2025 EBJ Business Achievement Awards

About the 2025 EBJ Business Achievement Awards: In October-December 2025, Environmental Business Journal solicited nominations for the EBJ Business Achievement Awards. Nominations were accepted in 200-word essays in specific categories. Final awards were determined by a committee of EBJ staff, EBJ editorial advisory board members and regular contributors. (Disclaimer: Company audits were not conducted to verify information or claims submitted with nominations).

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: LARGE FIRMS 

WSP

WSP Global Inc. took over the number one spot in environmental consulting & engineering with continued growth and acquisitions in 2025. In December 2025, WSP Global Inc. acquired TRC Companies from its private equity owner Warburg Pincus for $3.3 billion, boosting WSP’s profile in the power and energy sector, and creating the No. 1 Power & Energy platform in the United States, with the sector contributing 34% of WSP’s U.S. net revenues. This deal followed the 2024 acquisition of Power Engineers and the June 2025 acquisition of UK-based Ricardo plc. TRC, founded in 1969, is one of the oldest and largest environmental engineering and consulting companies in the United States. Combined with TRC’s 8,000 people, WSP says it will become the largest engineering and design firm in the United States, with 27,000 employees combined. “With TRC’s innovative, technology-oriented power business, underscored by an advanced use of digital, we will significantly strengthen WSP’s Power & Energy offering. Additionally, TRC’s globally recognized Environmental & Infrastructure business, which is the seed from which TRC grew, will enhance WSP’s capabilities across Water, Infrastructure and Environment,” said Christopher P. Vincze, chairman and CEO of TRC. The move is expected to accelerate WSP’s organic growth rate profile globally and marks a significant acceleration of the firm’s 2025-2027 Global Strategic Action Plan. Through three quarters, WSP total revenue grew 16.9% to $13.43 billion in 2025. 

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: LARGE FIRMS 

SWCA Environmental Consultants

SWCA Environmental Consultants delivered strong business performance in 2025, reporting total sales over $420 million, a more than 8% increase over 2024. This growth reflects sustained client demand across environmental planning, permitting, compliance, and restoration, supported by strategic investments in people, operations, and service delivery. SWCA expanded its geographic footprint with new offices in Boise, Idaho; Riverside, California; Gainesville, Florida; and Minneapolis, Minnesota, strengthening regional presence and enhancing client support nationwide. The firm also celebrated 25 years as a 100% employee-owned company, a milestone that continues to drive shared accountability, innovation, and long-term performance. Operational investments included continued expansion of SWCA’s ecosystem of resources for project managers, the launch of a redesigned website to better serve clients and communicate technical services, and the introduction of Sustainable Field Practices. Workforce development remained a focus with over 1,840 employees, and SWCA added 45 interns across 17 offices, representing its largest internship program to date. 

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: LARGE FIRMS 

Willdan Group

In 2025, Willdan Group, Inc. delivered strong financial growth and improved profitability, driven by robust demand for its energy, sustainability, and engineering services. Through three quarters, contract revenue grew 20.4% to $508 million, and net revenue 26.8% to $275 million. For the full year, the publicly traded company raised its guidance, projecting net revenue of $360–365 million and adjusted EBITDA of $78 million, reflecting organic growth, strategic acquisitions and growing electricity demand driven by data centers and electrification. Revenue and profitability gains were supported by 20% organic net-revenue growth, strong activity in utility programs, planning and construction management, and energy efficiency engagements, as well as contributions from the March 2025 acquisition of Alternative Power Generation (APG), an electrical engineering and construction management firm for EV charging, solar, AI data centers, microgrids, battery energy storage systems, and substations. Improvements in margin and cash flow underpinned Willdan’s ability to invest in growth initiatives and maintain a strong balance sheet; 2025’s performance reinforced Willdan’s position as a leading provider of energy transition, grid modernization, and environmental engineering solutions on both public and private sector projects.

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: LARGE FIRMS 

Verdantas 

Verdantas leveraged its 2024 recapitalization with impressive growth and acquisition activity in 2025. Verdantas was founded in 2020 with RTC Partners through the merger of multiple technical consulting firms, rapidly establishing a national platform for environmental science, sustainable engineering, digital technologies, and integrated consulting. Since inception, Verdantas has pursued an aggressive growth strategy, scaling from 280 employees in 2020 to 2,150 employees and 95 offices in late 2025 across the U.S. and Canada. In May 2024, Verdantas was recapitalized when Sterling Investment Partners acquired a majority stake from Round Table Capital Partners. In 2025 Verdantas completed 11 acquisitions, ranging from 35 to 400 employees and totaling over 1,200 employees added in 2025 in a variety of environmental specialties and disciplines.

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: MID-SIZE FIRMS 

Rincon Consultants

Rincon Consultants Inc. delivered exceptional business performance in its recently closed fiscal year, with strong revenue growth, sustained profitability, and organizational expansion. The firm surpassed $100 million gross revenue and achieved double-digit growth, while EBITDA growth reached roughly twice the peer median, positioning Rincon among the top industry performers. Profitability remained a core strength. Rincon consistently outperformed peers on profit margins while maintaining a bonus pool approximately 50% higher than industry benchmarks and preserving strong after-bonus margins. This performance reflects Rincon’s fiscal year strategy of effective cost management and operational discipline in a year capped by uncertainty. Headcount increased by 12.5% to nearly 550 employees, voluntary turnover declined, and retention of key staff remained high at 91%. Rincon earned a 94% overall approval score on its Great Place to Work survey and maintained a strong 4.4 rating on Glassdoor. The firm also achieved its second three-year Evergreen certification from the Tugboat Institute, remaining the only Evergreen-certified firm in the AEC industry among more than 100 certified companies nationwide. 

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: MID-SIZE FIRMS 

SC&A

SC&A, Inc. has a 40-plus year history of providing consulting and engineering services while protecting the well-being and health of individuals, communities, and the environment. The firm’s primary client is the federal government, with the U.S. EPA being SC&A’s largest client. Despite pressure from the current Administration to reduce the size and impact of the EPA, SC&A has been able to achieve 10% growth in revenue from FY24 to FY25 and is expected to grow by 20% from FY25 to FY26. This increase in revenue is being aided by SC&A’s recent entry into the water and wastewater market and a renewed interest in nuclear power.

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: MID-SIZE FIRMS 

Sovereign Consulting

Sovereign Consulting Inc. achieved significant business success through the rapid expansion of its Water & Wastewater Construction Group, positioning the firm as a leader in critical infrastructure delivery across New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. Over the past two years, the Group grew from two to more than 20 employees, building specialized expertise in water treatment, PFAS remediation systems, and wastewater facility construction. During this period, Sovereign delivered municipal, state, and private-sector projects involving advanced treatment systems, plant upgrades, and resilience-focused infrastructure that protect public health and ensure regulatory compliance. In 2025, the Group secured approximately $50 million in completed and contracted backlog, reflecting strong momentum in both public and private markets. This growth demonstrates Sovereign’s ability to anticipate client needs through strategic investment in talent, technical innovation, and construction management excellence. As part of a 150-person firm with national reach, Sovereign’s water and wastewater success underscores its broader strategy of targeted market leadership and its commitment to delivering resilient, sustainable infrastructure and long-term value to communities.

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: MID-SIZE FIRMS 

TechLaw Consultants

In 2025, TechLaw Consultants, Inc. (dba TechLaw) became the first and only contractor to achieve 50 task order wins under the USEPA Remedial Acquisition Framework-Environmental Services and Operations set-aside contract vehicle for businesses under 500 employees. Since 2018, TechLaw has won more than $60 million in awards—including a signature $10.8 million single award in October 2025 to provide technical support for EPA remediation efforts.

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: MID-SIZE FIRMS 

EarthSoft

EarthSoft, Inc. achieved over 30% revenue growth in 2025, fueled by innovations in its EQuIS® software suite, global expansion, and strategic partnerships. The company launched EQuIS Helios, an AI-powered portal for unstructured data, and expanded EQuIS Geotech to support enterprise geotechnical workflows. EarthSoft expanded its team in Australia, the Philippines, and India, and secured major contracts with NASA, a global mining company, and multiple U.S. state agencies. Strategic partnerships, such as AECOM and its PlanEngage platform, enhance stakeholder engagement and environmental storytelling. EarthSoft won multiple new contracts in 2025 for use cases such as coal-ash data management, benzene fenceline monitoring, recreational water quality, PFAS remediation, geotechnical, and others. EarthSoft supports the NICOLE Foundation’s Global Mission of addressing legacy pollution in underserved regions. At the June 2025 Europe EQuIS User Group, NICOLE demonstrated how EQuIS powers their global environmental projects. EarthSoft continues to collaborate with NICOLE, providing technology and support to advance their mission and environmental projects in Ukraine and North Syria. 

BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: SMALL FIRMS 

Marstel-Day

Marstel-Day delivered another year of strong organic growth and financial performance in FY25, increasing revenue 19% year-over-year to $15.9 million while maintaining a high EBITDA margin, despite disruption across portions of the federal market. Over the past three fiscal years (FY22–FY25), the firm achieved a 40% compound annual growth rate in revenue and an 80% CAGR in EBITDA, reflecting disciplined execution and expanding client demand. Staffing grew to more than 80 full-time and part-time professionals, strengthening capabilities in ecosystem restoration, master planning, landscape conservation, NEPA, architectural history, archaeology, and community engagement. Marstel-Day also significantly deepened its future visibility, growing its contract backlog to more than $35 million in 2025, nearly tripling backlog over three years. Growth in FY25 was driven primarily by new contract awards with the U.S. Department of Defense—including the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense—and the U.S. Department of the Interior, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service. Key areas of growth included ecosystem restoration, coastal resilience, NEPA and cultural resources, master planning, encroachment management, asset management, and landscape conservation planning, positioning the firm for continued expansion across defense, natural resource, and land management markets.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Alliance Technical Group

In 2025, Alliance Technical Group accelerated its growth strategy through a series of acquisitions and mergers that expanded North American coverage, deepened technical expertise, and strengthened its ability to deliver fully integrated, end-to-end environmental compliance solutions. The additions of Global Analyzer Systems Ltd., ESC Spectrum, Environmental 360, Slipstream Environmental Services, Earth Analytical Sciences, Inc., and Element One were selected for their complementary capabilities, enhancing Alliance’s position as North America’s leading provider of stack testing, CEMS, engine testing, and LDAR services, supported by advanced DAS technology, emissions monitoring, combustion expertise, and comprehensive laboratory analysis. Expanded U.S. and Canadian coverage improved localized service delivery across major industrial regions, while unified technical teams enabled tailored solutions across diverse regulatory environments. ESC Spectrum’s best-in-class DAS capabilities, combined with expanded monitoring and laboratory services, improve data accuracy, streamline reporting, and strengthen compliance confidence. By consolidating services under a single provider, Alliance simplifies compliance management for clients and delivers a seamless, client-centered experience from measurement and analysis through program management and regulatory reporting.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Morgan Stanley Capital Partners

Morgan Stanley Capital Partners (MSCP) had a busy late 2025 and announced two major environmental industry transactions in the first two weeks of 2026: In the first week of the New Year, MSCP portfolio company Alliance Technical Group (ATG), a leading provider of environmental testing, monitoring, and compliance services, was acquired by Blackstone Energy Transition Partners. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Alabama, ATG has grown into one of the largest full-service environmental compliance and testing providers in North America, with more than 2,200 employees located in 60-plus offices and labs across the United States and Canada. ATG delivers a suite of solutions including source and lab testing, continuous emission monitoring systems, and leak detection and repair that help businesses maintain regulatory compliance and safety while driving efficiency through ATG’s data-driven insights. A week later, MSCP announced the acquisition of Olsson Inc. Based in Lincoln, Neb., Olsson was founded in 1956 and has more than 2,000 employees in 35 offices. Olsson offers infrastructure engineering design and consulting to both public and private clients across a diverse end-markets including technology, transportation and water infrastructure, power, industrial, and federal. MSCP’s investment in Olsson represents its fourth in infrastructure services since 2021, following investments in Resource Innovations, Apex Companies and Alliance Technical Group. 

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Clairvest Group

In 2025, Clairvest Group Inc. partnered with NCS Engineers in a proprietary transaction. Founder and CEO of NCS Ram Narasimhan chose Clairvest for its aligned values, partnership approach, and proven track record building growth platforms. NCS provides turnkey water and wastewater engineering solutions across the United States, with a strong presence in Arizona and expanding presence in Nevada, California, Texas, Maryland, and Virginia. The company delivers mission-critical infrastructure projects, including water and wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, and water storage facilities. Partnership with Clairvest enables NCS to enhance its capabilities, expand geographically, and pursue strategic acquisitions with the end-result of providing new and exciting opportunities for employees and enhanced service to clients.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Marine Taxonomic Services

In September 2025, Marine Taxonomic Services, Ltd. (MTS) was acquired by NV5, a leading provider of geospatial, professional and technical engineering and consulting solutions. Seth Jones, CEO and Principal Project Manager/Scientist of MTS, alongside Dr. Robin Jones, COO and Vice President of Operations, and Dr. Robert Mooney, Vice President and Principal Project Manager/Scientist, grew MTS from $150,000 in revenue in 2009 to over $6 million in 2025—being strategic about hires and workload and without borrowing money along the way. This stellar growth was fueled by a steadfast commitment to doing work they love and building a strong family where together MTS has innovated and expanded into various marine and aquatic services in Southern California, Lake Tahoe, Oregon and beyond. The company has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality biological assessments, specialty dive services, aquatic plant and seagrass mapping, bathymetric surveys, invasive species management, contaminated sediment studies, dredge monitoring, benthic sampling and species identification services to government agencies, engineering firms, industrial and commercial clients, and environmental organizations.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

NV5 Global/Acuren

In May 2025 NV5 Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVEE) and Acuren Corporation (NYSE: TIC) merged to create a $2 billion testing, inspection, certification and compliance (TICC) and engineering services company. Acuren is a leading provider of critical asset integrity services, operating primarily in North America and serving industrial markets with essential, often compliance-mandated services, and focused on the recurring maintenance needs of its customers. Acuren’s work fits into the TICC service category, including nondestructive testing in the field and the laboratory and in-lab destructive testing capabilities. NV5 is a provider of tech-enabled engineering, testing, inspection, and consulting for the built environment, specializing in engineering design, asset management, and geospatial data analytics to support infrastructure resilience and building systems performance throughout the entire asset lifecycle. NV5’s 5,000 consulting engineers, inspectors and analysts operate out of more than 100 offices nationwide and abroad.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Pace Analytical

In 2025, Pace® continued to build upon its Building Sciences practice (launched 2024) with four strategic acquisitions: Micron Environmental Labs and Patriot Labs, both located in California, DCM Laboratories in Colorado, and Quantem Laboratories in Oklahoma. These facilities – and their geographic coverage – complement the footprint of Pace’s 10 existing Building Sciences locations, which are more heavily concentrated in the eastern United States. While the acquired labs added testing capacity, they have also proven valuable to local markets. For example, the proximity of Micron Environmental (now Pace in El Monte, Calif.) provided swift testing support during the California wildfires. DCM Laboratories brings respirable crystalline silica (RCS) testing and analysis using X-ray diffraction technology, giving Pace the ability to quantify precisely crystalline silica in both air and bulk samples and helping clients make critical health and safety decisions. RCS testing also complements Pace’s testing services for the mining and manufacturing industries. Quantem added food safety microbiology testing services, testing food for contaminants, pathogens and indicator and spoilage organisms, nutritional content and additives, and shelf life. Quantum also provides emergency services for quality testing impacting public health. Pace Building Sciences has a portfolio of laboratory services for evaluating and controlling health hazards in the built environment. Through the depth and breadth of capabilities across the Pace network, the company also provides specialty services like water management plans, certification and environmental monitoring of cleanrooms, USP 797 testing and analysis, ASSE 12080 certification training, and consulting for healthcare systems.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Spheros Environmental

In 2025, Spheros Environmental executed four strategic acquisitions designed to strengthen technical depth and expand geographic reach: 1. With offices in Idaho, Washington, and Florida, EcoAnalysts (acquired January 2025) added more than 30 years of aquatic and terrestrial biology expertise, expanding Spheros’ advanced taxonomic and ecotoxicity capabilities. 2. Northwater Consulting (May 2025) reinforced Spheros’ water resources and geosciences bench from hubs in Illinois and North Carolina, supporting watershed planning and groundwater modeling. 3. Four Peaks Environmental (August 2025) extended ecological and data services across six states – Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Montana – enhancing fisheries science and habitat assessments. 4. Finally, Ironwood Consulting (November 2025) strengthened biological resources and complex permitting expertise for energy and capital projects in Southern California and the Rocky Mountain region. The acquisitions expanded Spheros’ footprint from 14 states to more than 20 and added dozens of specialists, growing the firm from 205 in January 2025 to 415 in December 2025. Combined with a 40.7% revenue increase in 2024, these transactions reflect Spheros’ disciplined growth, operational resilience, and commitment to science-forward environmental solutions delivered at scale.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

SOCOTEC

In early 2025, SOCOTEC (Paris, France) strengthened its environmental and infrastructure services platform by acquiring Ninyo & Moore (San Diego, Calif.), a $12-million firm founded in 1986, with strong capabilities in geotechnical and environmental engineering, materials testing, inspection, industrial hygiene, and occupational safety. The acquisition expands SOCOTEC’s U.S. presence into the western states, adding 16 offices and approximately 600 employees across California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and Utah. SOCOTEC USA’s workforce now exceeds 1,300 professionals, complementing its established operations in the eastern United States. Strategically, the transaction introduces Infrastructure and Environment as new service pillars for SOCOTEC USA, aligning with SOCOTEC Group’s global portfolio, where these services already represent more than 40% of worldwide revenues. The SOCOTEC Group reports global revenues exceeding $1.7 billion, with the U.S. positioned as a core growth market. Globally, SOCOTEC’s environmental activities in its Infrastructure and Environment groups account for 40% of revenues mostly in remediation consulting, monitoring, lab testing, geotech, permitting and audits. Headquartered in Paris, SOCOTEC plays a major role in France and the UK in brownfields, transportation infrastructure, energy transition, and industrial site compliance. 

 

NEW PRACTICE AWARDS

New Practice: Extended Producer Responsibility

BSI

By combining deep regulatory expertise with a strategic, lifecycle-based approach, BSI Consulting’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) practice is redefining how organizations address responsibility, resilience, and sustainability. Launched in 2025 in response to rapidly expanding global EPR requirements, the practice helps organizations manage product impacts from design and packaging through recovery and recycling with clarity and confidence. As EPR regulations accelerate across the United States, Canada, and the EU, demand for sustainability and regulatory consulting rose 33% in 2025. To meet this need, BSI assembled a cross-disciplinary team of regulatory specialists, sustainability strategists, and data analysts to deliver future-ready EPR solutions. The practice is differentiated by integrating EPR into broader ESG strategies, supply chain resilience, and circular economy objectives—helping clients reduce waste, improve recovery systems, lower compliance fees, strengthen brand integrity, and demonstrate measurable environmental and business value. To support the launch, BSI introduced a comprehensive EPR Guide, published two widely cited thought leadership articles on U.S. and global EPR laws, and created a dedicated EPR web page. These resources have quickly become trusted reference points for organizations navigating an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

New Practice: Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination

Dudek

Dudek recently launched a specialized watercraft inspection and decontamination practice to combat the emerging threat of golden mussel infestation in California’s critical waterways and infrastructure systems. This invasive species poses significant risks to water delivery, recreational use, and ecological health, making rapid intervention essential. As an on-call consultant for the California Department of Water Resources, Dudek was able to mobilize quickly to implement inspection and decontamination protocols to protect water resources. This swift response not only addressed an immediate need but also established a new service offering that strengthens protection for vital water resources across the state. Since initiating this service, Dudek has recruited approximately 80 highly qualified experts to fulfill vital supporting roles, thereby ensuring the capacity and expertise necessary to meet this challenge at scale.

