partner, Arevia Power (Redwood City, Calif.).
Brown and Caldwell chosen for wastewater facility improvements
Brown and Caldwell (Hershey, Pa.) has been selected by the Derry Township Municipal Authority (DTMA) in Pennsylvania to design energy efficiency improvements at its Clearwater Road Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). The Authority is developing long-range plans to maximize its capability to receive additional organic wastes. Under DTMA’s $15 million energy enhancement program, Brown and Caldwell will lead design of a combined heat and power (CHP) facility capable of burning biogas that will power two generator engines. The CHP facility will integrate into WWTF’s existing electrical and heating system. Other improvements include a conveyance system to transport gas throughout the facility, sludge blending tank enhancements to maximize energy recovery via biogas generation, and secondary digester modifications for future conversion to a primary digester. The improvements will increase biogas power generation at the WWTF from 280 to 1,600 kilowatts per hour, significantly reducing the facility’s carbon footprint.
T.Y. Lin International expands into Canadian water markets
Infrastructure consulting firm T.Y. Lin International (TYLI, San Francisco, Calif.) has acquired The Municipal Infrastructure Group Ltd. (TMIG, Toronto, Ontario), a civil engineering consultancy focused on water, community building, and transportation infrastructure. The acquisition expands TYLI beyond its core transportation business into water markets in Canada and across TYLI’s base of operation in the United States. Founded in 2003, a signature TMIG project was the East Bayfront redevelopment on the Toronto waterfront entailing full engineering services for roads, water mains, sewers, and stormwater management.
Aztech Environmental joins LaBella
LaBella Associates (Rochester, N.Y.) has acquired Aztech Environmental Technologies (Ballston Spa, N.Y.), expanding its environmental engineering services to include environmental contracting such as drilling, excavation, and remedial design and construction. Founded in 1995, Aztech has grown from a five-person firm to a full-service environmental firm of engineers, geologists, scientists, hydrogeologists, drillers and technical field professionals. The deal also brings LaBella a fleet of construction equipment. All 30 Aztech employees will remain with the company, which will operate as Aztech Environmental Technologies, a LaBella Company. LaBella offers four key services: buildings, energy, infrastructure, and environmental. Founded in 1978 it has 700 staff and more than 20 offices.
Dewberry selected to collect GIS data for Loudoun Water
Loudoun Water (Ashburn, Va.) has selected Dewberry (Fairfax, Va.) to produce record drawings and capture geographic information systems (GIS) data for its potable water, reclaimed water, and wastewater systems. Dewberry was one of three firms to receive an award under this contract. Data will be used for new water, reclaimed water, and wastewater construction projects. Dewberry completed the first record drawing and GIS data capture task order for Loudoun Water in 2008. Loudoun Water provides water and sewer services to approximately 72,000 residential and commercial accounts serving more than 200,000 people.
Mott MacDonald Ventures invests in Oneplanet.com
The investment arm of Mott MacDonald has made an equity investment in Oneplanet.com (London, UK), a developer of software that encourages collaboration for organizations implementing sustainability plans. Mott MacDonald will take a 7.5% stake in the company. Incorporated in March 2019, Oneplanet.com has created innovative software that enables cities, organizations, and individuals to define desired sustainability outcomes, develop action plans, and measure effectiveness. Future plans include co-creation of new products as part of Mott MacDonald’s Moata platform, a cloud-based analytics and visualization service, and the introduction of Oneplanet.com into the company’s global client base.
RSK acquires Silcock Leedham Group in UK
Environmental, engineering and technical services consultancy RSK (Helsby, UK) has acquired consulting engineering firm Silcock Leedham Group (Leeds, UK). Founded in 2001, Silcock Leedham is a mechanical and electrical engineering specialist made up of three complementary businesses: Silcock Leedham Consulting Engineers; Zero Energy Design, a building physics, air quality monitoring and sustainability consultancy; and Verisys which provides specialist testing, commissioning, and validation and verification services. With three UK offices and a base in Dubai, Silcock Leedham employs 47 staff.
B&V reports completion of Paso Robles tertiary treatment facilities
The City of Paso Robles, California has completed new Tertiary Treatment Facilities at its wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) serving 30,000 residents. Black & Veatch (Overland Park, Kansas) served as designer and engineer for both the secondary and tertiary treatment projects heralded as one of the largest, most complex infrastructure projects in the history of the city. The Tertiary Treatment Facilities involved multiple components including an Aqua-Aerobic cloth disc filtration process and in-channel Trojan ultraviolet light disinfection in lieu of chemical disinfection, to avoid byproducts in the recycled water distribution system. Secondary clarifiers were repurposed and converted to an equalization basin upstream of the new filtration process. The project also entailed converting one of the onsite ponds to store the recycled water, and an advanced nutrient harvesting system described by B&V as “the first of its kind in the State of California.”
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