New Practice: Treatability Pilot Studies

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology 

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC’s EnviTreat treatability laboratory has experienced strong growth driven by rising demand for customized treatability and product testing that bridges concept and real-world application. In 2025, EnviTreat expanded its laboratory footprint by 66%, tripled anaerobic respirometry capacity, and added a dedicated 35°C anaerobic testing suite. These investments allow multiple temperature-controlled pilot units to operate simultaneously, accelerating complex testing programs and innovation. EnviTreat supports a diverse client base—including municipal utilities, consulting engineers, equipment vendors, and industrial sectors such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and chemicals—through custom-designed, lab-scale testing that closely replicates full-scale treatment processes. Multi-step setups mimic complete process trains, ensuring results translate directly to operations. The laboratory’s adaptive design enables rapid reconfiguration, cost-efficient experimentation, and rigorous validation of emerging solutions. Recent projects demonstrate EnviTreat’s ability to address high-strength contamination and identify new resource-recovery opportunities. By combining technical rigor with operational expertise, EA’s EnviTreat laboratory enables clients to move confidently from idea to implementation, delivering reliable, scalable solutions for complex wastewater challenges.

New Practice: Integrated Catchment Management

Jacobs

In 2025, Jacobs launched a dedicated Integrated Catchment Management (ICM) service to deliver a holistic, systems-based approach to water stewardship that benefits people, places, and the environment. The service prioritizes nature-based solutions and coordinated funding strategies to create scalable, catchment-level models for sustainable water management. The practice of ICM combines deep technical expertise with collaborative planning to develop integrated water management strategies and co-design solutions from first principles. A dedicated capability group brings together clients, partners, regulators, utilities, and communities to break down traditional silos and focus on shared outcomes that reflect social, environmental, and economic value beyond cost alone. Following a successful pilot with the Greater Manchester Integrated Water Management Plan in the UK, Jacobs is now delivering integrated catchment solutions across the North of England, the Midlands, and the South East. By embedding innovation and nature-based approaches, ICM enhances biodiversity, ecosystem services, and climate resilience while delivering long-term social value that extends well beyond traditional water infrastructure investments.

New Practice: Respirable Crystalline Silica Testing 

Pace Analytical

Pace® added Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) testing services to help clients in mining, construction, manufacturing, and other industries maintain compliance with OSHA and other regulatory standards while protecting worker health and safety. Pace applies advanced analytical methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) to quantify silica concentrations accurately in air and bulk samples. Precise detection limits support industrial hygiene assessments, exposure monitoring, and environmental investigations.

New Practice: Economics Group

Pinyon Environmental

Formed in 2025, Pinyon Environmental, Inc.’s Economics Group represents a strategic expansion into comprehensive economic analysis and impact assessment services for infrastructure, environmental, and development projects. The group delivers actionable insights through economic impact analysis, benefit-cost assessments, and socioeconomic evaluations that inform decision-making across public and private sectors. The team specializes in quantifying the economic implications of environmental restoration, infrastructure investment, and regulatory change—capabilities increasingly critical as communities balance growth with sustainability. Expertise includes regional economic modeling, fiscal impact analysis, and cost-effectiveness studies that help clients secure funding, demonstrate project value, and meet regulatory requirements. By working closely with Pinyon’s environmental and engineering teams, economic analysis is integrated throughout the project lifecycle rather than treated as an afterthought. This integrated approach enables clients to move beyond compliance toward confident, data-driven decisions, helping prioritize investments, manage financial risk, and build stakeholder consensus through clear, defensible analysis.

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AWARDS

Information Technology: Project Management Dashboard

BEM Systems

BEM Systems, Inc., an Aventia Company, demonstrated leadership in environmental information management through its Project Management Dashboard (PMDB™), a secure, web-enabled platform that integrates real-time data, schedules, and regulatory deliverables into a single interface. Features such as dynamic querying, automated EDD uploads, and GIS-based visualization—including 3D conceptual site models—enable faster, better-informed decision-making. PMDB enhances collaboration among clients, regulators, and project teams through tiered user access and compliance with Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standards, ensuring data integrity and security. BEM deployed PMDB for the Basewide PFOS/PFOA Remedial Investigation at Buckley Space Force Base, one of the Department of Defense’s most complex PFAS investigations. The platform managed more than 1,300 samples across soil, groundwater, and sediment; tracked 160 borings, 23 monitoring wells, and 32 lysimeters; and integrated geospatial data to support adaptive TRIAD workflows. By enabling real-time visualization, automated data management, and collaborative refinement of conceptual site models, PMDB reduced uncertainty and improved efficiency. This project set a national benchmark for PFAS investigations, illustrating how BEM combines environmental expertise with advanced IT to deliver secure, efficient, and impactful outcomes.

Information Technology: Enterprise Environmental Information Management

Ecobot

Ecobot delivers an enterprise-grade, cloud-based platform that transforms environmental permitting data into a strategic business asset. In 2025, Ecobot advanced its GIS-native system to help large organizations consistently capture, govern, and scale high-value environmental field data across complex, multi-project portfolios. By standardizing data at the point of collection, Ecobot ensures spatial accuracy, consistency, and defensibility—reducing regulatory risk and improving confidence in decision-making. Enhancements released in Fall 2025 strengthened enterprise visibility and control through improved mapping, clearer photo context, seamless survey transfer, and expanded user and device management. These capabilities enable executives and program leaders to coordinate distributed teams, eliminate data silos, and rapidly deploy standardized workflows across offices and business units. Field data becomes immediately usable, comparable, and auditable—supporting faster approvals, fewer revisions, and more predictable project outcomes. Ecobot’s platform shifts environmental data from static reporting to a reusable, long-term information asset. This foundation supports enterprise analytics, AI-enabled quality assurance, and scalable growth without proportional increases in staffing or overhead. By improving data governance, operational efficiency, and regulatory confidence, Ecobot empowers organizations to manage environmental obligations more strategically while delivering higher-quality results at scale.

Information Technology: Mobile Data Collection

FactorEarth, a Terracon Company

In 2024, Terracon acquired Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc., including the rights to Factor Earth LLC and its proprietary intellectual property. FactorEarth partnered with the Colorado School of Mines in 2018 to develop cutting-edge technology to address a challenge in environmental permitting and planning: mobile data collection in remote, disconnected areas where Terracon specialists regularly found themselves working. FactorEarth developed Record, an application that enables seamless offline collaboration in the field and syncs data online in seconds. Practitioners can collect data, finalize edits, and export submission-ready deliverables in customizable formats such as PDF or JSON. Another platform, Pro, incorporates augmented reality for heads-up geospatial data display to immerse professionals in the dataset for real-time in-field analysis. These innovations streamline workflows and improve efficiency for environmental permitting and planning projects by allowing users to do more with the data, both in the field and in final reporting.

Information Technology: Rapid Critical Issues Analysis

Jacobs

Jacobs’s Rapid Critical Issues Analysis (Rapid CIA) application modernizes early-stage environmental review by putting self-service spatial analysis directly in the hands of project managers and clients. Users upload project boundaries and, within minutes, screen sites against more than a dozen national environmental and cultural resource datasets. The platform automates intersection analysis, enables project comparisons, and generates request-based outputs—including data tables, standard figures, GIS map packages, and Word reports populated with AI-generated narratives. These structured outputs accelerate advanced mapping and enable both technical and non-technical users to independently explore site constraints, routing options, and alternative scenarios. By combining robust geospatial analytics, repeatable templates, and AI-driven summaries, Rapid CIA significantly reduces the time and cost of Critical Issues Analysis while improving consistency across projects. The result is faster, more confident early-stage siting decisions that keep projects agile, data-driven, and aligned with environmental and community considerations from the outset.

Information Technology: Modeling Fish Movements

Kleinschmidt Associates

Developed by Kevin Nebiolo, Senior Scientist at Kleinschmidt, Emergent™ is a Python-based modeling framework that simulates how individual fish move through complex river systems using agent-based modeling. Unlike traditional approaches that treat fish as uniform particles responding only to hydraulics, Emergent represents each fish as an autonomous agent with its own energy budget, fatigue state, and behavioral responses to environmental cues such as flow, velocity, shallow water, obstacles, and interactions with other fish. This behavior-informed approach captures schooling dynamics and collective decision-making that strongly influence passage success but are invisible to conventional models. Emergent integrates hydraulic outputs from tools such as HEC-RAS to create realistic river environments where fish react dynamically. The model tracks movement, energy use, and fatigue, generating outputs including trajectories, passage success rates, heat maps, and animations. By revealing behavioral patterns such as preferred corridors, congestion points, and variable passage outcomes, Emergent provides transparent, reproducible insights that support improved fish passage design, flow management strategies, and ecological performance at hydropower and river infrastructure sites.

Information Technology: DGI Strategy for River Habitat

Mott MacDonald

The Maritime Exchange for Delaware River and Bay (MEX) Data Gathering Initiative (DGI) centralizes data in the Delaware River Estuary, the largest freshwater port in the world, to help applicants generate informed permit applications. MEX is a private, non-profit organization that has functioned for over 150 years, involved in shipping and associated waterfront and port facilities, domestic and international trade and, more recently, support related to regulated marine and waterfront dredging and construction for the maritime community. When Delaware River was identified as Critical Habitat for Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) in 2017, the MEX Private Berth Dredge Committee (PBDC) hired Mott MacDonald environmental specialists to develop a database with geolocated information within the estuary. Easy and free access to this comprehensive database would facilitate MEX members and the riverfront community understanding regulatory requirements in river and coastal areas and deliver projects that demonstrate awareness by avoiding and minimizing impacts to river biological community. Mott MacDonald managed and designed this project, assisting MEX’s PBDC in developing DGI strategy. ICI Innovations developed the platform for this freely accessible GIS and digital database with over 200 pieces of scientific information. The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service fully funded this project.

 

PROJECT MERIT AWARDS

Project Merit: Sustainability Model for Rio Grande Watershed

AECOM

The Rio Grande watershed is vital for water users, recreation, and ecosystems, and has a highly dynamic channel that has shifted dramatically over the past century. To address challenges in the Lower San Acacia Reach, including channel perching, conveyance losses, and declining ecosystem health, the Bureau of Reclamation is investing in the future of a functioning river by realigning approximately 15 miles of the river south of Socorro, N.M. This innovative approach works with natural geomorphic trends to improve water conveyance to Elephant Butte Reservoir and downstream, maintain and enhance ecosystem health, and maximize long-term maintenance benefits. AECOM is partnering with the Bureau of Reclamation in a four-year environmental program with robust stakeholder engagement and regulatory compliance. Published in November 2025, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement analyzed two realignment alternatives for potential project impacts on the natural and human environment. This project exemplifies forward-thinking river management by integrating engineering, science, collaboration, and resilience to secure water resources and improve habitats.

Project Merit: Wastewater Treatment

American Foods Group/Public Water Supply District #2

The Wright City Wastewater Treatment Facility represents a transformative investment in public infrastructure. It replaces a lagoon-based system that no longer met the community’s needs or evolving environmental standards. The project was made possible by a public-private partnership between Public Water Supply District #2 and American Foods Group (AFG). The upgraded WWTF is designed to treat up to 3.5 million gallons per day (MGD), meeting current demand, allowing for future expansion, and accommodating AFGs new beef processing facility. It allows Wright City to support residential development, commercial growth, and industrial operations without compromising environmental quality or regulatory compliance. The facility incorporates advanced biological nutrient removal, critical for protecting the Peruque Creek watershed and meeting stringent regulatory limits. It uses high-efficiency equipment to reduce energy consumption and modular systems for easier maintenance. Dual power services provide electrical supply resilience and backup generators can maintaining full compliance during outages. All infrastructure is located above the 100-year floodplain, protecting the facility and providing uninterrupted operation. This project replaced aging infrastructure with a modern, scalable, resilient system. It improves public health, protects waterways, and supports economic development. It demonstrates how thoughtful engineering can create lasting value for both public and private stakeholders.

Project Merit: Complex Site Investigation

Cascade Environmental

Aquifer Drilling and Testing (ADT), a Cascade Company, executed a complex, multi-location investigation spanning more than a year across all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, and lower upstate New York. The project required two to eight multi-staff crews operating simultaneously at separate sites, demonstrating remarkable coordination and adaptability. Field activities included water-based operations and ATV mobilizations to remote islands off Long Island to collect soil classification and engineering data. In addition to environmental and geotechnical sampling, crews performed cone penetration testing and opened more than 75 test pits to visually confirm subsurface conditions and utility locations. These efforts provided critical data for planning large trenches, utility runs, and upgrades to power and transformer stations. The scale and complexity of this project demanded collaboration among multiple project managers and field teams to meet strict timelines and client expectations. Coordinating logistics across diverse environments and collecting accurate, actionable data were essential to support planning for major utility upgrades.

Project Merit: Residential Water Testing

Citadel EHS

In 2024, four large public housing communities in Watts—Nickerson Gardens, Imperial Courts, Jordan Downs, and Gonzaque Village—became the focus of one of the most consequential environmental justice investigations undertaken in Los Angeles. Following community concerns and preliminary findings published by the Better Watts Initiative, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles launched an accelerated, large-scale evaluation of lead in drinking water. According to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, this investigation represents the largest residential water quality testing initiative ever conducted in the City of Los Angeles, involving nearly 3,000 water samples collected and analyzed. Citadel EHS was retained to lead and manage the technical effort, providing the scientific leadership, project coordination, data interpretation, and mitigation planning needed to carry out an initiative of historic scale and high public scrutiny. 

Project Merit: Community-Based Water Infrastructure

Corvias Infrastructure Solutions

Corvias Infrastructure Solutions, LLC (CIS), in partnership with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas (UG), launched a $150 million initiative to deliver community-based water infrastructure projects, including stormwater upgrades, combined sewer separation, and green stormwater infrastructure. The award reflected both the scale of the engineering effort and CIS’s capacity to manage complex, multi-year municipal programs. The initiative is delivered through CIS’s Community-Based Partnership (CBP) model, which emphasizes workforce development, expansion of the regional contractor base, and local hiring. By prioritizing businesses in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, the program is designed to generate lasting socioeconomic benefits alongside infrastructure improvements. The $150 million portfolio is expected to form a cornerstone of UG’s federally mandated 25-year consent decree program, which anticipates approximately $900 million in sewer and stormwater investments. Early phases of the CBP initiative have also been supported by significant Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) financing, estimated between $78 million and more than $100 million, to accelerate implementation.

Project Merit: Environmental Data Management for Mines

ddms (de maximis Data Management Solutions)

In 2025, ddms, Inc. partnered with Freeport McMoRan Americas (FMI) to centralize environmental data management across FMI’s mining portfolio, establishing a standardized platform for water quality data with a roadmap to incorporate soil, sediment, air, and other media. The initiative replaced decentralized spreadsheets and legacy systems with EarthSoft’s EQuIS, implemented in collaboration with ddms. The program emphasized out-of-the-box configuration, standardized templates, and portfolio-wide governance to provide leadership with consistent visibility into compliance and performance. A joint ddms–FMI team accelerated delivery across governance, data migration, inputs, and reporting while facility cohorts supported rollout, training, and testing to ensure adoption and data quality. Key outcomes included standardized dashboards, validation of complex sampling workflows under real operating conditions, and structured signoff processes that produced flexible, user-friendly reporting tools. The resulting data foundation improves accuracy and comparability across sites, supports informed leadership decision-making, and positions FMI to expand integrated analytics and sustain strong environmental performance at scale.

Project Merit: Pilot for Complex Legacy Contamination

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology

The Torch Lake Drum Removal Pilot Study exemplifies environmental innovation and collaborative problem-solving in the face of complex legacy contamination. Led by a multidisciplinary team from EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC and contractor J.F. Brennan Company, the project tackled the daunting challenge of assessing potential removal methods for hundreds of deteriorated drums from the bottom of Torch Lake—a site impacted by historical mining operations. Working with the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office, the pilot used mechanical removal methods in water depths up to 80 feet, overcoming significant safety and visibility obstacles. The team developed and tested environmental controls to minimize sediment resuspension and protect water quality. Continuous water quality monitoring and pre- and post-construction surveys using sonar and underwater video ensured rigorous assessment of environmental outcomes. Coordinating with government agencies, local property owners, and the local public action council, the team fostered transparency and trust through open houses and regular community updates. Innovative removal techniques, robust data collection, and adaptive management yielded valuable lessons for future remediation efforts. The project not only advanced environmental protection and sustainability but also delivered economic benefits to the local community. The methodologies now inform larger-scale cleanup operations and best practices for the marine construction industry.

Project Merit: Dam Breach Modeling

East Bay Municipal Utility District

Dam breach modeling is a critical life-safety tool, yet traditional deterministic approaches capture only a single assumed outcome, masking the uncertainty that drives real risk. To address this gap, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, in partnership with Kleinschmidt Associates, implemented a probabilistic dam breach analysis for Dike 2 at Camanche Reservoir in Northern California. The reservoir is retained by multiple earthen embankments, and earlier deterministic studies suggested that a Dike 2 failure would produce moderate downstream impacts. By treating breach parameters as statistical distributions and running thousands of Monte Carlo simulations, the project team revealed a broader range of plausible outcomes—including several with significantly higher peak discharges and downstream stages than the original deterministic case. Results demonstrated that the previous parameter likely under-represented potential consequences. The team used the probabilistic findings to recalibrate the deterministic scenario, producing a more conservative and defensible basis for emergency planning, consequence assessments, and risk communication. The project showcases how probabilistic analysis enhances, rather than replaces, traditional methods—supporting clearer emergency action planning, better-targeted mitigation investments, and more transparent dialogue with regulators. As risk-informed decision-making becomes standard across the industry, this work provides a practical and replicable model for advancing dam safety practice.

Project Merit: Landfill Remediation

ET Environmental

ET Environmental Corp., LLC’s North Temple Landfill Remediation Project exemplifies project merit through innovation, partnership, and measurable progress in 2025. This project, conceived in 2018, broke ground in early Spring. During Phase 1, the project successfully surpassed the 50% soil remediation milestone, with more than 475,000 cubic yards remediated toward a total of 950,000 cubic yards, marking a significant achievement in one of the region’s most complex environmental cleanups. Central to this success was ET’s partnership with Ninigret Management and the Utah Inland Port Authority, and the implementation of the Wind-Aided Intensified eVaporation (WAIV®) system in collaboration with Leachate Management Specialists. This cutting-edge, on-site leachate management solution replaces traditional off-site hauling with a natural, energy-efficient evaporation process that leverages Salt Lake City’s semi-arid, windy climate. Since startup, the WAIV system has evaporated over 900,000 gallons of leachate, exceeding performance expectations while reducing emissions, operational costs, and reliance on external wastewater treatment facilities. By combining innovative engineering, proactive environmental stewardship, and strong public-private collaboration, the North Temple project demonstrates how large-scale remediation can successfully convert brownfield projects to developable land.

Project Merit: Water Treatment System Design

Groundwater & Environmental Services

Water Treatment Contaminated with hydrocarbons and PFAS at a Petroleum Storage Terminal 

Partial collapse of a large above-ground storage tank at a petroleum terminal necessitated transfer of the product to an empty open top tank. The local fire department required that water and AFFF be applied to the product during transfer, resulting in a 1.5-million-gallon mixture of product, AFFF, and brackish river water. Groundwater & Environmental Services, Inc. (GES) was contracted to treat the water to meet the discharge permit requirements for the facility. GES designed a treatment system with organoclay, granular activated carbon (GAC), and DEXSORB (plant-based absorbent) media. Initial testing indicated that the system was not effectively removing PFAS because they were binding with colloidal material from the brackish water and inhibiting the sorptive medias. Bench, jar, and column testing were conducted to evaluate pretreatment methods. A pilot system with chemical precipitation, clarification, filtration, GAC, and DEXSORB was fabricated and successfully met permit conditions. The demonstrated pretreatment process was incorporated into the original full-scale system. The complex liquid mixture varied as the tank was emptied, requiring constant adjustments in pretreatment. The pretreatment system process improved water color and clarity, reduced odor, and consistently reduced turbidity levels from >300 NTU to <10 NTU. GES treated more than 1.5 million gallons of liquid in full compliance with permit requirements.

Project Merit: Sustainable Watershed Remediation

HSG

Herndon Solutions Group (HSG) partnered with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to advance remediation strategies in the Bonita Peak Mining District, one of the nation’s most complex Superfund sites. HSG investigated more than 40 mine-impacted locations using a watershed-level approach, evaluating features such as draining adits, waste rock, tailings, and groundwater interactions to determine their influence on water quality and ecological risk. This holistic methodology enabled BLM to prioritize cleanup actions at sites with the greatest potential to improve downstream water quality and reduce human and ecological exposure. In addition, HSG developed a comprehensive database integrating decades of historical data with new field investigations, creating a centralized resource for long-term management. The program transitioned in 2025 from active remediation to long-term monitoring, marking a major milestone in restoring water quality and safeguarding public lands. By combining technical innovation, data-driven decision-making, and local workforce engagement, HSG delivered a model for sustainable watershed remediation that strengthens environmental stewardship and community resilience.

Project Merit: Process Facility Optimization

IOSight

“Optimization” in process facilities can be interpretated in many ways – from a straightforward SCADA project to an individual unit process improvement. According to IOSight, it’s very proud of all the smart algorithm-based applications it has delivered, but the Viamaris desalination plant overall process optimization project, delivered in 2024-2025 and still being finetuned, “is something else!” The Viamaris project integrates all process units, accounts for tens of complex variables and constraints, solves the aquation in real time and recommends the best performance mode for the next 8 hours/shift. Plant managers declared that the project contributed to a 1.5% energy savings; considering the size of the plant at 90 million cubic meters per year, that’s a lot of energy and money saved.

Project Merit: Cleanup at Knolls Atomic Power Lab

North Wind Site Services

North Wind Site Services, LLC successfully completed decontamination and demolition (D&D) and soil remediation of the Q-Complex at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) on schedule. The Q-Complex consisted of seven obsolete structures and below-grade solid waste management units (SWMUs) impacted by radiological, RCRA, and TSCA contamination. From 2021-2025, North Wind characterized, decontaminated, and demolished the buildings; implemented Interim Corrective Measures for SWMUs and soils; transported and disposed of over 28,000 tons of waste; and restored the site for future use. Success was driven by a fully integrated team of the Department of Energy, Naval Reactors, and KAPL working collaboratively to ensure project goals were met, minimizing impacts to the active facility, and addressing all issues. Key strategies included coordinating limited site area and road access with concurrent construction sites, using real-time modeling and cost estimating to address unexpected soil contamination quickly, and providing timely data to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation for regulatory approvals.

Project Merit: Large-Scale River Restoration 

RES

The Klamath River Renewal Project is the largest dam removal and river restoration effort in American history. Dam removal commenced in 2023 and was completed over a 16-month period. This project, aimed primarily at saving the river’s Chinook salmon from extinction, has opened more than 400 stream-miles of historical salmon, steelhead, and lamprey habitat that had been blocked for over a century. RES serves as the ecological restoration provider across 37 miles of river. Our work includes replanting 2,200 acres of formerly inundated reservoir footprints using more than 20 billion native seeds representing 100 plant species and intensively restoring four priority tributary channels buried beneath the reservoirs. Ecological recovery is already underway alongside ongoing restoration and monitoring. Just two weeks after dam removal was completed, Chinook salmon were observed in Oregon’s Spencer Creek—the first documented salmon sighting in Oregon’s Klamath waters in over 100 years. Restoration has been grounded in years of collaboration with Tribal partners, including Basin-sourced native seed collection by Tribal crews hired by RES. Real-time water quality monitoring is occurring across 236 miles of river, setting a new benchmark for large-scale river restoration, habitat reconnection, and collaborative environmental recovery.

Project Merit: Energy Efficiency at Molson Coors

Salas O’Brien

Salas O’Brien partnered with Molson Coors and equipment manufacturer Krones to deliver a high-efficiency filler and pasteurizer line replacement at Molson Coors’ Albany, Georgia facility. The upgraded system was completed in 2025 and supports the beverage company’s commitment to sustainable brewing and modern production. Through innovative process engineering and close collaboration, the project achieved: 30% reduction in steam use through localized heat recovery; 20% reduction in power demand for the water chiller by shifting from continuous to punctual cooling; 20% reduction in water treatment load by optimizing pasteurizer water quality; and 10% decrease in pumping requirements, lowering the load on the cooling tower. These efficiencies enable water mass balance and energy reuse within the equipment while also eliminating three process chemicals and their pumps, improving operator safety and reducing environmental impact. The system now produces 1,600 cans per minute and lessens operator workload. This collaboration demonstrates how thoughtful engineering and strong partnerships can drive measurable progress in energy efficiency, water conservation, and safety—setting a new standard for sustainable operations across the food and beverage industry.

Project Merit: Waste Diversion

SCS Engineers for Kern County

A state-of-the-art covered aerated static pile (CASP) facility, designed by SCS Engineers and located next to Kern County’s Shafter-Wasco Landfill in California, can divert 100,000 tons of organic waste from landfills annually. The facility includes 32 CASP bunkers and can produce 40,000 tons of finished compost annually. CASP composting offers faster decomposition, better temperature and moisture control, and significantly reduced odors. The modern facility supports Kern County and its incorporated cities in meeting organic waste recovery and procurement plans, waste diversion from landfills, and greenhouse gas reduction goals. It supports California’s overarching Senate Bill 1383 mandates while strengthening Kern County’s leadership in sustainable materials management. By transforming organic materials into high-quality compost -yard trimmings, food scraps, and other biodegradable materials—into nutrient-rich compost, the end-product supports local properties and agriculture, enriches community landscapes, and reduces landfill use, improving regional air quality. This facility is far more than just another improvement to Kern County’s solid waste infrastructure—it is a cornerstone of its commitment to sustainability and response to landmark legislation driving the state’s organics diversion and zero-waste initiatives.

Project Merit: Water Treatment Plant Modernization

Stanley Consultants

Stanley Consultants and Dowl Engineering for helping modernize the City and Borough of Wrangell’s water treatment plant to meet growing demand. Home to 2,300 residents on a remote island in southeast Alaska, Wrangell relies on two reservoirs for its water supply. The former water treatment plant, using ozonation and slow sand filtration, struggled to address seasonal turbidity, color and high organic content. The solution was a new facility employing dissolved air flotation technology with multimedia filtration, which is highly effective at removing turbidity and organic material. Incorporating machine learning coagulant dosing capability—a first in Alaska and rare in the continental U.S.—the plant can react in real time to changes in water quality, optimize chemical use and provide data-driven recommendations for minor adjustments that significantly improve efficiency. Usable portions of the old facility were reconfigured and repurposed while the design leveraged 3D BIM technology for advanced modeling and asset management, uncommon in rural Alaska. By increasing treatment capacity from 1.8 to 2.26 million gallons per day, the plant supports residential growth and the expanding fish processing industry. It combines innovative technology, sustainable water management and repurposed infrastructure to protect public health, conserve the local watershed and demonstrate proactive environmental stewardship.

Project Merit: AI in Safety Management

Sundance Consultants, A True Environmental Company

This project represents the institutionalization and expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) enabled safety management within Indian Affairs during FY2025. Building on capabilities recognized in 2024, Sundance achieved deployment, operational use, and strategic integration of AI-enabled tools within the Indian Affairs Safety Management System (Safety Connect), transforming innovation into an enterprise safety function. During FY2025, these capabilities were advanced and embedded through innovative, scalable automation—including AI-enabled Internal Control Review reviews, performance dashboards, and reporting workflows—supporting nationwide safety oversight. Sundance modernized Safety and Occupational Health Program Evaluation and Code Compliance processes and provided technical support for system integration, automation, and workflow development. A mobile-optimized, centralized platform enabled regional safety managers to submit inspections, corrective actions, and reports electronically, improving consistency, accessibility, efficiency, quality and timeliness. A core innovation was the integration of AI into the ICR Power App, enabling guideline-based quality review, reducing administrative burden, accelerating report delivery, and ensuring Section 508-compliance. These efforts aligned directly with the FY2025 OFPSM Strategic Plan’s emphasis on data-driven program delivery and DOI’s objective to protect people and property through infrastructure and innovation. Collectively, this work demonstrates how award-recognized innovation has been operationalized into a durable, scalable, nationwide safety management capability supporting continued expansion.

Project Merit: Post-Fire Cultural Resource Inventory

Sundance Consultants, A True Environmental Company

Sundance Consultants, LLC (Sundance) completed the critical milestone of Class III Cultural Resource Field Inventories on over 40,000 acres in the Vale District of Oregon which experienced significant recent wildland fire activity not seen in over a decade. Our work located and recorded historic and precontact archaeological resources and documented paleontological finds to facilitate avoidance of significant resources during Post Fire Emergency Forest Stabilization and Rehabilitation (ESR) activities Work was performed at the Little Valley, Cow Valley, Durkee, and Hole in Ground fire locations. This work enabled ESR work to prevent further damage to life, property and natural resources and the restoration of the ecosystem, to restore land health and restore habitats. The work was performed on tight schedule, in rugged terrain and in tough post fire environmental conditions to enable emergency forest restoration and post fire stabilization to be conducted.

Project Merit: Sustainable Redevelopment in Chicago

Terracon Consultants

Terracon Consultants, Inc.’s first-of-its-kind Green Era anaerobic digester project was developed on a brownfields site in the underserved Chicago southside. The project was made possible through brownfields funding from USEPA, Illinois EPA (IEPA) and Green Era partnerships with the City of Chicago and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The community had a vision to clean up this nine-acre brownfields site to address environmental and health issues; redevelop it with an anaerobic digester to convert food waste to nutrient rich soil; and use the soil for urban farming, thereby improving the “food desert” situation and the community’s quality of life. Terracon evaluated sustainable remediation options and developed BMPs to enable sustainability and resilience during the remediation: these included alternative engineered barriers, in situ hazardous lead remediation, and implementing remediation during site development to reduce environmental footprint. The IEPA No Further Remediation Letter was obtained, and the anaerobic digester was up and running in 2025. The Green Era anaerobic digestion facility recycles food waste to produce renewable energy and nutrient-rich compost for urban farms while generating jobs and increasing access to fresh, healthy food. The project received the Illinois Clean Energy Champion Award and exemplifies how sustainable redevelopment can transform neglected spaces into sustainable hubs of opportunity and innovation.

Project Merit: Remediation for U.S. Navy Clean Program

Triquetra Joint Venture

Triquetra III, a joint venture uniting Stantec, Tetra Tech and APTIM, was selected by NAVFAC Southwest for an eight-year, single-award task order supporting the Navy’s CLEAN program, with work expected to reach $240 million in capacity. The team will investigate and design remedies for complex environmental challenges on Navy and Marine Corps installations, including PFAS contamination and other hazardous substances. The scope includes preliminary assessments, site inspections, remedial investigations, feasibility and pilot studies, and remedial design, enabling faster, defensible decisions and measurable risk reduction. Projects will be delivered primarily across California, Nevada, and Arizona, with additional work anticipated in Washington, Hawaii, and other Pacific locations, bringing consistent practices to diverse geographies. Triquetra III builds on the team’s long-standing collaboration with the U.S. Navy, including enterprise decision support innovation for encroachment management and major waterfront planning and design – experience that strengthens program governance, quality assurance, and stakeholder engagement. Together, the JV companies combine deep federal program expertise, advanced remediation research, and proven delivery methods to accelerate investigation, cleanup, and closure, setting a high bar for environmental restoration across NAVFAC Southwest’s portfolio.

Project Merit: Sustainable Mine Closure

True Environmental

Mount Nansen Mill Demolition marks a major step toward cleaning up one of Yukon’s most challenging legacy mine sites. Abandoned in 1999, the former gold and silver mine posed significant environmental risks. In fall 2025, the Mount Nansen Remediation Limited Partnership—a joint venture between Ensero Solutions (A True Environmental Company) and JDS Energy & Mining Ltd.—began tearing down the mill, a key milestone in making the area safe for people, wildlife, and the environment. Funded by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, this work was delivered in partnership with Carmacks Development Corporation and SUBLATUS Environmental, creating jobs and training opportunities for citizens of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation. The project reflects a commitment to reconciliation and sustainable mine closure, integrating traditional knowledge and rigorous environmental standards while supporting local businesses. The demolition advances long-term remediation, scheduled to begin in 2029, and sets the stage for returning the land to pre-mining use. By combining technical expertise with community collaboration, the Mount Nansen project demonstrates how partnerships can transform contaminated sites into a positive environmental legacy for future generations.

Project Merit: Ag-to-Urban Water Management

True Environmental

In 2025, Matrix New World Engineering, a True Environmental company, delivered a landmark achievement for Forestar (USA) Real Estate Group Inc. by securing Arizona’s first Certificate of Assured Water Supply (CAWS) under the innovative Ag-to-Urban Groundwater Conservation Program for the Heritage West subdivision in Buckeye. This milestone was reached through a rigorous process: Matrix completed a hydrogeologic study and a 100-year groundwater model, then navigated evolving state regulations and modeling challenges to ensure compliance and sustainability. With the passage of Senate Bill 1611, Matrix guided Forestar through the new Ag-to-Urban process, relinquishing 210.59 acres of irrigation rights for 31,588.5 acre-feet of Groundwater Savings Credits. Matrix submitted the new Ag-to-Urban application on the very day the law took effect, and ADWR confirmed its completeness with no additional comments required. The project will support construction of 825 single-family homes while saving approximately 437 million gallons of water annually compared to historic agricultural use. This achievement sets a precedent for sustainable development in Arizona, enabling smart growth while protecting vital water resources. Matrix’s expertise, innovation, and collaboration have paved the way for future projects, making Heritage West a model for responsible water management and urban expansion.

Project Merit: Remedial Investigation at Former Defense Site

Weston Solutions

The Former Charlestown Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (CNALF) Remedial Investigation (RI) is a large-scale, high-impact initiative under the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, showcasing collaboration, innovation, and environmental stewardship. Spanning 630 acres in Charlestown, Rhode Island, this World War II-era airfield now hosts Ninigret Park, a multi-purpose public recreational facility, and the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, a vital coastal habitat supporting rare plants, birds, bats, and New England cottontail propagation. The project protects Rhode Island’s largest coastal salt pond, the oyster industry, and community drinking water sourced from the sole-source coastal aquifer. Weston Solutions, Inc., in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), is addressing extensive chemical contamination, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from legacy landfills and former fire training areas, as well as impacts to water supply wells. Advanced methodologies ensure defensible data from thousands of analytical samples and hundreds of monitoring wells. Results are integrated across drinking water, soil, groundwater, surface water, porewater, and sediment using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 1633 for PFAS, supported by 3D plume visualization modeling to guide risk assessments and remedial decisions. Through stakeholder collaboration and transparent public engagement, the CNALF RI sets a benchmark for PFAS investigations at Formerly Used Defense Sites.

Project Merit: Rapid Response Mobile Turbidity Reduction System

Weston Solutions

When Tropical Storm Helene struck Asheville, N.C. on September 27, 2024, it delivered 14 inches of rain and caused severe infrastructure damage. Mudslides sent debris into Bee Tree Reservoir, elevating turbidity beyond the capacity of the City’s three water plants. This severely impacted the water supply and left 156,000 residents without potable water for seven weeks. To address the water quality issue, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Wilmington District partnered with Weston Solutions, Inc. through the Bering-Weston Joint Venture (BWJV), to design and install a mobile turbidity reduction system (TRS). Within 48 hours of award, BWJV mobilized a rapid-response team to restore water quality. Construction was completed by January 12, 2025, and the system was operational by January 16, 2025. The system integrated dissolved air flotation units, sand and bag filters, filter presses, and advanced conveyance systems. The team focused on commissioning, performance testing, and seamless integration with existing infrastructure, ensuring reliability and regulatory compliance. This innovation reduced turbidity to 1.5 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU), safeguarding public health and achieving regulatory compliance. The TRS processed up to 5 million gallons per day. USACE rated the project “Very Good,” citing BWJV’s ability to exceed requirements under a compressed schedule.

Project Merit: Wastewater Infrastructure

Woodard & Curran

The Back Cove South Combined Sewer Overflow Storage Facility is a prime example of how expertise, creative problem solving, and public-private collaboration can make an immense impact on the environmental health of a community. Woodard & Curran performed project design for the new 3.5-million-gallon Back Cove South Combined Sewer Overflow below-grade storage facility. Engineering work included site/civil, environmental, structural, hydraulic and conveyance, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and instrumentation, and controls disciplines. In addition to critical stormwater infrastructure, the firm incorporated resilience measures to enhance and protect valuable public amenities on the project site. The socio-economic wellbeing of the Greater Portland Region is tied intrinsically to the health of Casco Bay. Portland’s classic New England waterfront and proximity to maritime industry and recreation are a major draw for residents, businesses, and visitors. This project contributes to cleaner water and a healthier environment that are paramount to a thriving community. The Back Cove South CSO storage facility is actively reducing overflows to Casco Bay. As intended, this integrated stormwater management measure provides flexibility in flow management for the City’s overall sewer system and decreasing cumulative overflow volumes by up to 88 percent. Statewide, this project reduces overall CSO volume by approximately 50 percent.

 

TECHNOLOGY MERIT AWARDS

Technology Merit: PFAS Decontamination

AECOM, TRS, Denver International Airport

Airports face significant PFAS contamination challenges due to decades of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) use in firefighting. With the EPA’s 2024 designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA, airports must comply with environmental regulations while transitioning to PFAS-free foams. Denver International Airport (DEN), partnered with AECOM and TRS Group, Inc., leads the way in decontaminating Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles using an innovative closed-loop cleaning system. After offloading the AFFF concentrate, the system circulated heated water mixed with a cleaning agent through the ARFF vehicle, functioning like a continuous washing machine; three to five cycles were completed. Between pre-cleaning and post-cleaning analytical results, PFAS levels dropped by an average of 98.72%. This thorough cleaning process enabled safe conversion from AFFF to fluorine-free foam (F3), addressing PFAS contamination on-board complex machines without replacing vehicles, saving millions of dollars compared to purchasing new rigs. In total, 11 ARFF and nine other firefighting vehicles were cleaned, setting a national precedent for cost-effective PFAS remediation. The project included rigorous sampling, data validation, and SOP development, ensuring repeatability. This breakthrough demonstrates how innovative technology can resolve regulatory conflicts, protect the environment, and deliver substantial economic benefits for airports nationwide.

Technology Merit: Continuous Emissions Monitoring

Alliance Technical Group

Alliance Technical Group reached a major milestone in emissions monitoring innovation in 2025 with the successful demonstration and commercialization of its Integrated Path CEMS (IP CEMS). Developed through a long-standing partnership between ESC Spectrum and EPRI and strengthened by ESC Spectrum’s integration into Alliance in July 2025, IP CEMS is redefining how facilities measure and report air emissions. In collaboration with LG&E, Alliance installed and certified an IP CEMS at the Cane Run Generating Station on a Part 75-affected gas turbine. Relative accuracy testing was completed in August 2025, enabling the first-ever submission of Part 75 emissions data to EPA’s ECMPS using IP CEMS while a conventional CEMS was offline—establishing IP CEMS as a fully viable, EPA-recognized compliance solution rather than a backup method. IP CEMS delivers faster, more representative measurements, eliminates sample-system bias, improves uptime and reliability, and reduces O&M costs. In support of this advancement, EPA’s Clean Air Power Division revised Part 75 guidance to sanction IP CEMS and remove Administrator approval requirements, clearing the path for broader industry adoption. Alliance’s collaboration with EPRI, Unisearch, and LG&E demonstrates leadership in overcoming regulatory and engineering barriers to innovation.

Technology Merit: Funnel and Gate for in-situ PFAS

APTIM

Between 2020 and 2026, APTIM’s PFAS experts developed and field-demonstrated a patent-pending Funnel and Gate system for in-situ PFAS treatment. The system uses sheet piling installed as a hydraulic funnel to direct groundwater through a subsurface treatment gate containing anion exchange resin. Installed perpendicular to groundwater flow, it passively captures PFAS-impacted groundwater using natural hydraulic gradients, eliminating the need for active pumping. The treatment gate is designed for efficient media removal and replacement, enabling long-term operation and permanent PFAS mass removal. A 123-foot-wide Funnel and Gate system installed at a Department of Defense site has successfully intercepted a PFAS plume from an AFFF source area since August 2024. Influent PFAS concentrations exceeding 50,000 ppt are being reduced by >99.99%, achieving MCLs for regulated compounds including PFOS and PFOA. The system provides passive treatment, long-term PFAS immobilization, and lower lifecycle costs than conventional pump-and-treat systems. This field-validated technology offers a scalable, energy-efficient solution for sustainable groundwater cleanup while meeting stringent regulatory performance standards.

Technology Merit: Innovation and Prototype Center

Burns & McDonnell

Across the energy and infrastructure sectors, traditional planning methods struggle to keep pace with the speed and complexity of modern capital programs. Project teams face shrinking margins for error as they balance cost, risk, community expectations, and accelerated schedules. To meet this challenge, Burns & McDonnell created the Innovation Center, a purpose-built environment where immersive visualization and rapid prototyping allow clients to understand and refine decisions earlier in the project lifecycle. At the core of the Center is an LED-based, high-resolution CAVE that enables project teams, stakeholders, and elected officials to virtually experience full-scale environments long before construction begins. This ability to “walk through the project” strengthens alignment on design intent, improves constructability and safety planning, and reduces uncertainties that traditionally emerge late in design. The Innovation Center integrates real-time 3D model interaction, digital twin workflows, and rapid 3D printing to accelerate feedback cycles and reveal design conflicts sooner. These capabilities improve cross-disciplinary collaboration and create clearer communication for both technical and nontechnical audiences. Beyond project delivery, the Center supports training, client engagement, recruiting, and design workshops, making it a versatile enterprise asset. 

Technology Merit: Thermal Treatment for PFAS

Cascade Environmental

TerraTherm, a Cascade Company, partnered with Colorado School of Mines and conducted a successful pilot demonstration of a patent-pending thermal treatment technology for PFAS-impacted soil and sediment at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colo. Funded by the Department of Defense’s Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP, ER-8372), the project aimed to evaluate emerging PFAS destruction methods. During the demonstration, PFAS-contaminated sediment was heated to 400°C, and extracted vapors were treated in a specially engineered thermal catalyst at 600°C. This process resulted in the removal and mineralization of all target PFAS and precursors to below part-per-trillion detection levels. Stack sampling (OTM-45, 50, and 55) confirmed the destruction of PFAS, products of incomplete combustion, and volatile fluorinated compounds, with no emissions above quality control detection levels. Fluorine was safely sequestered as inert metal fluorides, and emissions of HF were minimal. 

Technology Merit: Technology-Enabled Wildfire Debris Removal

ECC

ECC developed and deployed advanced, AI-driven technologies that transformed delivery of the $1.7 billion USACE Los Angeles County Palisades and Eaton Fires Debris Removal Project. ECC created artificial intelligence-powered computer vision applications to detect burned vehicles, significantly improving safety, hazard identification, logistics, and removal planning. Built through rigorous data collection, annotation, iterative training, and validation, the models accurately identified thousands of vehicles, enabling optimized scheduling and accelerated operations. In parallel, ECC integrated multiple advanced commercial and proprietary technologies—including Survey123, automated data management systems, GIS, Smartsheet, ECC-developed mobile applications (Summit and Service Ticket), and Microsoft Power BI—into a unified, real-time data platform. The system tracked personnel, training and activities for more than 4,000 workers and subcontractors, debris management, GPS-based trucking logistics, property status, reporting, and community engagement. These capabilities enabled adaptive scheduling, resource optimization, and safer operations. ECC cleared 2.6 million tons of debris across 10,384 parcels in just six months—half the original schedule—achieving the fastest large-scale wildfire cleanup in history.

Technology Merit: Low-Emission Thermal Remediation

Geo Remediation Company

Geo Remediation Company advanced low-emission thermal remediation in 2025 by integrating thermal conduction heating with its Cryogenic-Compression–Condensation (C3™) system, creating a closed-capture platform capable of managing high-strength VOC, PAH, NAPL, and PFAS vapor streams with near-zero atmospheric discharge. The system routinely achieves greater than 99% vapor-phase capture, providing an uncommon level of transparency and regulatory confidence in thermal remediation performance. By recovering contaminants as liquid condensate, C3 enables near-complete mass-balance accounting, improving design certainty and clarifying contaminant-mobilization pathways. Field applications demonstrated effective contaminant removal at temperatures below 100°C, reducing energy demand while maintaining stable vapor and hydraulic control in low-permeability and high-load conditions. The approach minimizes granular activated carbon usage, eliminates combustion-based controls, and simplifies permitting at air-sensitive sites. GEO’s integrated C3 platform establishes a new model for thermal remediation—delivering high-efficiency capture, lower environmental impact, and scalable performance for both legacy and emerging contaminants in complex industrial settings.

Technology Merit: Krysalis for PFAS Remediation

Haemers Technologies

Krysalis represents a technological inflection point in PFAS remediation as the first field-proven system that fully destroys PFAS in soil—including the most persistent short-chain molecules such as TFA and CF?—while preserving soil for direct reuse, according to Haemers Technologies. Demonstrated under national regulatory supervision in Denmark in 2025, the technology combines controlled thermal desorption with high-temperature wet combustion at 1,400 °C to achieve complete mineralization into stable end-products (HF, CO?, SO?) with no secondary waste stream. Engineered for real-world deployment, Krysalis offers modular, scalable capacity: from 200-ton units (3,500–4,000 t/year) to integrated multi-module systems treating up to 5,000 tons, enabling rapid mobilization at industrial, military, and airport sites. Operating costs of <$250/ton and energy demand of ~300 kWh/ton position it as a cost-competitive alternative to incineration and concentration-based methods, with the added advantage of onsite treatment and reduced liability. Krysalis provides what the PFAS market has lacked: a verifiable, economically viable destruction pathway that eliminates long-term liabilities rather than shifting them. Supported by growing patent protection, an advancing prototype program, and strong interest from key industrial and government stakeholders, Krysalis is positioned to become a cornerstone environmental remediation technology.

Technology Merit: Energy Project Origination

IOWN Energy

The team at IOWN Energy, LLC developed a cutting-edge origination software, IOWN IQ, designed to transform how energy projects move from concept to execution. Built with a focus on efficiency and transparency, IOWN IQ integrates a dynamic, decision-oriented UI with advanced GIS screening and interactive features. By combining spatial analysis with real-time risk insights, IOWN Energy empowers its team of developers to evaluate opportunities with confidence and precision. The software supports the initial review of projects and provides clear visibility into pipeline status, ensuring that every step is well-documented and optimized for viewing. Its intuitive design allows users to navigate complex data effortlessly, fostering collaboration across departments, and accelerating project timelines. Beyond functionality, IOWN IQ represents how technology is being leveraged to enable smarter resource allocation and proactive risk management. By embedding innovation into workflows, IOWN IQ not only improves operational efficiency but also sets a new standard for project origination. It stands as a transformative solution, driving growth and setting new standards for digital excellence.

Technology Merit: Environmental Monitoring and Modeling

Spheros Environmental

In 2025, Spheros Environmental advanced a suite of applied technologies to improve environmental compliance and sustainability outcomes. The firm’s fenceline air quality monitoring framework optimized sensor placement and automated regulatory reporting, reducing compliance cycle times by approximately 30% while improving data defensibility for industrial clients. Spheros also deployed hydrodynamic simulation models to evaluate desalination brine dispersion for coastal infrastructure projects, supporting informed siting decisions and minimizing ecological impacts. By modeling circulation patterns and integrating real-time environmental data, these tools enable proactive risk management and design optimization. Additional innovations included enhanced ethylene oxide (EtO) and PFAS detection methods, increasing data resolution for complex air quality programs. Integrated digital workflows and automated dashboards further streamlined permitting and accelerated decision-making across multi-jurisdictional projects. Together, these innovations shortened permitting timelines, reduced ecological risk, and strengthened operational resilience, demonstrating how applied science and technical excellence can address the evolving demands of modern infrastructure development.

Technology Merit: Trash Capture

Stantec Consulting Services

Stantec Consulting Services Inc. is helping communities advance innovative trash capture solutions, transforming the fight against coastal and urban waterway trash pollution. Designed to intercept and remove debris before it reaches sensitive marine environments and beaches, these systems address the growing challenge of trash that threatens both ecological and community health. The demonstrated technology employs engineered barriers, conveyance systems, and adaptive designs tailored to local hydrology and debris types, helping ensure effective performance in diverse settings – from stormwater outfalls to tidal estuaries. Stantec has supported numerous clients in California with successful trash capture projects in major coastal watersheds. For example, the Newport Bay Trash Interceptor was the West Coast’s first water wheel-powered trash collection device. Using river currents and solar energy, it drives a conveyor that lifts debris from the water, capturing up to 80% of floating trash before it impacts beaches and habitats. This approach reduces cleanup costs, improves public health, and supports environmental justice by protecting underserved communities disproportionately affected by pollution.

Technology Merit: LIDAR for Historic Preservation

Stell Environmental Enterprises

Stell Environmental Enterprises, Inc. advanced LiDAR-enabled data visualization to enhance historic preservation outcomes through an innovative digital documentation workflow at Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site requiring exceptional precision and archival integrity. Stell developed an integrated methodology that transforms high-resolution terrestrial LiDAR point clouds into structured, interpretable architectural deliverables. Using terrestrial 3D LiDAR scanning, high-resolution ortho-imagery, and geospatial control, Stell documented 85 architectural units within the Pueblo del Arroyo Great House. Resulting datasets were processed into annotated wall elevations, condition visualizations, and a digital architectural model that supports consistent measurement, comparison, and condition assessment. This work represents a shift in LiDAR use for historic preservation—from static record capture to an analytical, visual decision-support tool. Deliverables support condition assessment, treatment planning, and long-term monitoring of erosion, environmental exposure, and stabilization efforts. All products were generated in NARA-approved archival formats and integrated with AutoCAD and GIS platforms, ensuring long-term accessibility, usability, and scalability.

Technology Merit: Neptune Acoustic Monitoring

Tetra Tech

Tetra Tech, Inc. developed Neptune, a patented, AI-powered marine mammal detection system that delivers advanced monitoring and data outputs while reducing false detections and reliance on offshore and onshore personnel. Protected species monitoring is required for many offshore activities due to potential impacts from underwater noise; Neptune modernizes this process through adaptive, high-accuracy acoustic analysis. Neptune can be trained to distinguish marine mammal signals from vessel- and human-generated noise and to operate effectively in new soundscapes. This significantly reduces the volume of data transmitted from offshore collection points for manual review, improving analyst efficiency and lowering operational costs. The system has achieved up to 96% accuracy in identifying certain critically endangered whale species—well above the typical 80% accuracy standard. On a recent marine construction project, Neptune reduced data transmission volumes by 40%, resulting in an overall 70% cost reduction for the client. Neptune demonstrates how AI can improve environmental protection outcomes while delivering substantial efficiency and cost benefits.

Technology Merit: Project Delivery Technologies

Tighe & Bond

In 2025, Tighe & Bond strengthened its project delivery capabilities through the strategic adoption of three advanced technologies: high-resolution 3D laser scanning, LiDAR-equipped unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and AI-enabled workflows for infrastructure asset management. These investments support greater accuracy in documenting existing conditions, improved efficiency, and more actionable, data-driven insights across the project lifecycle. High-density 3D laser scanning and drone-based LiDAR capture comprehensive site conditions early in project development, producing detailed topographic, structural, and terrain models. This approach reduces field uncertainty, enhances safety, minimizes design risk, and accelerates planning—resulting in fewer constructability conflicts and more predictable project scope, cost, and schedule outcomes. At the same time, AI-enabled infrastructure assessments significantly accelerate data processing and design analysis. Integrated with 3D scanning, AI streamlines condition assessments and feeds directly into interactive GIS platforms, providing clients with timely, transparent insights from capital planning through project execution. Together, these technologies enable more informed decision-making and consistently improved project performance.

Technology Merit: Contaminated Sediment Remediation

TRC Environmental Corporation

The Adaptive Active Remediation Cap for Sediment (ARCforSe), co-invented (patent-pending) by TRC experts Nidal Rabah, PhD, PE, LSRP; John Rice, PE, PH; and Barret Culp, PG, PMP, is a novel in-situ alternative to dredging for the active remediation of contaminated sediments. ARCforSe targets hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs), and emerging contaminants such as PFAS, including PAHs, PCBs, dioxins, and furans. Building on TRC’s patented NAPL Trapping Cap and in-situ foam fractionation technologies, ARCforSe functions as an adaptive permeable reactive barrier (PRB) that contains, strips, removes, and degrades contaminants migrating from sediment or groundwater to surface water. Key processes include air sparging and groundwater circulation, vacuum extraction, soil flushing, an innovative cap-toe vent to trap NAPL, and contaminant transformation. Bench-scale, pilot, and full-scale applications have demonstrated effective removal of PCBs, PAHs, and PFAS. ARCforSe provides a green, cost-effective remedy that minimizes waste, energy use, and compliance burdens while addressing a broad range of sediment contaminants.

 

SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION AWARDS

Social Contribution: STEM Mentorship

Mabbett & Associates

Mabbett & Associates, Inc. has identified the growing decline in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (i.e., STEM) interest and graduates nationally as a serious threat to the future of the environmental consulting and engineering industry. The American Enterprise Institute recently reported that STEM aptitude among 8th and 12th grade students is at an all-time low. A recent article by Ohio Status University reported that “fewer than 40% of students who begin studying STEM in college graduate in their chosen field. The drop-off is worse among women and students of color. That’s important because the American workforce is, year by year, increasingly more female and non-white”. Additionally, our country is experiencing a demographic and enrollment cliff when it comes to higher education. The U.S. birthrate has declined significantly and, thus, the number of students applying for four-year college degrees has decreased for myriad reasons. To help minimize these impacts, Mabbett has actively sponsored the Medford, Mass., High School, Science and Engineering Exhibition for the past three years. The firm has provided financial awards to prize winners, hosted a luncheon, and has provided employee judges for the event. Mabbett is currently working with Medford High School to develop and implement a mentorship and career development program to further encourage students to pursue careers in STEM.

Social Contribution: Workforce Education

Burns & McDonnell

The Burns & McDonnell Construction Academy is a transformative workforce initiative addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing U.S. infrastructure: the nationwide shortage of skilled construction craft professionals. With the industry needing to add nearly 454,000 workers to meet near-term demand, the Academy provides an accessible, non-degree pathway into well-paid, essential careers. Launched in 2024, the program includes a 14,000-square-foot training and assessment hub in Houston, supported by a growing fleet of mobile training units extending access to underserved communities nationwide. Through online knowledge assessments, hands-on skills evaluations, and a transparent advancement framework, the Academy supports participants from entry-level candidates to experienced craft professionals seeking advancement. By partnering with local schools, community organizations, and workforce groups, the Construction Academy builds early talent pipelines, strengthens community resilience, and expands equitable access to the skilled trades. Hundreds of participants have already completed training or assessments, directly supporting economic mobility while helping ensure the workforce capacity needed to deliver critical infrastructure across the country.

Social Contribution: Tribal Land Restoration

Klamath River Renewal Corporation

When four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River were determined to be no longer environmentally or economically sustainable, PacifiCorp partnered with Tribes, states, and other stakeholders to pursue a landmark solution. The precedent-setting Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (2016) established the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC) to implement what became the largest dam removal project in history, supported by $450 million from PacifiCorp and the states of California and Oregon. The final dam was removed in October 2024, and by fall 2025, more than 10,000 Chinook salmon had returned to the upper Klamath Basin—nearly 300 miles from the Pacific Ocean—for the first time in over a century. The project included extensive habitat and floodplain restoration, revegetation supporting tribal subsistence traditions, and the reopening of world-class whitewater recreation to the public. Approximately 2,000 acres are being conveyed to the Shasta Indian Nation, whose ancestral lands were inundated by the former reservoirs. AECOM led federal cultural resource compliance and worked closely with tribal monitors to protect dozens of culturally significant sites. In recognition of the project’s historical importance, KRRC constructed a heritage trail and retained AECOM to secure National Register listing for a portion of the Shasta Indian Nation’s homeland, Kikacéki, preserving its legacy for future generations.

Social Contribution: Community Service 

Envirocon

Envirocon is dedicated to community service through volunteerism and philanthropy, with employees actively supporting meaningful local projects. The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation—funded in part by annual contributions from Envirocon and other Washington Companies—works to improve lives by supporting programs that enhance quality of life, with emphasis on youth, economically and socially disadvantaged individuals and families, and those with special needs. In 2025, the Foundation issued $60,000 in grants to several nonprofit organizations across six communities where Envirocon executed projects, and an additional $20,000 was awarded through a “Pay It Forward” program. Funds supported children’s shelter, aging services, a community college, a domestic violence shelter, parks, and sustainability programs. Envirocon’s community impact is also reflected in its project work. In 2025, the firm completed a $76-million mine reclamation project for Iluka Resources in Virginia where the 4,000-acre site project won the 2025 Virginia Energy Mineral Mine Reclamation Award, and was lauded for its environmental planning, community engagement, and successful return to agricultural production.

INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARDS

Industry Leadership: Strategic Undergrounding Program

San Diego Gas & Electric

The team demonstrated exceptional industry leadership through delivery of a Southern California utility’s Strategic Undergrounding Program (SUG). The SUG program addresses an urgent climate challenge: escalating wildfire risk driven by prolonged drought, extreme heat, and high winds. Undergrounding reduces ignition sources, enhances grid resilience, and minimizes Public Safety Power Shutoffs, protecting communities and ecosystems. This project model redefined delivery by placing the environmental team at the center, alongside engineering and construction, significantly reducing cost per mile. Efficiencies enhanced affordability and efficacy, setting a new benchmark for wildfire mitigation. The program embedded sustainability goals and worked to minimize environmental impacts. Achieving 38% Diverse Business Enterprise participation demonstrated a strong commitment to supplier diversity and inclusive economic growth. The project engaged nine Tribes through 37 meetings and secured over 500 permits/easements. This innovative model strengthens utility resilience/sustainability and sets an industry standard for wildfire mitigation and infrastructure modernization in California and nationwide.

Industry Leadership: Post-Wildfire Rapid Environmental Recovery

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

After the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spearheaded a rapid recovery effort that cleared 12,000-plus parcels in just six months, enabling thousands of residents and businesses to rebuild. This unprecedented operation required coordination across multiple agencies while mitigating hazards such as asbestos, lead, and lithium batteries—all without harming wildlife or ecosystems. Impactful Innovation: The team deployed custom mobile and GIS-enabled apps to streamline data collection for more than 27,000 biological and archaeological monitoring forms, reducing errors and accelerating clearance timelines. Daily digital reporting ensured real-time collaboration among stakeholders, cutting rework and saving weeks of effort. Safety & Workforce Development: Working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, teams recovered priceless artifacts and documented historic structures, preserving cultural heritage. The project also served as a career-launching platform for dozens of recent graduates, pairing them with seasoned mentors to strengthen the industry’s talent pipeline. This initiative exemplifies industry leadership in environmental recovery, policy coordination, and educational engagement, setting a national benchmark for resilience and innovation in climate disaster response.

 

50-YEAR COMPANY RECOGNITION

Salas O’Brien

Amid the energy challenges of 1975, Dan O’Brien and Carl Salas founded Salas O’Brien with a shared vision to design smarter systems and build a better world. What began as a response to the energy crisis has grown into a purpose-driven firm of more than 4,300 team members united by a passion for making a positive impact. Over the years, Salas O’Brien has expanded its reach through over 50 mergers with like-minded firms with a shared belief in empowering team members and pursuing technical excellence. This growth has fueled national recognition, including ranking #31 on ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms and becoming a 13-time honoree on the Inc. 500 list. To celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, the firm launched 50 Acts of Community Impact to give back to the communities it serves, introduced a commemorative logo and graphics, and released its Founders’ Story and 50 Years of Impact videos to honor the firm’s legacy. Together, these efforts strengthen Salas O’Brien’s culture of service and shared success. After five decades, the firm continues to help communities thrive through purposeful design and technical innovation. True to its founders’ vision 50 years later, Salas O’Brien is engineered for impact.

 

EBJ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

To Be Announced